How to successfully make money on TikTok in 2026: 31 effective methods

Over 100,000 creators make money on TikTok. And many earn enough to rely on it as a primary source of income.

You could be one of them. All you need is the right TikTok monetization strategy.

In this guide, we’ve rounded up 31 ways to make money on TikTok, along with real examples of creators who’ve successfully used these monetization methods.

We’ll also show you how to choose the right monetization strategy based on your goals, audience, and content.

Just keep reading.

TL;DR

• You can make money on TikTok by:

  1. Earning directly on the platform
  2. Partnering with brands
  3. Selling digital products
  4. Selling physical products
  5. Offering services

• To choose the right ways to make money on TikTok, you should

  1. Define your monetization goals
  2. Consider your audience size
  3. Match your niche to the monetization method

• You can make from $100 to $100,000+ on TikTok, depending on your audience, niche, and the monetization methods you use.

How we selected these TikTok monetization methods

How we selected these monetization methods:

• We considered TikTok monetization methods that are easy to start, require low upfront costs, and give creators realistic opportunities to earn.

• We focused on strategies with real-world examples from creators who have successfully used them.

• We selected methods that have been tested by established TikTok creators and are accessible to a wide range of creators, regardless of their follower count or niche.

Make money on TikTok - Earn directly from the platform

• Tools you need: TikTok Studio, CapCut, Smartphone/camera

• What you need to start: $0 - Meet TikTok’s eligibility requirements

• How much you can make: $10–$10,000+/month, depending on the TikTok earning method, views, audience, engagement, and eligibility.

• Who it’s best for: Creators who want to monetize content without selling products or services

1. Join the Creator Rewards Program

Formerly the TikTok Creator Fund, the Creator Rewards Program pays creators about $0.40 to $1.00 per 1,000 qualified views for original, high-quality, over 1-minute-long TikTok videos.

Think of it like the TikTok equivalent of the YouTube Partner Program or the Instagram Partner Program.

You can join the program if:

• You live and have an account registered in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, South Korea, France, Mexico, and Brazil
• You’re at least 18 years old with a good-standing TikTok account
• You have at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 video views in the last 30 days

For a million qualified views, you can earn $400 to $1,000 from the Creator Rewards Program.

Caleb Butler, for example, made $1,143.82 a month from the Creator Rewards Program.

Watch this video to learn more about the program.

2. Receive LIVE Gifts

LIVE Gifts are virtual items viewers can buy and send to you in your comments (in real time) during live streams to show support. The Gifts are then converted into Diamonds, which can be redeemed for cash.

A TikTok Coin is approximately worth $0.013.

LIVE Gifts like Rose, GG, and Ice Cream Cone offer only one coin, but there are others like:

Gift	Coins	Approximate cost (USD)
Panda	5	~$0.07
Perfume	20	~$0.27
I Love You	49	~$0.65
Confetti	100	~$1.33
Sunglasses	199	~$2.64
Money Rain	500	~$6.65
Disco Ball	1,000	~$13.30
Mermaid	2,988	~$39.74
Airplane	6,000	~$79.80
Planet	15,000	~$199.50
Diamond Flight	18,000	~$239.40
Lion	29,999	~$398.95
TikTok Universe	44,999	~$562.50

TikTok takes a 50% commission off your LIVE Gifts, so a disco ball, for example, will get you $6.50.

Nonetheless, you can make money on TikTok with LIVE Gifts. TikTok livestreaming star Ashley Gordon, AKA DJ AG, for example, made £40,000+ (approximately $53,716) in some months from LIVE Gifts.

You can get access to LIVE Gifts if you:

• Are at least 18 years old
• Have 1,000 followers (this can vary depending on the region)
• Have an account that’s in good standing (you haven’t violated TikTok Community Guidelines)

3. Collect Video Gifts

While you can collect LIVE Gifts during live broadcasts, you can get Video Gifts on regular, eligible TikTok videos. Viewers will give you Video Gifts as a reward after watching your videos.

And just like LIVE Gifts, you’re gifted TikTok Coins, which are then converted to Diamonds and redeemed for cash.

LIVE Gifts tend to generate more, but Video Gifts can also make you money on TikTok.

