How to Join the TikTok Creator Rewards Program in 2026 (Formerly the Creator Fund)

When TikTok launched its Creator Fund in 2020, influencers were elated. It was the first time the app paid content creators directly, providing income that wasn’t tied to advertising. 

But the program left room for improvement, so TikTok scrapped it in 2023. It was replaced with the TikTok Creator Rewards Program, which now pays influencers for high-quality, original content longer than one minute.

If you’re looking to learn more about how to get paid by TikTok for the content you post, this guide will go over everything you need to know about the current Creator Rewards Program, including how to maximize your payouts. 

Key Takeaways

• TikTok Creator Fund was officially discontinued in 2023, and replaced with the Creator Rewards Program, which provides higher average payouts but has stricter eligibility requirements.
• To start earning income via TikTok Creator Rewards, both your account and the content itself must qualify.
• If you’re not yet eligible for Creator Rewards, you may be able to earn money on the app via Creator Marketplace, TikTok Shop Affiliate and TikTok Live Gifts. You can also pursue paid and affiliate partnerships directly with brands.
• TikTok Creator Rewards pays an average of $0.40 to $1 per 1,000 qualified views.
• You can earn more via Creator Rewards by optimizing your content for performance (watch time and completion rate), search, engagement, and ad value.
• It’s worth signing up for the Creator Rewards Program if you qualify since it's a way to make money for content you're already posting, but it’s not a primary income strategy. Brand deals pay significantly more.

Wait, Does the TikTok Creator Fund Still Exist?

No, the TikTok Creator Fund was officially discontinued on December 16, 2023, in the US, UK, Germany, and France. It was TikTok’s first major attempt to financially reward creators, but users weren’t a fan of the program’s unpredictable and relatively low payouts. 

TikTok officially replaced Creator Fund with the Creator Rewards Program in March 2024, after testing it under the name Creativity Program Beta. 

Actual payments vary depending on a variety of factors, but most influencers consider Creator Rewards an improvement over the previous payment model, even with its stricter content requirements.

Comparing Creator Fund vs. Creator Rewards

TikTok Creator Rewards Program Requirements (2026)

To start earning income via TikTok Creator Rewards, both your account and the content itself must qualify for the program. Here’s how: 

Account Eligibility Requirements

All Creator Rewards users must meet these thresholds to qualify:

• 18 or older
• 10,000+ followers
• 100,000+ video views in the last 30 days
• Personal account (not Business) in good standing
• Based in an eligible country. (See below.)

Content Eligibility

Clearing the account bar isn't enough if your content doesn't qualify. Your content must also be:

• 100% original (excluding duets, stitches, photo mode posts, ads, and sponsored content)
• High-quality
• Over one minute long

What Countries Is the Creator Rewards Program Available In?

The Creator Rewards program is currently available in the following countries:

• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Brazil
• United Kingdom
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Spain
• Australia
• Japan
• South Korea

TikTok doesn't publish an official country list, and it adds new markets without much advance notice. The most reliable way to confirm availability in your region is to open TikTok Studio, tap Monetization, and check whether the Creator Rewards Program appears as an option. 

If you live outside these countries, check back periodically. The list has grown steadily since the program launched, with reports of expansion into the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

How to Join the TikTok Creator Rewards Program: Step by Step

If you’re eligible, joining Creator Rewards is a breeze. 

1. Open TikTok and tap Profile in the bottom right corner.
2. Tap the Menu (☰) icon in the top right corner.
3. Select TikTok Studio (sometimes labeled Creator Tools).
4. Scroll down and select Monetization. Tap Creator Rewards Program.
5. Review the terms and tap Apply/Join. 

Approval usually takes 3 to 5 business days. If you aren’t yet eligible, select, “Notify me when I’m eligible,” and you will receive a push notification when that happy day arrives.  

What to Do If You're Not Eligible Yet

There are still ways to make money on TikTok if you don't qualify for Creator Rewards, whether you're short on followers or based outside an eligible country.

TikTok’s native tools make it easy to start earning cash, but you don’t have to use them to monetize your account. You can also partner directly with brands to promote their products or provide affiliate links to their sites or services. 

Marketers frequently look for micro-influencers with small but highly engaged audiences for these types of collabs, so it’s entirely possible to land brand deals with fewer than 10,000 followers. The best part? TikTok brand deals typically earn 10x-500x more than Creator Rewards.

