How to Make Money on TikTok: A Complete Guide for Creators

TikTok has rapidly transformed from a simple app for sharing short, entertaining videos into a dynamic platform where creators can build thriving careers and generate substantial income. 

What makes TikTok especially exciting is that monetization opportunities are not limited to those with millions of followers; even creators with smaller, engaged audiences can start earning money. 

The platform offers a variety of ways to turn your creativity into cash, whether through TikTok’s own Creator Fund, brand partnerships, affiliate marketing, or selling your own products and services. 

Additionally, features like live streaming allow fans to send virtual gifts that can be converted into real money, providing yet another revenue stream. Getting a lot of TikTok live views enhances your chances of TikTok monetization.

With its ever-growing user base and diverse monetization options, TikTok presents an accessible and powerful opportunity for creators to not only showcase their talents but also build sustainable income. 

This comprehensive guide will explore all the proven methods to help you maximize your earning potential on TikTok, no matter your follower count or niche.

Can You Make Money on TikTok?

How Do People Make Money on TikTok?

Yes, you can definitely make money on TikTok, and many creators earn a full-time income through the platform. However, the revenue doesn’t come from views alone; it’s generated through a variety of partnerships, programs, and content monetization methods. 

Having a substantial viewing on your videos will eventually lead you to earning more money on TikTok, that’s why some users prefer buying TikTok views when they are starting out.

TikTok offers multiple ways to earn, such as joining the Creator Rewards Program or Creator Fund, where creators get paid based on video views, engagement, and originality. 

For example, to qualify for the Creator Fund, you need at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 views in the last 30 days, and earnings can range from a few cents per thousand views depending on content quality and engagement. 

Beyond this, creators can partner with brands for sponsored content, promote products through affiliate marketing, and sell merchandise via TikTok Shop. 

Live streaming also provides opportunities to collect virtual gifts from viewers, which can be converted into real money. Additionally, TikTok’s newer features like TikTok Series allow creators to offer exclusive paid content. 

Successful monetization on TikTok often involves combining several of these strategies to build a sustainable income stream, rather than relying solely on video views

How Does TikTok Pay You?

TikTok offers creators both direct and indirect ways to get paid, making it a versatile platform for monetization. One of the primary direct payment methods is the TikTok Creator Fund, which rewards creators based on video views, engagement, and content quality rather than just raw views. 

To qualify, creators generally need at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 views in the last 30 days, and payments are typically made monthly once a minimum threshold is reached. 

In 2025, TikTok revamped the Creator Fund to increase payouts, especially rewarding videos with high watch-to-end rates and deeper engagement, with creators now earning up to $0.50–$1 per 1,000 views—significantly higher than before.

Beyond the Creator Fund, TikTok enables creators to earn through brand sponsorships and partnerships. Using platforms like TikTok Creator Marketplace, creators can connect with brands to produce sponsored content, which often provides more substantial income than the Creator Fund alone. 

Affiliate marketing is another indirect revenue stream, where creators promote products via links and earn commissions on sales.

Live streaming offers additional earning potential through virtual gifts and tips. When creators go live, viewers can send virtual gifts purchased with TikTok coins, which creators can convert into real money, minus processing fees. Features like TikTok Tips also allow fans to directly support creators with monetary donations.

TikTok has also introduced subscription-based monetization options, allowing creators to offer exclusive content to paying subscribers, providing a steady monthly income. 

Furthermore, TikTok's advertising programs, such as TikTok Pulse, share ad revenue with creators when ads run alongside their content, expanding earning opportunities even for those with smaller followings.

With these diverse payment methods—ranging from Creator Fund payouts and brand deals to live gifts, subscriptions, and ad revenue sharing—TikTok provides creators multiple avenues to monetize their content and grow sustainable incomes.

How to Start Making Money on TikTok

Step 1 – Build a Niche Audience

To start making money on TikTok, the first crucial step is to build a niche audience. Choosing a focused topic—whether it’s comedy, fitness, fashion, finance, or any other area you’re passionate about—helps you attract and retain viewers who are genuinely interested in your content. 

TikTok’s algorithm favors creators who constantly post engaging videos within a specific niche, increasing your chances of reaching the right audience. 

Consistency is key: posting regularly keeps your followers engaged and signals to the platform that your content is active and relevant. 

Engaging with your viewers by responding to comments, participating in trends, and collaborating with other creators also strengthens your community and boosts your visibility. 

To keep getting comments to keep your community engaged & talking, you should aim for getting TikTok comments from real users. And if you're too busy or can't keep track of always replying to those comments, you can buy real comment replies that'll always be appropriate & match your vibe!