Creators can receive Video Gifts if they have at least 10,000 followers, an account, and at least one public video posted within the period of 30 days.

4. Receive TikTok Tips from followers

You can enable the Tip button on your profile to receive TikTok Tips from your followers. Unlike LIVE Gifts and Video Gifts, Tips are direct monetary payments rather than virtual items that followers buy with TikTok Coins.

According to TikTok, you’ll receive 100% of the Tip value.

For example, if a follower sends you a $100 Tip, TikTok doesn’t take a cut. Stripe’s standard payment processing fees may still apply, though.

You can receive TikTok Tips if you:

• Are 18 years old or older
• Live in an eligible country (listed above)
• Have an account in good standing
• Have 10,000+ followers
• Have an account that’s at least 30 days old
• Have posted a public video recently

5. Earn from TikTok Series

With TikTok Series, you can lock collections of up to 80 videos that are 30 seconds to 20 minutes long behind a paywall.

You can then charge followers and viewers between $0.99 and $189 to watch your exclusive content.

Viewers pay this one-time fee to unlock videos. Now, just like Tips, you get paid directly, and the platform doesn’t take a cut from TikTok Series. So you get to keep everything you earn.

Say you sell $50 to $100 passes to a tutorial, documentary, or serialized entertainment project to just 100 fans. This can be an extra income to complement the standard view-based payouts like the Creator Rewards Program.

Eligibility requirements for TikTok Series include:

• At least 18 years old or older
• Should live in an eligible country
• Should have an account in good standing
• Should have 10,000+ followers
• Should reach 1,000 views or more in the last 30 days
• Must publish eligible content (detailed guides, how-to, behind-the-scenes content, and more)

6. Participate in TikTok Creator Challenges

The TikTok Creator Challenges can either be the TikTok Creative Challenge or the Creator Growth Challenge.

The TikTok Creative Challenge is an in-app monetization program where you make user-generated content (UGC) style video ads for brands.

All you have to do is browse brand briefs and submit original videos based on their guidelines. If they accept your pitch, then you’re paid commissions based on the views and performance of your videos.

The only downside is that you can’t post the videos directly on your personal feed. Despite this, creators have been known to earn from $22,000 to $34,000 per month. With bonuses ranging from $200 to $6,000.

Creator Sydney McDonald made $46,000 a month from creating UGC-style ads for brands through the TikTok Creative Challenge.

If you’re starting on TikTok, the Creator Growth Challenge is an official program designed to help you boost your metrics and build an audience.

As a participant, you need to post regularly and reach certain engagement goals within a specific time. If you hit the growth targets, you can earn up to $30,000 while growing your audience.

Watch this video to learn more about how you can participate in the TikTok Creator Challenge.

7. Get invited to TikTok campaigns and creator initiatives

You can make money on TikTok by getting invited to the platform’s campaigns and creator initiatives.

If you’re invited, you may create videos, attend events, test new features, or promote TikTok campaigns. In return, you can earn money or receive other rewards.

e.l.f Cosmetics’ #EyesLipsFace challenge, for example, was a campaign that invited creators to post dance videos with the relevant hashtags.

Creators will dance to the brand’s song, and winners will get $250 worth of e.l.f Cosmetics’ makeup and skincare products.

8. Earn through TikTok Subscriptions

TikTok Subscriptions let you earn recurring monthly income by offering exclusive content and perks to paying subscribers.

Followers pay a monthly subscription fee to access your subscriber-only videos, LIVE streams, badges, custom emotes, and other exclusive benefits.

According to Mashable, TikTok creators can now earn up to 90% of subscriptions from a previous base of 50% and 70%.

To get this bonus, you must have at least 10,000 followers, earn 100,000 views in the last month, and post 3 or more subscription-only videos in the last month.

Take Peter Webby, for example. He offers exclusive content through TikTok LIVE Subscriptions. Charging £3 per month with 106 subscribers, Peter made £318 (≈$430.39) in a month.

After TikTok’s 50% split cut, taxes, and fees, he had £97.72 (≈$131.84). You can definitely earn more by providing more value and thus charging more.

