Did you know that 200+ million active creators globally are generating revenue via content? That’s a lot of potential!
Are you also wondering about listing yourself in this list of creators?
Well, with the right platforms and strategies, you can turn your skills into recurring revenue.
Remember those old golden days of YouTube, when it was the only platform for creators to make money from videos. It was about hitting the sweet spot for ad revenue, and nothing seemed possible beyond this.
But today the truth is that relying on ads won't cut down the money-earning challenge.
That's where leveraging several content monetization platforms comes in. The content creation landscape has wholly evolved now. Creators today have various monetization platforms to offer exclusive perks the audience is willing to pay for. From affiliate marketing to subscription-based ads and more, opportunities to earn are endless.
So, why not turn your hidden talent into an income stream?
This blog covers the top platforms to help creators like you earn revenue. Let's get started!
The creator economy is growing. A Business Insider report estimates its market value at $250 billion, and it is expected to reach $480 billion by 2027.
Why the surge?
It’s simple. Creators are here to stay, and consumers are loving it! Most people follow creators for one key reason: entertainment.
This huge growth is driven by a few key factors:
Simply put, creator platforms are the key path for creators to create, engage, and make money.
Now that we know why creator platforms, let's talk about the best content monetization platforms for 2025 and see which one suits your hustle!
Knolli is a great platform for generating passive income via knowledge sharing or providing service using AI Copilots. It lets educators, creators, and even professionals earn money using their expertise.
Knolli's Monetization Tips:
The tool supports diversified plans to monetize earnings.
Custom Subscription Plan
In addition, Knolli features data privacy, making it a competitive choice for creators to monetize content efficiently.
Knolli Pricing Plan:
Knolli has a four-tier pricing plan:
YouTube has mastered the long-form video content monetization algorithm with a daily view count of 1 billion hours. For a while now, Shorts have become the source of earnings, with more than 2.5 million active users monthly and 50 billion daily views.
Other monetizing options in the platform include sponsorships, partnerships, and YouTube ads. The cool thing about YouTube's in-built ad engine is it enables monetization with advertisements displayed on videos. Creators make a percentage of the ad revenue based on views and engagement data.
Monetization Requirements:
To monetize your video content, YouTube channel requires you to have:
Similarly, to monetize YouTube Shorts, creators need 3 million valid public Shorts views in 90 days. This presents a unique opportunity for creators to explore a different content format and potentially earn from shorter videos.
They also offer the YouTube Shorts program, which lets Shorts creators produce premium content and earn money. This model segments ad earnings in 3 ways: among creators, publishers, and YouTube itself. Money is pooled, calculated, and then distributed amongst all.
Simply put, the platform is a great example of how an ad-based model benefits all the parties involved - the users, the platform, and the content creators.
Substack is a renowned email newsletter platform for journalists and writers. It gained huge traction in 2020 and has since been considered a big platform for content creators to publish and monetize. Some people even call it the "next social media."
Substack Monetization Tips:
Writers on Substack can choose to offer their newsletters for free or charge a fee. Most make money by offering paid subscriptions. They can set up three pricing options: monthly, yearly, or founding member levels.
Prices start at just $5 a month.
Below is a screenshot showing how successful content creators are monetizing their newsletters on the Substack platform.
Other ways to make money on Substack include sponsorships. Although the platform has no in-built sponsorship functionality, writers or journalists can manually host sponsored content in their Substack publications.
Patreon platform, founded in 2013, supports a subscription-based revenue model, allowing creators to offer access to exclusive content to their audience at a cost. Unlike Substack, Patreon isn't text-based entirely. In addition to newsletters, it lets authors share extras like video content, podcasts, and behind-the-scenes updates.
Patreon Pricing Plans
Patreon offers two pricing tiers:
Creators can also sell digital products, with Patreon taking 5% of monthly sales.
Example: CGP Grey is an excellent example of Patreon's popularity, a renowned American educational podcaster and YouTuber based in the UK with over 6.53 million subscribers. His Patreon provides access to a members-only discord, highlighting the platform's appeal to creators and fans.
You can also preview CGP Grey's video feed to get an idea of Patreon's video experience.
