Current Payment Rates
TikTok pays creators through two distinct programs, and the per-view rates between them differ by a factor of 20 or more. Understanding which program you are on — and what you can expect from each — is the first step toward setting realistic income goals.
Creator Fund rates: The original TikTok Creator Fund pays between $0.02 and $0.05 per 1,000 views. That works out to $0.00002 to $0.00005 per individual view. At these rates, a video with 1 million views earns roughly $20 to $50. The Creator Fund operates on a fixed pool model, meaning TikTok allocates a set amount of money each day and divides it among all participating creators based on their share of total views. As more creators join the fund, individual payouts shrink — a structural flaw that has driven widespread frustration since the program launched.
Creator Rewards rates: TikTok's Creator Rewards Program (formerly the Creativity Program Beta) pays between $0.50 and $2.00 per 1,000 qualified views. Most creators who consistently meet the program's quality thresholds report RPMs in the $0.80 to $1.50 range. That same 1-million-view video now earns $500 to $2,000 — a dramatic difference from the Creator Fund.
The critical distinction is the word "qualified." Creator Rewards does not count every view equally. Videos must be at least one minute long to be eligible, and TikTok weighs watch time, search value, and audience engagement when calculating payouts. A one-minute video where 90% of viewers watch to the end earns significantly more per view than a one-minute video where most viewers drop off at the 15-second mark.
Factors That Affect Per-View Pay
Your per-view earnings are not fixed. They fluctuate based on several variables that you can influence through your content strategy.
Audience Location
Where your viewers are located is the single largest factor determining your per-view rate. Views from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Germany command the highest payouts because advertisers pay premium CPMs in these markets. A creator whose audience is 80% US-based will earn substantially more per view than a creator with the same view count but an audience concentrated in Southeast Asia, Latin America, or Africa.
The gap is significant. US-audience views can pay 3-5x more than views from Tier 2 and Tier 3 countries. If you are earning less than expected despite strong view counts, your audience geography is likely the reason.
Content Niche
Advertisers pay different rates depending on the content category. Finance, technology, business, and education content attracts higher-paying advertisers, which translates to better per-view rates for creators in those spaces. Entertainment, comedy, and general lifestyle content earns lower per-view rates but tends to accumulate views more quickly.
Under the Creator Rewards Program specifically, TikTok's algorithm evaluates the "search value" of your content — whether it answers questions or provides information people actively seek. Content with high search value tends to earn higher RPMs because TikTok can serve it to users over a longer period, generating sustained qualified views rather than a single viral spike.
Video Length and Watch Time
Video length directly affects your eligibility and earning potential under Creator Rewards. The minimum threshold is one minute, but creators who produce content in the 2-5 minute range often see the highest RPMs. Longer videos provide more opportunity for sustained watch time, and TikTok's payout formula rewards videos that hold attention.
Watch time matters more than raw length. A three-minute video where viewers leave after 30 seconds will earn less per view than a 90-second video with a 75% completion rate. The algorithm interprets high watch time as a quality signal, and the monetization system follows the same logic.
Engagement Quality
Comments, shares, saves, and likes all factor into how TikTok evaluates your content for monetization. High engagement signals that your content resonates with viewers, and the platform rewards this with better distribution and higher per-view payouts. Shares and saves carry particular weight because they indicate content that viewers find valuable enough to revisit or pass along.
Creator Fund vs Creator Rewards Rates
The difference between these two programs is not incremental — it is transformational for creator income.
Creator Fund: $0.02-$0.05 per 1,000 views. Fixed daily pool shared among all participants. No minimum video length requirement. Available in limited regions. Payments decrease as more creators join.
Creator Rewards: $0.50-$2.00 per 1,000 qualified views. Not based on a fixed pool. Requires videos of at least one minute. Evaluates content quality, search value, and originality. Available in more markets and expanding.
At the Creator Fund rate, you need approximately 20 million views per month to earn $1,000. At Creator Rewards rates, you need roughly 500,000 to 2 million qualified views per month for the same amount. That difference changes whether TikTok content creation is a hobby or a viable income source.
If you are still on the Creator Fund and eligible for Creator Rewards, switching should be an immediate priority. There is no scenario where the Creator Fund pays better.
How to Maximize Per-View Earnings
Maximizing your per-view rate requires deliberate decisions about your content, audience, and program participation. These strategies apply primarily to the Creator Rewards Program, which is where the meaningful earnings are.
Switch to Creator Rewards immediately. If you are still on the old Creator Fund, apply for Creator Rewards as soon as you meet the eligibility requirements (10,000 followers, 100,000 views in the last 30 days, and an account in good standing). The per-view rate increase alone justifies whatever adjustments you need to make to your content strategy.
Target Tier 1 audiences. Post during US and UK peak hours (7-11 PM EST, 6-10 PM GMT). Use English-language content and captions. Reference cultural touchpoints that resonate with North American and European audiences. Every percentage point you shift your audience toward Tier 1 countries increases your average RPM.
Create content over one minute. This is non-negotiable for Creator Rewards eligibility. But beyond the minimum, aim for 2-3 minutes when your topic supports it. Longer content that maintains watch time earns the highest per-view rates on the platform.
Optimize for watch time, not just views. A strong hook in the first two seconds, a clear narrative arc, and a reason to watch until the end are all more valuable than a clickbait thumbnail that generates clicks but not completions. TikTok's qualified view system means a video with 100,000 views and 80% average watch time can earn more than a video with 500,000 views and 15% average watch time.
Build search value into your content. Create videos that answer specific questions your audience is searching for. "How to" content, tutorials, and explainers tend to earn higher RPMs because TikTok can surface them to users over weeks and months rather than relying on a single algorithmic push.
Post consistently. The Creator Rewards algorithm favors creators who publish regularly. Aim for at least 4-5 videos per week. Consistent posting trains the algorithm to distribute your content predictably, and it keeps your audience engaged, which supports the watch time and engagement metrics that drive per-view pay.
Use our Creator Fund calculator above to estimate your earnings based on your current view counts, audience location, and program participation. The per-view rates listed in this article are averages — your actual earnings depend on the specific combination of factors unique to your account and content.