Like some of the monetization methods in this category, there are eligibility requirements to access TikTok subscriptions. You must:

• Be 18 years old or older
• Live in an eligible country
• Have an account that’s in good standing
• Have 10,000+ followers
• Have recent content activity and engagement

9. Sell on TikTok Shop

TikTok Shop is the platform’s built-in shopping feature. You can sell digital and physical products directly on the platform through TikTok videos, LIVE streams, and products pages.

Viewers can discover and buy those products without leaving TikTok.

And you can make money on TikTok with this feature. For example, the French beauty brand, Mela’Aura, made €233,000+ (approximately $271,386+) in TikTok Shop revenue.

To be eligible to register as a seller on TikTok Shop, you must:

• Be 18 years or older with a valid U.S. ID and residency.
• Live in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan.
• Live in the country where you register your shop.
• Be 20 years or older if you live in Thailand.
• Provide a government-issued ID.

Here’s a video to help you understand TikTok Shop’s eligibility requirements.

Make money on TikTok - Brand partnerships and influencer marketing

• Tools you need: TikTok One, TikTok Studio, CapCut, Canva for media kits
• What you need to start: $0 - An engaged audience and content portfolio
• How much you can make: $50–$10,000+/post depending on audience, engagement, niche, and brand
• Who it’s best for: Creators who have an engaged audience and enjoy promoting products

10. Publish sponsored posts

On TikTok, sponsored posts are videos you create and publish on the platform in exchange for payment from a brand.

So what usually happens is a brand pays you to feature or review its product or service in your TikTok video. Most sponsored posts include a disclosure with hashtags like #ad, #sponsored, #paidadvertising, or #partner.

TikTok fashion star Wisdom Kaye regularly publishes sponsored TikTok posts for brands like Dior, Boss, and Ferragamo. According to Forbes, he makes an estimated $5M annually.

11. Join the TikTok Creator Marketplace (TTCM)

Instagram has the Instagram Creator Marketplace. Snapchat has Snapchat Collab Studio. YouTube BrandConnect needs no introduction.

So naturally, there’s the TikTok Creator Marketplace (TTCM). It’s TikTok’s official built-in platform that connects creators with brands looking to run influencer marketing campaigns.

You can make money on TikTok by joining TTCM.

TTCM is part of TikTok One, which is an all-in-one platform designed to connect creators, brands, and advertisers.

Also, you need to meet some eligibility requirements. You must:

• Be 18 years old or older
• Have an account in good standing
• Have 10K followers
• Have 1,000 post views in 30 days
• Have 3 posts in 30 days

On TTCM, brands will search for you based on your niche, audience, and engagement. If a brand selects you, it can hire you to create sponsored content or promote its products.

Brands like Amazon, L’Oréal, and Nike have used TikTok Creator Marketplace to partner with creators on sponsored campaigns.

TikTok creator Mikayla Nogueira, for example, has scored deals with TULA, Kosas, KVD Beauty, e.l.f. Cosmetics, and L’Oréal Paris through TTCM. Forbes reports that she has made $9M from these deals.

12. Become a brand ambassador

You also make money on TikTok by becoming a brand ambassador. In that role, you’ll work with a brand over a longer period instead of promoting it just once.

With this monetization method, you sign an agreement to regularly create TikTok videos featuring the brand’s products or services. In return, the brand pays you and may also give you free products.

One TikTok creator that comes to mind is Pamela Reif. Recognized as Germany’s most successful fitness influencer, she’s PUMA’s global ambassador.

Her earnings from this role are private, but apart from that she makes $3,200 to $5,040 per month on TikTok.

13. Create user-generated content (UGC) for brands

UGC is content you create for brands to use in their marketing, even if you don’t post it on your own TikTok account.

TikTok had 1.6 billion monthly active users in 2023.

That makes it a hotbed for brands to get customers and consumers. And they’ll pay you to make videos, product demos, reviews, or testimonials that they can use in TikTok ads or social media campaigns.

So yes, you can make money on TikTok by creating UGC. Take Gwen Peterson, for example.

She has made UGC for 4,000 brands, making her $1.8M+.

