How to Make Money on TikTok: 12 Ways to Get Paid in 2026

By Timothy Moore. August 04, 2026 · 11 minute read

This content may include information about products, features, and/or services that SoFi does not provide and is intended to be educational in nature.

How to Make Money on TikTok: 12 Ways to Get Paid in 2026

If you know how to create high-quality content that engages an audience, you may be able to make money on TikTok.

There are a number of different ways an individual may be able to get paid by TikTok. Some creators get paid for their views, others partner with brands, some sell their own merchandise, and still others help companies develop content strategies.

Read on to learn about 12 different ways to potentially make money on TikTok.

Key Points

•   Content creators that have a decent-size following, make high-quality content that engages their followers, and post videos consistently, may be able to earn money on TikTok.

•   TikTok creators may get paid for video views, or followers can give them gifts and tips.

•   Creators can also promote and market their own products and services on TikTok.

•   Some creators earn money by working with brands on TikTok to help sell products through sponsored partnerships.

•   It’s estimated that TikTok pays between $0.40 and $1 per 1,000 views to those in their Creator Rewards Program. The exact amount of earnings depends on factors such as viewer engagement and watch time.

Can You Really Make Money on TikTok?

It’s possible to make money on TikTok and there are a variety of ways one might do it. For instance, TikTok might pay an individual for their views if they have enough engaged followers.

Other possible methods to get paid by TikTok include working with brands to help sell their products through sponsored partnerships or getting hired to manage a company’s TikTok account.

Individuals can also collect tips or live gifts from followers, sell items through the TikTok Shop, or use TikTok to promote and market their own website, newsletter, products, or YouTube channel.

12 Ways to Make Money on TikTok

These are some of the methods that could potentially turn a TikTok account into a source of income to help individuals work toward their financial goals.

1. Join the TikTok Creator Rewards Program

TikTok pays users for posting high-quality, original videos that are at least one minute long and perform well. To enroll in the TikTok Creator Rewards Program, you must be at least 18 and live in the US, the UK, Germany, Japan, France, Mexico, South Korea, or Brazil.

You also need a TikTok account in good standing that already drives engagement. Specifically, TikTok requires that you have at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 video views in the past 30 days.

The total amount you might earn in rewards consists of a “standard reward”, which TikTok calculates based on your qualified views, plus an “additional reward,” which is based on the quality of your content measured by factors such as watch time, completion rate, search value, and retention rate. Your combined standard reward and additional reward determine your RPM, which is your average gross revenue per 1,000 views.

Some TikTok creators using this program may make just a few bucks a month; others might make thousands of dollars. Your earnings depend on how many people view your videos — and how they interact with the content.

2. Sell Products Directly via TikTok Shop

With the TikTok Shop, a business can sell products directly on TikTok through a storefront. To sign up, you’ll need to apply, establish an account, and undergo a quick verification process. There is no fee to set up a shop, however, TikTok charges a 6% commission on each sale.

TikTok pays you through a linked bank account.

3. Earn Commissions with TikTok Shop

You don’t have to be a business or make your own products to earn money through the TikTok Shop. Content creators can connect with brands through TikTok’s affiliate program, partner with them to promote the brand’s products, and then earn a commission whenever someone buys something through their video or livestream links. Again, TikTok pays through direct deposit to a linked bank account.

To apply for the affiliate program, you need at least 1,000 followers.

4. Go LIVE and Collect Virtual Gifts

If you have a dedicated following on TikTok and you’re at least 18, you might also be able to earn extra cash by going live. You’ll need to turn on “LIVE Gifts” in your TikTok settings and then choose “Go LIVE.”

If viewers watch your live stream and appreciate your content, they may send you Gifts. TikTok converts these Gifts into Diamonds for creators; each Diamond is worth half a cent. That may not sound like much, but if your audience is large, your content is engaging, and you live stream frequently, you could potentially earn a lot of Diamonds. And with mobile banking, you can send your earnings directly to your checking or savings account.

5. Partner with Brands for Sponsored Content

Sponsored content is another popular way to earn money on TikTok. In a sponsored partnership, a company will pay you to feature its products or services in a TikTok video on your account. They may compensate you with a flat fee, a commission, free products, or some combination of these things.

Individuals can partner with brands by joining TikTok One. (To join, you must be 18, have at least 10,000 followers, have 1,000 or more post views within the last 30 days, and have published three posts within the past 30 days). TikTok One helps you find relevant partnership opportunities with brands you like. Companies may also reach out to you independently, or you could reach out to them.

6. Create User-Generated Content (UGC) for Brands

Brands may also pay users to create user-generated content (UGC) for them on TikTok. If you have a proven track record of creating authentic, high-quality videos that lead to sales, brands may be interested in working with you.

Common UGC content on TikTok includes product demonstrations, testimonials, and lifestyle videos that feel authentic to your TikTok followers.

7. Drive Traffic to Off-Platform Sales Funnels

If you run a small business, you could direct your TikTok followers to your website, Etsy shop, or newsletter where they can make a purchase.

For instance, if you’re a personal trainer, you might post some videos on TikTok demonstrating workout moves, and link to a paid coaching program on your website.

This allows you to receive all the funds from any sales and deposit them in a savings account rather than pay commissions to TikTok when selling through the TikTok Shop.

Recommended: Savings Calculator

8. Sell Digital Products and Courses

Digital products are another avenue for making money on TikTok. Common digital products include ebooks, digital art, templates, online courses, stock photography, and meal plans that you sell.