By honing in on a niche and building a loyal audience, you lay the essential foundation to qualify for TikTok’s monetization programs and attract brand partnerships, setting you on the path to earning income from your TikTok presence.

Step 2 – Switch to a Creator or Business Account

To start making money on TikTok, the first crucial step is building a niche audience focused on a specific topic such as comedy, fitness, fashion, or finance. Choosing a clear niche helps attract viewers who are genuinely interested in your content, which is essential because TikTok’s algorithm favors creators who consistently post engaging videos within a defined area. 

Posting regularly not only keeps your followers engaged but also signals to TikTok that your content is active and relevant, increasing your chances of being featured and reaching more people. 

Engaging with your audience by responding to comments, joining trending challenges, and collaborating with other creators further strengthens your community and boosts visibility. 

In 2025, TikTok’s AI-driven tools and predictive analytics can help you optimize posting times and content ideas tailored to your niche, making it easier to grow your TikTok followers effectively. 

By focusing on a niche and building a loyal, engaged following, you set the foundation to meet TikTok’s monetization eligibility requirements—such as having at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 views in the last 30 days—and unlock multiple income streams like the Creator Fund, brand partnerships, and TikTok Shop affiliate programs. 

Step 3 – Grow Your Follower Base

To grow your follower base on TikTok, leveraging trending sounds, hashtags, and creating high-retention content is essential. 

Trending sounds are especially powerful because TikTok’s algorithm favors videos that use popular audio clips, boosting your chances of landing on the For You Page (FYP) and reaching a wider audience. In 2025, mastering trending audio is crucial, as 88% of users say sound is vital to their TikTok experience, and using the latest viral sounds can significantly increase engagement and discoverability. 

You can find trending sounds by exploring TikTok’s Creative Center, searching “trending audio” on the app, or following weekly updated guides that highlight the hottest tracks.

Alongside sounds, using relevant and popular hashtags helps categorize your content and makes it easier for users interested in your niche to find you. 

General trending hashtags like #fyp, #viral, #trending, and niche-specific tags related to your content (e.g., #fitness, #fashion, #comedy) enhance visibility and engagement. Combining trending sounds with the right hashtags maximizes your reach.

Finally, focus on creating high-retention content that keeps viewers watching until the end, as TikTok rewards videos with strong watch time and engagement by pushing them to more users. 

Engaging storytelling, clear hooks in the first few seconds, and visually appealing edits can help maintain viewer interest. By consistently using trending sounds, hashtags, and producing captivating content, you’ll steadily grow your follower base and increase your chances of monetizing your TikTok 

Ways to Make Money from TikTok

1. TikTok Creator Rewards Program

The TikTok Creator Fund is available to creators who have at least 10,000 followers and have garnered 100,000 video views in the last 30 days. To qualify, you must also be at least 18 years old, reside in an eligible country such as the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain, or Italy, and comply with TikTok’s Community Guidelines and terms of service. 

Once accepted, your payment depends on several factors including the performance of your videos, viewer engagement, and your region. TikTok calculates earnings based on metrics like watch time, video originality, and engagement rather than just raw views, meaning higher engagement and retention can increase your payout. 

Payments accumulate in a Creator Fund dashboard within the app and can be withdrawn once you reach the minimum payout threshold. While exact rates vary, creators typically earn a few cents per 1,000 views, with daily fluctuations depending on overall fund allocation and video performance. This program provides a steady income stream for creators who consistently produce quality content and meet TikTok’s criteria.

2. Brand Deals and Sponsorships

Brand deals and sponsorships are one of the most lucrative ways to make money on TikTok. In this model, creators partner with brands to promote products or services in exchange for payment. The amount you can earn depends on several factors, including your follower count, engagement rate, niche, content quality, and how well your audience aligns with the brand’s target market. 

For creators with 10,000 to 50,000 followers, sponsored posts typically pay between $200 and $500 each. Influencers with larger followings—especially those with over 1 million followers—can command significantly higher fees, often starting at $1,000 and reaching tens of thousands of dollars per post.

Brands look beyond just follower numbers; they also value high engagement rates, creative content, and audience relevance. A smaller but highly engaged audience can sometimes be more valuable than a large but less interactive one. 

Negotiating fair rates involves considering campaign scope, deliverables, exclusivity, and usage rights. Besides monetary payment, brands may offer perks like free products or long-term collaborations.

Successful brand partnerships require clear communication and alignment between the creator’s style and the brand’s values, ensuring authentic promotion that resonates with viewers.

3. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing on TikTok allows creators to promote third-party products and earn commissions on sales made through their unique affiliate links. 

By joining programs like TikTok Shop Affiliate, creators can select products to feature in their videos, live streams, or bio, and earn a percentage of every sale generated through those links. 

To qualify for TikTok’s official affiliate program, creators generally need at least 1,000 followers and 50+ video views in the last 28 days, making it accessible even for smaller accounts.

Creators boost affiliate sales by creating authentic content such as product demos, unboxings, tutorials, or reviews, which helps build trust with their audience.

Since TikTok videos don’t allow clickable links in captions, creators often place affiliate links in their bio or use TikTok Stories (available to users with over 10,000 followers) to add clickable links. Leveraging trending sounds, hashtags, and TikTok’s viral format increases content visibility and drives conversions.

Affiliate marketing is a performance-based income stream, meaning creators earn commissions only when sales occur, minimizing risk while tapping into TikTok’s massive, engaged audience. 

With TikTok’s expanding shopping features and over 2 billion users projected in 2025, affiliate marketing remains a powerful and growing way for creators to monetize their content effectively

4. Selling Your Own Products

Selling your own products on TikTok is a powerful way to monetize your audience by promoting your e-commerce store, digital products, or branded merchandise. 

To get started, you can set up a TikTok Shop, which allows fans to purchase your products directly within the app, or link to an external store like Shopify for more customization and control over your online shop. 

Many creators use print-on-demand services such as Printful or Fourthwall to design and sell custom merch without managing inventory, making it easy to offer apparel, accessories, or art that reflects their unique brand and style.

Success in selling merch on TikTok starts with understanding your audience and creating products that resonate with their interests and your content niche. 

For example, fashion creators might sell trendy clothing, while fitness influencers could offer workout gear. 

Authenticity is key—showcasing your merch in engaging videos, sharing the creation process, and using TikTok’s viral features like hashtags and sounds can boost visibility and sales. 

Encouraging followers to create user-generated content featuring your products can also drive organic growth and brand awareness.

To maximize sales, actively promote your merch through regular posts, live streams, and by including your shop link in your bio. Limited-time offers and exclusive drops create urgency and excitement among your followers. 

Additionally, TikTok’s advertising platform offers options like in-feed ads and branded hashtag challenges to reach wider audiences and increase conversions.

By aligning your products with your TikTok content and leveraging the platform’s shopping tools, you can build a sustainable business and deepen your connection with fans while generating income from your creativity.

5. Live Gifting and TikTok Coins

TikTok Live Gifting lets followers send virtual gifts to creators during live streams as a way to show appreciation and support. Viewers purchase TikTok Coins with real money, which they use to send various gifts—each with a specific coin value—that appear as fun animations on the screen during the live session. 

These gifts convert into Diamonds for the creator, which can later be exchanged for real cash once a minimum earnings threshold (usually $100) is reached. (Mega Digital) 

Creators can withdraw their earnings through PayPal or other supported payment methods.

To qualify for receiving Live Gifts, creators must be at least 18 years old (19 in South Korea), have at least 1,000 followers, have posted at least one public video in the last 30 days, and maintain a good account standing. 

The feature is available only in certain regions, and government or political accounts are excluded. Enabling Live Gifts is simple via the Creator Tools in TikTok’s settings, allowing creators to activate the feature before going live.

Live Gifting not only provides a direct income stream but also boosts real-time engagement, as gift animations encourage more viewers to participate and support creators during streams. 

This feature has become a vital monetization tool for TikTok creators looking to turn their live content into a sustainable revenue source

6. TikTok Creator Marketplace

The TikTok Creator Marketplace is an official platform that connects creators with brands looking for influencer partnerships, streamlining the process of finding and managing collaborations within the TikTok ecosystem. 

Creators create detailed profiles showcasing their audience demographics, engagement rates, and past work, making it easier for brands to find influencers who align with their target market. Brands can search, filter, and directly reach out to suitable creators, negotiate terms, and track campaign performance—all in one place.

For creators, joining the Marketplace increases visibility to potential brand partners without the need to seek out deals independently, helping them secure paid sponsorships and build sustainable income streams. 

The platform offers transparent data and analytics, allowing both parties to make informed decisions and optimize campaigns for better results. It supports diverse collaboration types, from sponsored posts and product placements to branded challenges and takeovers, providing creators with multiple monetization opportunities.

Overall, the TikTok Creator Marketplace simplifies influencer marketing by providing a trusted, efficient environment for creators and brands to connect, collaborate, and grow together.