14. Review products for companies

Brands often reach out to established creators to review their products. But if you’re a small creator or just starting, you can ask companies for their products. You could do that through an email or a direct message (DM).

If you get the nod, then you create TikTok videos where you share your honest opinion about a brand’s product or service. You basically show your audience how the product works, its benefits, and your experience using it.

That’s one of the ways the queen of tech reviews, Sara Dietschy, makes money on TikTok.

And although her TikTok earnings aren’t publicly disclosed, she has an estimated net worth of $500,000 to $1.5M.

15. Promote local businesses

This means you make money on TikTok by creating content that helps nearby businesses attract more customers.

Local businesses like restaurants, salons, gyms, hotels, and more. Your job will be to showcase their products or services through videos, reviews, or visits.

Food critic Keith Lee comes to mind because he has earned attention and helped small restaurants grow by reviewing their food on TikTok.

He can charge $60,000 to $150,000 for a single TikTok post.

16. Attend paid brand events

Yes, in the 21st century, brands pay creators to attend events, promote products, and create content around their campaigns.

In other words, you can make money on TikTok when a company invites you to attend a product launch, fashion show, conference, or other event.

You may get paid to share videos, photos, or your experience with your audience.

And if that sounds too good to be true, the fashion brand Hugo Boss paid Khaby Lame $450,000 to attend the Milan Fashion Week show.

17. License your videos to brands

Video licensing means you allow brands to use your TikTok videos in their marketing campaigns for a fee.

Let’s say your TikTok video went viral. Brands will pay for permission to reuse it in ads, websites, social media posts, or other promotional materials.

Nathan Apodaca (@420doggface208), for example, earned money from his famous TikTok video featuring Ocean Spray after the brand used the viral moment for marketing.

Ocean Spray didn’t say how much they offered Nathan, but following the viral video, he bought a house worth $320,000 and paid in cash.

Make money on TikTok - Sell your own digital products

• Tools you need: Easytools, Canva, Google Docs/Sheets, TikTok
• What you need to start: 0–$100+ to create and launch. You need an online course, e-book, template, AI prompts file, and a storefront (to display products)
• How much you can make: $100–$10,000+/month, depending on product price and sales
• Who it’s best for: Creators with knowledge, skills, or resources they can package and sell online

18. Sell online courses

You can make money on TikTok by creating educational content and charging people to learn a skill, knowledge, or process from you.

For good results, you can sell your online courses on an all-in-one platform. On Easytools, for example, you can start by clicking on “Course” right from the homepage.

In the pop-up window, name the course and reselect “Course” as a product type.

There are 3 more steps after you hit “Continue.” At the last step, you can use AI to generate a course with suggested lesson modules that you can edit.

Then, upload your videos to YouTube, set them to Unlisted, and share the links on Easytools. You can also use video links from Vimeo, Wistia, or Bunny.net.

After setting up your course, you can generate a multi-page website on Easytools.

Then you can promote it through TikTok videos. Followers who find your content valuable can purchase your course.

Take Cassey Ho, for example.

Before Blogilates (her YouTube channel) took off, she was an online Pilates instructor who had 40 students. Her lessons were on YouTube, but naturally, she’d use platforms like TikTok to promote them.

Now, her net worth is estimated at $12M, and her brand, Popflex, has an annual revenue of $120M. And she makes 70%+ of that through organic content.

19. Sell e-books

Another way to make money on TikTok is to create a digital book and charge people to download and read it.

First, you’d have to write your e-book. Then upload it to Easytools.

And finally, promote it through your TikTok videos. Viewers who find your content helpful can buy and download it instantly.

Piotr Tomaszewski, for example, uses TikTok to promote his e-books.

But he sells them through Easytools’ checkout tool. In the past, just that move gave him a conversion boost of 15 to 20%.

That means roughly 12 customers out of 100 were now buying his e-books. He stuck with Easytools ever since because that’s an improvement from his previous 2% conversion rate.

20. Sell templates

Templates are ready-made digital files that help people complete tasks faster. They can include Notion templates, Canva designs, spreadsheets, digital planners, and business documents.

Just like we did with online courses and e-books, you can create useful templates. Then, upload them to Easytools.