Because these products don’t require manufacturing or shipping, they have lower costs than physical products, and they are typically easier to manage logistically.

9. Launch Your Own Merchandise Line

If you’ve built a loyal audience, you may even be able to launch your own line of merchandise. For instance, if you’ve got a popular catchphrase or logo associated with your account, or a unique account name that your fans love to talk about, you could put it on a hat, shirt, mug, tote bag, or mouse pad, and then put those items up for sale.

Print-on-demand (POD) services have made it easier to launch merchandise without purchasing inventory upfront and handling the shipping. Instead, the POD companies typically manufacture a product when it’s ordered and then ship it directly to your customers.

10. Crowdfund Projects or Collect Tips

TikTok viewers may form a close bond with certain influencers and want to support them. For instance, if you create travel content that people love, but you need help raising money for a really unique trip that you plan to post about, you might choose to launch a crowdfunding campaign on a site like Go Fund Me and ask your TikTok followers for support.

You could also collect tips from your appreciative followers. Some creators do this by listing their P2P (peer-to-peer) payment apps like Venmo, Cash App, or PayPal in their TikTok video captions as a way for followers to send tips. If you have 1,000 followers or more, you can add a clickable link to your TikTok bio to serve as a tip jar.

11. Promote Music and Sounds

Today, some popular TikTok influencers are getting paid to add a specific sound or song to their videos. Smaller musical groups may pay for this in the hopes the song will explode in popularity and lead to more downloads, listens, and followers.

12. Consulting and Account Management

Have a successful TikTok? Others might want to learn from you about how to grow and retain an audience, and gain any insights you have for creating high-quality videos that convert to sales.

Businesses might also contract you to help them develop a content strategy, produce videos, and manage their audiences.

How Much Money Can You Make on TikTok?

TikTok reportedly pays about $0.40 to $1 per 1,000 views through their Creator Rewards Program, according to the Influencer Marketing Hub, a digital media and educational platform covering the creator economy. However, TikTok has never published an official per-view payout formula. Their Creator Rewards Program pays on views and the quality of those views. In other words, how much a creator makes off a video depends not just on how many people view it, but their watch time, completion rate, and the video’s search value.

If you have questions about how rewards are calculated, you can reach out to TikTok directly.

That said, getting paid for views is only one possible way to make money on TikTok. Individuals may potentially earn cash on TikTok through sponsored partnerships, managing an account for a brand, affiliate marketing, or selling their own products or services.

Recommended: What Are the Different Types of Taxes?

Tips for Maximizing Your TikTok Earnings

There’s no single way to make money on TikTok and no single solution for increasing earnings, but there are some methods that may help make the most out of TikTok, such as:

•   Post regularly and make it distinctive. Your content should be authentic, original and interesting. Post consistently to keep your audience engaged and to help stay visible to TikTok’s algorithms.

•   Learn what resonates with your audience. Likes, comments, and shares show how interested your audience is. Use this information to refine your content-creation strategy over time.

•   Stay on top of trends. Keep an eye on what’s trending on TikTok and try to be a part of the trend in a way that makes sense for you and your brand.

•   Use the right metadata. Success on TikTok is about more than good videos. You also need to use relevant keywords, hashtags, and trending audio.

•   Try more than one path to revenue. There are many possible ways to make money on TikTok. If one isn’t working for you, you could try another.

The Takeaway

If you have a sizable and devoted following on TikTok, and you post high-quality videos regularly, you may be able to make money on TikTok. There are a number of ways for individuals to potentially earn money with a TikTok account, including selling products, earning commissions, partnering with brands, and creating user-generated content.

While the amount you may be able to earn on TikTok varies widely, anything you might make could help supplement your income and help grow your savings.

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Better banking is here with SoFi, named the #1 Bank in the U.S. for the fourth year in a row by Forbes (2026).* Enjoy up to 3.10% APY on SoFi Checking and Savings.

FAQ

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

To potentially make money on TikTok through the Creator Rewards Program, you need at least 10,000 followers. However, if you have a smaller audience that’s engaged, you may be able to make money on TikTok in other ways, such as promoting products through TikTok’s affiliate program (you need approximately 1,000 followers for this), promoting your own products and services that you sell on your website, collecting tips from followers, or creating user-generated content for brands.

How much does TikTok pay per 1,000 views in 2026?

TikTok pays between $0.40 and $1 per 1,000 views if you’re a part of the Creator Rewards Program, according to the Influencer Marketing Hub. The exact amount you might earn for views depends on a number of factors, including viewer engagement and watch time.

Can you make money on TikTok without showing your face?

Yes, it’s possible to make money on TikTok without showing your face. Some creators use overhead cameras to demonstrate themselves cooking, drawing, or even unboxing without showing their faces. If videos resonate with viewers, it doesn’t matter if an individual’s face is onscreen or not.

What is the difference between TikTok Coins, Diamonds, and cash?

TikTok Coins are a form of in-app currency that users can purchase. They can spend those coins on Gifts to send to their favorite creators during live streams. Those Gifts are then converted by TikTok into Diamonds for creators. A single Diamond is worth half a cent. Creators can convert Diamonds into cash.

Do I need to pay taxes on money earned from TikTok?

Any money you make on TikTok is considered taxable income, so be sure to keep track of your earnings. Because the IRS considers TikTok creators to be self-employed, individuals generally need to make estimated quarterly tax payments if they expect to owe $1,000 or more in taxes for the year.


Photo credit: iStock/LaylaBird

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