TikTok is a popular video social media channel with over 1 billion users worldwide that lets people monetize short videos.TikTok's algorithm is trend-based and demographic-specific.
It helps build strong connections with peers with similar ideas and preferences. Moreover, TikTokers can leverage hashtags to expand their reach and attract increased followers.
Monetization can be done via the TikTok Creator Fund which pays creators money based on partnerships, video views, and live streaming.
Other ways for content monetization on TikTok:
Creator Monetization Eligibility:
TikTok Creators must:
Tess Barclay, for example, is a popular TikTok user who leverages best monetization practices. She understands content performance metrics and varying income streams, including live streaming, brand deals, and so on.
GumRoad is another revenue-generating platform for creators. It has been on the list since 2011. It boasts more than 27,000 customers and collectively earned $23.8 million in 2024.
The platform enables purchasing and selling videos, eBooks, newsletters, and other assets for subscriptions or at a fixed cost. Gumroad's ease of use and selling tools make it a worthy choice for educators, writers, artists, or entrepreneurs.
The pricing plan is simple and transparent:
PodBean, launched back in 2006, brings podcast publishing, distribution, hosting, and monetization in one place. The platform has more than 1,40,000 podcasters and aims to distribute content across popular platforms like Apple podcasts and Spotify.
PodBean lets you make money and promote your content via:
PodBean, unlike platforms like YouTube with eligibility criteria for subscription, allows podcasters to join the marketplace. Sign up for the account and calculate the number of listeners you need for some specific sum of money per month.
Medium is a popular platform for creators to earn money through blogging. While many bloggers prefer their own platforms, with around 60 million active users, Medium could be a great choice for those wanting to grow their following beyond their existing network.
One monetizing method the Medium platform supports is its partner program. It lets writers join and earn money based on content engagement, likes, reading time, and other metrics.
Medium's Monetization Requirements:
Another way to monetize on Medium is through memberships.
Contributing to Medium through these means lets writers earn more $2 million monthly.
Teachable is a key tool for running e-learning courses or tutorials. Both beginners and professionals can leverage its pros.
The platform, for example, lets you create long-form videos, modules, interactive quizzes, or sell other digital products. It's ideal for content creators who want to monetize exclusive content and build recurring revenue streams.
Popular real-world examples of creators selling courses and making money via the Teachable platform include Pat Flynn, Aliza Kelly, and Melyssa Griffin.
Thinkific is an ideal platform for those who want complete control over their student data, course details, and pricing. Educators, businesses, and coaches, all can earn via e-learning.
Thinkific Pricing Plan:
Creating content is just the first step. It is important to get in front of the right audience and make money. But how do you pick the right platform to do that?
Here are the key factors to help you make the best choice.
Short-form videos will continue to dominate as Instagram Reels or YouTube shorts sustain popularity. In fact, 66% of creators on Instagram and TikTok prefer image content, and 59% prioritize video content.
Creators must understand which content format could draw the highest engagement and reach and make the choice accordingly.
For example,
Consider revenue models when selecting a monetization platform. Different platforms provide varying pricing models including pay-per-impressions, PPC, and subscriptions.
The goal is to see how you want to get paid and pick the platform to meet these revenue goals.
Several platforms support varying advertisement types. Some prioritize video ads, while others focus on display ads or sponsorships. So, choose the ad type that aligns with your audience and content.
For example, YouTube ads make sense if you promote video content. Conversely, display ads would be better for monetizing written content.
Different platforms charge commissions on revenue generation.
For example, YouTube charges a percentage of ad revenue based on the chosen pricing tier. So, always check the cost of the platform and see if it fits your goals.
Keep a check on payment processing fees as many platforms charge for transactions or payouts.
Consistency is crucial when it comes to content monetization. Stick to regular content posting to stay on your audience's mind and keep them engaged. But to make it really work, choose the right platform that helps generate content, draft ideas, and monetize it in one place.
Knolli is a great platform that helps generate recurring revenue and protects data, allowing creators to make money while building relationships.
Get started with Knolli today. It's free for 7 days. No credit card required!
