How Much Top YouTube Stars Make Per Minute of Video
August 21, 2019
Who are the richest YouTubers, and how much do they get paid? We’ve taken a closer look at the wealth of the top 10 YouTubers by their yearly earnings according to Forbes and compared that against their total uploaded content for the year to figure out about what these stars would get paid by the minute.
Spoiler: It’s a lot.
Because so many famous YouTubers get a massive amount of money from sponsorships and merchandising, we can’t honestly say that this is what YouTube pays per minute via just advertising, but this is a rough estimation based on their earnings versus the duration of their content.
With all that considered, these are the top 10 richest YouTubers and roughly how much they make per minute.
Who Is the Richest YouTuber in the World?
The richest YouTuber is a 7-year-old: Ryan Kaji of Ryan ToysReview. He is famous for honest and enthusiastic toy reviews, and his earnings doubled in just one year. In 2018 alone, the little boy earned an estimated $22 million, according to Forbes. If you compare that to the 4,226.77 minutes he uploaded in 2018, the richest person on YouTube makes roughly $5,000 per minute.
The Top 10 Highest-Paid YouTubers
Here are the top YouTube earners for 2018 along with what they’re making per minute of content:
- Ryan ToysReview: $22 Million
$5,204.92 per minute
With more than 4,000 minutes of uploaded content in 2018 alone, Ryan Kaji has been a busy boy. His wealth may be in part due to his line of toys now for sale at Walmart and his Viacom sponsorship.
Most-viewed video: HUGE EGGS Surprise Toys Challenge with Inflatable water slide
1,890,685,217 views as of August 21, 2019
- Jake Paul: $21.5 Million
$8,511.14 per minute
While Logan Paul was disgraced for his hyper reaction to a dead body in Japan’s suicide forest, younger brother Jake is still one of the richest YouTube stars on the platform, likely due to his merchandise business.
Most-viewed video: Jake Paul - It's Everyday Bro (Song) feat. Team 10 (Official Music Video)
249,606,120 views as of August 21, 2019
- Dude Perfect: $20 Million
$85,026.78 per minute
They only had 253 minutes of content in 2018, but each video was filled with incredible, absurd feats; that’s what the Cotton brothers and their friends are known for. This sports entertainment group holds many Guinness world records and also has their own sportswear line.
Most-viewed video: Ping Pong Trick Shots 3 | Dude Perfect
216,444,352 views as of August 21, 2019
- DanTDM: $18.5 Million
$1,487.74 per minute
In 2018 alone, Daniel Middleton, who’s known for his Minecraft let’s-play content, uploaded more than 12,000 minutes of content. He also voiced the character of eBoy in the film Ralph Breaks the Internet.
Most-viewed video: HOW I MET DR TRAYAURUS | Minecraft
47,956,645 views as of August 21, 2019
- Jeffree Star: $18 Million
$10,077.99 per minute
A cosmetics line may be the secret to the wealth of this high-profile makeup YouTuber, though sponsorships also come into play. A lot of people speculate about Jeffree Star’s net worth; some guess it’s as high as $75 million.
Most-viewed video: FULL FACE OF BRANDS THAT HATE ME
33,612,741 views as of August 21, 2019
- Markiplier: $17.5 Million
$1,393.41 per minute
Mark Fischbach uploaded a staggering 12,559.08 minutes of let’s-play and sketch-comedy content in 2018 to his Markiplier channel, which has remained one of the top YouTube channels in the past few years. Experts estimate Markiplier’s net worth to be about $24 million. The channel has reportedly raised more than $3 million for various charities; one stream event raised $500,000 in 24 hours.
Most-viewed video: WARNING: SCARIEST GAME IN YEARS | Five Nights at Freddy's - Part 1
76,078,181 views as of August 21, 2019
- VanossGaming: $17 Million
$6,538.51 per minute
Canadian let’s-play YouTube celebrity Evan Fong is famous for his play-throughs of popular video games like Call of Duty. He’s also a voice actor, musician, and creative director. (As if the man didn’t have enough side-gigs.)
Most-viewed video: Gmod Sandbox - The Toys Escape! (Garry's Mod Skits & Funny Moments)
53,730,742 views as of August 21, 2019
- Jacksepticeye: $16 Million
$1,075.57 per minute
Irish let’s-play YouTuber Seán McLoughlin uploaded a truly staggering 14,875.82 minutes of content in 2018 — that’s more than anyone else on this list. Like Markiplier, McLoughlin has raised millions for charities. In fact, he raised more than $1 million for charities in 2018 alone.
Most-viewed video: ALL THE WAY - Jacksepticeye Songify Remix by Schmoyoho
79,510,211 views as of August 21, 2019
- PewDiePie: $15.5 Million
$3,319.71 per minute
Consistently one of the richest YouTubers out there, Felix Kjellberg has also become known for using anti-Semitic comments and flirting with the alt-right. Despite criticism, his let’s-play videos are still favorites of tweens and teens.
Most-viewed video: b---h lasagna
212,395,500 views as of August 21, 2019
- Logan Paul: $14.5 Million
$11,688 per minute
This now-infamous Internet personality has been one of the top-paid YouTubers for many years, but after his Aokigahara forest exploits, in which he reacted ridiculously to a real suicide victim’s body, he received a great deal of criticism from fellow YouTube creators, even including the aforementioned PewDiePie. He hasn’t stopped making money, though. He even monetized his apology video.
Most-viewed video: FULL SONG: The Fall Of Jake Paul (Official Video) FEAT. Why Don't We
235,892,725 views as of August 21, 2019
Who Has the Most Subscribers on YouTube?
Recently, the Indian music channel T-Series took the throne previously held by PewDiePie. It is now the most subscribed YouTube channel, with a staggering 108,000,000+ subscribers.
Not all of the highest-earning YouTubers are the most popular YouTubers, as channels like 5-Minute Crafts, SET India, and the WWE have subscriber numbers in the millions. But these high-earning personalities are arguably the most famous YouTubers, and they make enough to hopefully have a positive influence on the world.