And promote them through TikTok videos. Jason Chin, AKA Easlo (nicknamed “black and white minimalist guy”), promotes his Notion templates on TikTok. He even has two accounts on TikTok.

A main account that goes by @heyeaslo.

And an account dedicated to promoting Notion templates, which goes by the name @easlonotes.

Easlo has made $500,000+ selling Notion templates.

21. Sell stock photos or videos

Selling stock photos or videos means creating visual content that businesses, marketers, and creators can pay to use in their projects.

You can upload your photos or videos to stock platforms like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and Getty Images. You can also sell licenses directly to customers.

Then, you can promote your portfolio through TikTok by sharing behind-the-scenes content, photography tips, or examples of your work.

A creator with the handle @gadgetsforher, for example, promotes her work as a stock photographer on TikTok. She also shares her opinions about realistic earnings from stock photography.

Also, videographer and photographer Alex Stemplewski, for example, used to do this, but his massive TikTok following means he can try other monetization methods.

So, although he started selling photos on stock platforms, he now has brand sponsorships. And his estimated net worth is $1M.

22. Sell AI prompts

People want better results from AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney, Claude, or other AI platforms. You can create and sell ready-made instructions or prompts to help them achieve that.

After that, you can post TikTok videos showing AI-generated images and text results. You could add a call to action (CTA) that tells viewers to check the link in bio to get the exact prompts you used.

You just have to store where viewers can buy the prompt files in the bio links. Just like how Matt Paige does on his TikTok profile page.

If you sell your AI prompts on Easytools, for example, you can copy the prompt files’ checkout URL by clicking the share icon. You’ll find it at the top right corner of the checkout editor window.

23. Do affiliate marketing

You can make money on TikTok through affiliate marketing. Just recommend products and services on the platform and receive a commission if someone buys through your affiliate link.

To start, join an affiliate program. You could become a TikTok Shop Affiliate creator if you have 1,000 to 5,000 followers on the platform.

You can then create videos featuring the product and share your affiliate link in your TikTok bio on other platforms. You can promote products from both TikTok Shop and companies that run their own affiliate programs.

Creators like Abby Kleene have made as much as $50,000 a month as TikTok Shop Affiliates.

Make money on TikTok - Sell physical products

• Tools you need: TikTok Shop, Shopify, Easytools, Printful/Printify for POD, TikTok

• What you need to start: $100–$5,000+, depending on inventory or fulfillment model

• How much you can make: $500–$50,000+/month in revenue, depending on product demand and sales

• Who it’s best for: Creators who want to build an e-commerce business or product brand

24. Launch your own merchandise

Merchandise is physical products featuring your brand, name, logo, or designs, such as T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and accessories.

Start by creating merchandise that your audience would want. Then, set up an online store and promote your products through TikTok videos.

Let’s take Daisy Kelly, founder of Glow For It, for example.

She grew her beauty brand to millions of dollars in yearly sales. More than 40% of those sales came from TikTok Shop livestreams.

She even made £100,000 (≈$134,910) in 12 hours on a TikTok livestream.

25. Start a print-on-demand store

Print-on-demand lets you sell products like T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs without keeping inventory yourself.

All you have to do is create a design and add it to those products. Then, add them to your online store or TikTok Shop and promote them.

When someone orders, a print-on-demand company produces and ships the item. You keep the profit after costs.

Entrepreneur April Duplantis has grown print-on-demand stores using TikTok Shop and made up to $100,000 a month.

26. Sell handmade products

This means making physical products yourself and selling them to your TikTok audience. In other words, you create products like:

• jewelry
• candles
• artwork
• crochet items
• Decorations

And then use TikTok videos to show how you make them and direct viewers to your store.

FelicitaAroma, for example, is a handmade candle business run by a TikTok content creator.

Its Etsy store has recorded more than 1,300+ sales and a 4.8-star rating from 241 confirmed customers.

27. Sell beauty or fashion products

You can make money on TikTok by creating your own beauty or fashion brand and promoting your products on the platform.

So you basically create products that fit your TikTok audience, then use TikTok videos, tutorials, reviews, and product demonstrations to attract customers on the platform.