7. Promote Paid Content or Services

Promoting paid content or services on TikTok lets you drive traffic to platforms like Patreon, coaching programs, or premium subscriptions. Share exclusive previews, tutorials, or behind-the-scenes clips to entice followers, and include clear calls to action with links in your bio. 

Offering perks like early access or personalized content encourages fans to subscribe. Building genuine connections and consistently promoting your paid offerings helps turn followers into paying supporters, creating a steady income beyond ads and sponsorships.

How to Get Paid on TikTok

TikTok Payment Process

To get paid on TikTok, you first need to link your account to a payment method such as PayPal or a bank account. You can do this by going to your profile, tapping the menu, selecting "Settings & Privacy," then "Balance," and finally choosing the option to add a new payment method. 

Once your payment method is linked, you need to earn money through TikTok’s monetization features like the Creator Fund, live gifts, or TikTok Shop.

You can withdraw your earnings once you reach the minimum payout threshold, which usually ranges between $50 and $100 depending on your region. 

After reaching this threshold, the "Withdraw" option becomes available in your balance section. When you withdraw, the money will be sent directly to your linked PayPal account or bank account. TikTok does not charge withdrawal fees, but keep in mind that PayPal or your bank might apply their own fees or currency conversion charges.

This process ensures that creators can securely and conveniently receive their earnings from TikTok.

Monitor Your Earnings

To monitor your earnings on TikTok, use the in-app analytics dashboard available for Creator or Business accounts. You can access it by going to your profile, tapping the three-line menu, selecting "Creator tools" or "Business Suite," and then choosing "Analytics." 

This dashboard provides detailed insights into your account performance, including video views, follower growth, engagement, and revenue from features like live gifts and TikTok Shop sales. 

By regularly reviewing these analytics, you can identify which content performs best and tailor your strategy to maximize your income. For more information, you can visit TikTok’s official Analytics Help Center to learn how to access and use these tools effectively.

Tips for Making Money on TikTok Successfully

Stay Consistent

Stay consistent by posting frequently and experimenting with different content formats to keep your audience engaged. 

Regular posting helps maintain visibility on TikTok’s algorithm, while trying out videos, live streams, duets, and other formats lets you discover what resonates best with your followers. For tips on content ideas and scheduling, check out TikTok’s Creator Portal.

Engage With Your Audience

To truly engage with your audience, make it a priority to respond thoughtfully to comments and messages, creating a genuine connection with your followers. 

Regularly going live offers an excellent opportunity to interact in real time, answer questions, and showcase your personality, which deepens community bonds and can boost your earnings through virtual gifts. 

Building a loyal community not only increases your content’s reach but also encourages repeat engagement and support. For expert tips on fostering meaningful connections, explore TikTok’s Creator Portal on Community Building.

Follow TikTok Trends

To boost your visibility on TikTok, adapt trending challenges and sounds to fit your niche by regularly exploring TikTok’s Trending Audio and Trending Sounds pages, which update daily with the hottest tracks and viral clips. Using popular sounds like Benson Boone’s "Vikāra" or viral audio snippets such as the “Pivot! PIVOT!” meme can increase your content’s reach significantly. 

Engaging with current challenges, like those found under the #2025challenge, helps you tap into active trends that TikTok’s algorithm favors.

TikTok’s Discover tab and effects panel are key tools to find trending sounds and challenges in real time, while following influencers and trending hashtags further guides you to what’s gaining traction. Incorporating these sounds creatively into your niche content can drive higher engagement and follower growth. 

For example, the recent “You Can Ask for Flowers” trend blends nostalgic audio with ironic text overlays, showing how adapting trends with your unique twist can resonate widely.

For tracking your progress and optimizing your strategy, use TikTok’s in-app analytics dashboard, available for Creator and Business accounts. This dashboard offers real-time insights into video views, engagement, follower growth, and live stream metrics, helping you understand what works. 

You can also automate and customize your reporting with tools like DashThis or build a tailored analytics dashboard using Coupler.io, which pulls your TikTok data into platforms like Looker Studio for deeper analysis.

Conclusion

Making money on TikTok is more accessible than ever—regardless of your follower count. With the right mix of creativity, consistency, and strategy, you can turn your content into a reliable income stream. 

Whether it’s through brand partnerships, TikTok’s own monetization tools, or external platforms, there are countless ways to profit from your presence. 

Start by focusing on content that connects with a niche audience, stay up-to-date with trends, and don’t be afraid to experiment. The path to TikTok success starts with your next video—so hit record and start building your future today.