How Much Does the TikTok Creator Rewards Program Pay?

TikTok doesn’t publish a fixed rate for the Creator Rewards Program, but Influencer Marketing Hub reports that the platform pays an average of $0.40 to $1 per 1,000 qualified views (otherwise known as Revenue Per Mille, or RPM, in marketing parlance). 

Here’s what to expect from the Creator Rewards program in terms of payment (keeping in mind that these figures are estimates).

Payout Facts:

• Payments kick in as soon as a video generates 1,000 qualified For You feed views
• $50 minimum payment
• Paid on the 15th monthly to your TikTok Balance
• Transferable via PayPal or linked bank account

Payout Per Views

It’s important to remember that payment only comes from qualified views, ones that last at least 5 seconds and come from real, engaged people (aka no bots and no paid or promoted views).

The type of topics you cover also impacts your payment. Specialized niches with high-purchase intent audiences, such as education, personal finance, technology/software, and business/marketing earn the highest RPMs. These categories can yield $0.50 to $1.50+ per 1,000 qualified views. 

Entertainment-focused niches, such as comedy, dance, and general vlogs, often earn lower RPMs at an average of $0.15 to $0.60 per 1,000 views.

How to Earn More From the Creator Rewards Program

Not only does TikTok pay more for certain niches, it also pays more for content it considers valuable. 

That’s important to keep in mind because the difference between making $.40 and $1 per 1,000 views can add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month. 

Make sure you are maximizing your RPMs by addressing these factors that TikTok considers important: 

• Increase your video performance. TikTok prefers videos with longer average watch time and high completion rates. Longer videos tend to net higher payouts. (Just make sure a good chunk of viewers are staying until the end.)
• Optimize for search value. The amount of search traffic that your content generates, including video views on the search page, is a key factor driving RPM. Utilize relevant keywords and topics. 
• Aim for an audience in a high-paying location. TikTok dynamically calculates payouts based on regional advertiser spending, so views from countries with higher ad budgets (like the US) yield a much higher RPM than views from developing regions.
• Increase your engagement. Likes, comments, shares, and saves are a core factor in calculating your RPM, so make sure your audience is interacting with your content. (Your engagement rate is also a key factor for landing brand deals, so it’s one of the most important things to get right as an influencer looking to grow.) 
• Address your advertising value. TikTok rewards influencers whose viewers spend more time watching ads, or who have a higher purchasing power or intent. Target micro-niches within your community where the audience is more likely to buy. 

How to Earn an Additional Award 

You can also snag bonus payments from TikTok in the Creator Reward program for content that meets three criteria:

1. Well-crafted production: Filmed in 1080p or higher with excellent scripting and post-production editing.
2. High engagement: Sparks meaningful conversations in your comments and builds an active community.
3. Specialized content: Demonstrates deep expertise or a unique perspective within your niche.

It’s a smart idea to pull every lever you can to increase your RPM, but the rate is ultimately determined by TikTok. Even if you do everything you can to earn more, there’s no guarantee your video will be showered with additional awards and a high-paying RPM. 

Is the TikTok Creator Rewards Program Worth It?

It’s worth enrolling in the Creator Rewards Program if you qualify since it's a way to make money for content you're already posting, but most creators don’t consider it a primary income strategy. 

That’s because a brand deal on one video pays 10–500 times more than Creator Rewards on a single video. 

Most smaller TikTok influencers focus their monetization efforts on brand partnerships (either within Creator Marketplace or direct deals, or both) and TikTok Shop affiliate partnerships. Gamers, NPC streamers and entertainers can make good money using TikTok Live Gifts.   

Deciding which monetization path to prioritize is often a process of trial and error, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to earn passive income from Creator Rewards in the meantime. 

Getting Into the Creator Rewards Program: Your Next Step

Ever since TikTok replaced its previous payment model, Creator Fund, with its current model, Creator Rewards, influencers report that it’s much easier to earn income from your content.

If you qualify for Creator Rewards, there’s no reason not to apply today. In as little as a few weeks, you can start making money on your hard-earned creative efforts. No, it probably won’t be a life-changing amount, but it’s cash you can count on without any additional effort on your part.

If you don’t qualify, focus your efforts on hitting 10,000 followers and 100,000 monthly views. Not only will that milestone make you eligible for Creator Rewards, you can also charge more for brand partnerships as your account continues to gain followers.  

Keep your eye on steady growth in 2026, and monetization will follow.