It’s a tried-and-tested TikTok monetization method. Take Hailey Bieber, for example.

She built the beauty brand Rhode alongside her TikTok (and other social media) presence.

Rhode later became a major contributor to e.l.f. Beauty’s growth. It made $27 million in direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales in a single day after launching new products

.

28. Start a dropshipping business

Dropshipping lets you sell products without keeping them in your own inventory. A supplier (on Alibaba, AliExpress, Zendrop, and more) handles fulfillment when customers place orders.

You choose products, create an online store, and promote them through TikTok. When someone buys, the supplier ships the product to the customer. It’s that simple.

YouTuber and entrepreneur Dylan Rudzinski used this monetization strategy to make $100,000 a day.

Make money on TikTok - Offer services

• Tools you need: Easytools for booking/payment, Calendly (or Zencal) for appointments, Zoom/Google Meet for calls, Canva/Adobe for creative work, CapCut/Adobe Premiere Pro for video editing, TikTok for promotion

• What you need to start: $0–$200+ if you already have the necessary skills and equipment

• How much you can make: $500–$10,000+/month, depending on your service, rates, customers, and workload

• Who it’s best for: Creators with professional skills they can sell to businesses or individuals

29. Offer freelance services

TikTok is not only a place to sell products. You can also use it to showcase your skills and attract customers.

TikTok can help potential customers discover freelance services like:

• video editing
• copywriting
• design
• social media management
• photography
• consulting or coaching

You first have to create videos that demonstrate your skills. After that, share useful tips and show examples of your results.

People who need your services can then contact you and become paying customers. You can also sign up on Contra for more opportunities.

30. Manage TikTok accounts for businesses

Businesses can pay you to create and manage their TikTok content. In a work role like that, you normally:

• plan content
• write scripts
• create or edit videos
• schedule posts (with Metricool)
• respond to comments
• track performance

There’s a huge and growing demand, so current job listings show businesses hiring people specifically for TikTok and social media management.

Just a Google search and you’ll see that there are about 40,000+ jobs on LinkedIn. It’s mostly brands and companies looking for freelancers who can create, manage TikTok content, and other related roles.

31. Become a public speaker or workshop instructor

TikTok can help you build an audience around your expertise and attract organizations that want you to speak or teach.

Just like with consulting and coaching, start by sharing useful ideas and demonstrations on TikTok.

After that, build credibility by engaging with your audience. You can then use your profile to promote speaking engagements, workshops, or training sessions.

To get public speaking gigs, post a TikTok video talking about your experiences in that role. You only have to add the hashtag #TikTokResumes.

Videos using the official #TikTokResumes hashtag have received 349M+ views.

How to choose the right methods to make money on TikTok

You can choose the right methods to make money on TikTok by:

• Defining your monetization goals
• Considering your audience size
• Matching your niche to the monetization method

Now let’s get into each factor in detail.

1. Define your monetization goal

To choose the right methods to make money on TikTok, you should define your monetization goals.

It’s the why factor, and it’s important because different methods are designed for different goals. A monetization strategy that matches your objective will help you earn consistently.

For example, if your goal is to earn passive income, affiliate marketing, the TikTok Creator Rewards Program, and TikTok Series are great options.

With these monetization methods, your content can continue generating revenue after it’s posted.

Take Creator and beauty influencer Alle Brean, for example.

She made $40M+ in combined sales on the TikTok Shop. And the fact that she did it with 3 accounts means that she had a deliberate objective to maximize her affiliate marketing earnings.

If the goal is to earn from your audience, TikTok subscriptions, LIVE Gifts, Tips, or Video Gifts are the way to go. And they’re even more profitable when you have a loyal community that wants to support your content.

According to InfluenceFlow, if you have about 10,000 to 100,000 followers, you can make from $100 to $1,000 from live gifting.

Finally, if you want to work with brands, the trick is to build an engaged audience and create content that showcases your expertise. This will make it easier to land sponsorships and brand partnerships.

Here’s a table to help you fit your goal to a monetization method.

Your goal	Best TikTok monetization methods
Earn passive income	Creator Rewards Program, TikTok Series, affiliate marketing, sell e-books, sell online courses, sell templates, sell Notion templates, sell Canva templates, sell AI prompts, sell stock photos or videos, sell digital planners
Earn recurring monthly income	TikTok Subscriptions, consulting or coaching retainers, TikTok account management, brand ambassador partnerships
Earn money directly from TikTok	Creator Rewards Program, LIVE Gifts, Video Gifts, Tips, TikTok Series, Creator Challenges, TikTok campaigns, and creator initiatives, TikTok Subscriptions
Get paid by brands	Sponsored posts, TikTok Creator Marketplace, brand ambassador partnerships, user-generated content (UGC), product reviews, paid brand events, licensing videos, promoting local businesses
Sell your own products	TikTok Shop, merchandise, print-on-demand products, handmade products, beauty or fashion products, dropshipping products
Sell digital products	Online courses, e-books, templates, Notion templates, Canva templates, digital planners, AI prompts, stock photos, or videos
Build a service-based business	Consulting or coaching, freelance services, TikTok account management, video editing services, public speaking, workshops
Generate quick cash flow	Sponsored posts, UGC, product reviews, LIVE Gifts, Video Gifts, Tips, paid brand events
Build a long-term business	Sell digital products, sell physical products, affiliate marketing, consulting or coaching, merchandise, print-on-demand, TikTok Shop
Monetize a small audience	Affiliate marketing, UGC, freelance services, consulting, e-books, templates, AI prompts, digital planners
Monetize a large audience	Creator Rewards Program, sponsored posts, brand ambassador deals, TikTok Subscriptions, LIVE Gifts, Video Gifts, TikTok Series, TikTok Shop

2. Consider your audience size

Apart from your goals, your audience size can also affect how you make money on TikTok. This doesn’t mean you can’t make money without a huge audience.

You can. And that’s because engagement rate, audience trust, and the type of relationship you have with your followers matter more than follower count.

It’s more of the norm that a creator with 10,000 highly engaged followers can sometimes earn more than a creator with 100,000 followers who rarely interacts with them.

According to recent influencer marketing statistics, 67% of brands prefer working with micro-influencers who typically have between 10,000 and 100,000 followers.

And that’s because smaller but engaged audiences convert 2x better.

With that said, here’s how you can make money on TikTok based on your audience size:

Audience size	Best TikTok monetization methods	Examples
Small audience (0–10,000 followers)	Affiliate marketing, UGC for brands, freelance services, selling digital products, consulting, coaching	A fitness creator with 3,000 followers can promote workout equipment through affiliate links or sell a beginner workout plan.
Growing audience (10,000–100,000 followers)	Sponsored posts, TikTok Shop, TikTok Series, brand partnerships, online courses, e-books, templates	A finance creator with 50,000 followers can partner with fintech brands or sell an investing guide.
Large audience (100,000+ followers)	Brand ambassadorships, Creator Rewards Program, TikTok Subscriptions, LIVE Gifts, licensing videos, and merchandise	A lifestyle creator with 500,000 followers can earn through sponsorships, exclusive content, and product collaborations.
Highly engaged niche audience (any size)	Affiliate marketing, consulting, coaching, UGC, digital products, memberships	A creator teaching photography to 8,000 followers may earn more by selling a photography course than relying on views alone.

Pro tip: Remember that audience quality beats audience size.

3. Match your niche to the monetization method

Finally, you should match your niche to the monetization method to make money on TikTok. The best strategy will naturally fit your niche, audience expectations, and the type of value you provide.

A beauty and lifestyle creator, like Alexis Barber, will have different opportunities from a finance educator or a gaming creator.

Alexis is more likely to make money on TikTok through product reviews, affiliate marketing, TikTok Shop, and brand partnerships.

Jade, a business creator, on the other hand, has better results with consulting, selling online courses, or digital products.

Here’s a table that pairs niches with monetization methods and offers practical examples to help you decide.

Your niche	Best TikTok monetization methods	Examples
Beauty and fashion	Affiliate marketing, TikTok Shop, sponsored posts, brand partnerships, product reviews	A makeup creator can review skincare products and earn commissions when followers buy through their links.
Fitness and health	Coaching, online courses, affiliate marketing, digital products, brand deals	A fitness creator can sell workout programs, promote fitness equipment, or offer personal coaching.
Finance and business	Consulting, e-books, online courses, affiliate marketing, sponsored content	A personal finance creator can sell an investing guide or partner with financial tools and apps.
Education	Online courses, e-books, paid communities, TikTok Series, subscriptions	A language teacher can create a paid course or offer exclusive lessons to subscribers.
Gaming	LIVE Gifts, sponsorships, affiliate marketing, merchandise, subscriptions	A gaming creator can livestream gameplay, partner with gaming brands, or sell branded merchandise.
Food and cooking	Brand partnerships, affiliate marketing, digital products, TikTok Shop	A food creator can promote kitchen products or sell recipe e-books.
Travel	Brand partnerships, affiliate marketing, sponsored trips, and digital guides	A travel creator can promote hotels, travel gear, or sell destination guides.
Technology and AI	Affiliate marketing, consulting, online courses, templates, sponsored content	A tech creator can sell AI prompt packs, recommend software tools, or offer training.

Just keep in mind that the right monetization method should feel like a natural extension of your niche.

Start making money on TikTok

Now you know TikTok isn’t only for dancing and viral stunts. You can actually make money on TikTok.

With these 31 monetization strategies and a clear understanding of how to choose the right one for you, you now have the tools to start building your income on TikTok.

You can start your journey today. You don’t need to do everything all at once. Start with one monetization method and keep going.

Consistency is far more important than trying every strategy at once when you want to make money on TikTok.

FAQs

How many followers do you need to make money on TikTok?

You need 0 to 10,000+ followers to make money on TikTok. The actual audience size you need depends on the monetization method you choose. For 0 to 10,000, for example, you earn through affiliate marketing, UGC for brands, freelance services, selling digital products, consulting, and coaching.

How much money can you make on TikTok?

You can make from $100 to $100,000+. This can be through the Creator Rewards Program, other direct platform payments, brand deals, TikTok Shop, sponsored posts, and more.

What is the easiest way to make money on TikTok?

The easiest way to make money on TikTok is through TikTok Shop and affiliate marketing. This is the way to go, especially if you are an 18-year-old beginner with 0 to 5,000 followers. You can sign up with companies that run their own affiliate programs if you’re ineligible for TikTok Shop.

Can you make money on TikTok without showing your face?

Yes, you can make money on TikTok without showing your face. The eligibility requirements to earn from the Creator Rewards Program don’t prohibit faceless or anonymous TikTok accounts. But since some monetization strategies typically depend on building trust, you may find it challenging to make money through those methods.

How long does it take to make money on TikTok?

It can take 3 to 8 months to make money on TikTok. You’d have to consistently post, though. You can also earn quickly if you land a brand deal, make sales through TikTok Shop, or if your video goes viral. How long it takes also depends on your niche, content quality, and the monetization method you use.

Can businesses make money on TikTok?

Yes, businesses can make money on TikTok. They can sell products directly through TikTok Shop, drive customer traffic to external websites, run targeted video ads, and earn income during livestreams. They can also partner with TikTok creators through sponsored campaigns or affiliate partnerships.

Can you make money on TikTok outside the United States?

Yes, you can make money on TikTok outside the United States. Although you won’t be eligible for the Creator Rewards Program, you can earn income through external brand deals, live stream gifts, affiliate marketing, and driving social traffic to your digital products on Easytools.

Do you need the Creator Rewards Program to make money on TikTok?

No, you don’t need the Creator Rewards Program to make money on TikTok. You can earn through the TikTok Shop, LIVE Gifts, Video Gifts, brand deals, and by selling digital products.

Can you make money on TikTok and other platforms at the same time?

Yes, you can make money on TikTok and other platforms at the same time. You can use cross-posting, brand deals, and affiliate links across TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitch to grow your income and reach more fans. You can also sell e-books, Notion templates, and online courses on Easytools.

Which monetization method is best if you want to make money on TikTok full-time?

The best monetization method if you want to make money on TikTok full-time is brand partnerships and affiliate marketing. You should also consider selling digital products if you want to earn passively and grow your online business.