How to Make Money on TikTok with Any Follower Count [2025]

Today, social media is more than just a place to share photos or stay connected with family and friends. Platforms like TikTok have evolved into powerful tools for creators to turn their ideas into income. Nowadays, you can make money on TikTok with a large audience — or even without one. In this post, we’ll walk through the top strategies for making money on TikTok, including tips that work for any follower count.

How to make money on TikTok with followers

If you already have an active follower base, you’re in a great position to start turning your TikTok content into real income. As your audience grows, so does your access to a variety of TikTok monetization tools designed to reward creators for consistently sharing high-quality, engaging videos.

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Creator Rewards Program

TikTok’s Creator Rewards Program works similarly to YouTube’s Partner Program. It lets you make money on TikTok by posting engaging, longer-form videos that keep users watching. Once enrolled, you’ll get access to a dashboard where you can check your video eligibility, track estimated earnings, and review performance statistics.

To join TikTok’s Creator Rewards Program, you’ll need to meet these key requirements:

• Location. The program is currently available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, South Korea, France, and Brazil.
• Age. You must be at least 18 years old to be eligible to apply.
• Account type. Only personal accounts are eligible for the rewards program. Business, government, or political accounts will not qualify.
• Followers and views. Your account should have more than 10,000 followers and 100,000 video views over the past 30 days.
• Content. Your videos must be original, high-quality, and at least 60 seconds long.

You will also need to strictly follow TikTok’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Service. Avoid using clickbait, reused content, or anything that could be flagged as disturbing or misleading, as this could impact your eligibility.

Even if you’re accepted into the program, not all your videos will generate revenue. Each monetized video must meet the following conditions:

• must be original, not copied or repurposed from other creators;
• requires at least 1,000 views on the For You page;
• can’t be a Duet or Stitch;
• shouldn’t be made with Photo Mode;
• must not include ads, paid partnerships, or sponsored content.

It’s also crucial to understand how TikTok counts views for monetization. A view only counts if someone watches your video for at least five seconds. And even if the same user watches it multiple times, it still counts as a single monetized view.

Now, you might be wondering, how much does TikTok pay its creators? Although TikTok hasn’t publicly confirmed its exact payout rates, according to various creators, the Creator Rewards Program typically pays between $0.40 and $1.00 per 1,000 views. So, a video that hits 1 million views could earn you between $400 and $1,000.

Here’s a testimonial from a TikTok creator:

@tiktokcreators

@smallbizcassie letting everyone in on what they REALLY want to know – how much do creators get paid? 🤑

♬ original sound – tiktok creators

Your actual earnings may vary depending on your region, watch time, and engagement rates. Still, for consistent creators, the program offers a reliable way to make money on TikTok through organic content.

Subscription Community

Subscriptions are a great way to make money on TikTok by offering extra value to your most engaged followers. By subscribing to your community for a monthly fee, supporters gain access to premium experiences and unique perks, including exclusive content, special badges, and other customizable benefits.

Once you create your Subscription Community, you can:

• post subscriber-only videos;
• host exclusive LIVE sessions;
• share notes visible only to subscribers;
• offer special community badges;
• upload up to 25 personalized emoticons and stickers;
• offer community-tailored perks, such as behind-the-scenes content, personalized shoutouts, and more.

This model not only helps you build an authentic connection with your audience but also gives you a reliable way to make money on TikTok. To access the Subscription feature, you will need to:

• complete the LIVE onboarding program;
• have access to LIVE features;
• meet specific Go LIVE and follower requirements;
• follow TikTok’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Service.

The amount of money you make on TikTok through subscriptions depends on your follower count and video views. For instance, if you have over 10,000 followers and have gained at least 1 million video views in the past month, you can qualify for a 20% bonus on your monthly payout. You can also choose to get rewards based on your community growth instead and be eligible for up to a 15% bonus on your monthly payout, depending on the number of members in your community.

One Creator Marketplace

One Creator Marketplace is another effective way to make money on TikTok. It’s an official platform where brands can connect with TikTok creators for sponsored collaborations. This space helps businesses find influencers who match their target audience for paid partnerships, product promotions, and campaigns.

As a creator, you can join the Creator Marketplace on TikTok One if you meet the following requirements:

• 18 years of age or older;
• have a minimum of 10,000 followers;
• have at least 1,000 video views in the past 30 days;
• have published at least three posts within 30 days.

For businesses looking to participate in this program, there are a few key steps to take:

• create a TikTok Business account;
• verify business details, such as company name, industry, and website;
• set a budget for collaborations;
• comply with TikTok’s advertising policies.

After that, you can create a new campaign on TikTok, set the deadline for uploading videos, invite creators, and pay them directly using TTCM Pay.

Here’s an example of a paid partnership video on TikTok:

@gracewellsphoto

Replying to @softsoapbrand this def wins my most intense set build 🚿 #epiccommercial #filmtok #videographer #videography #softsoappartner

♬ original sound – Grace Wells

Live Gifts and Diamonds

When you go live on TikTok, your viewers have the option to send you virtual gifts as a way to show appreciation for your content. To start receiving these gifts, you’ll need to meet certain eligibility criteria:

• be located in a region where video gifts are available.
• be at least 18 years old;
• have a minimum of 10,000 followers;
• have a Personal account that’s at least 30 days old;
• have uploaded a public video within the past 30 days;
• comply with TikTok’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Service.

It’s important to note that not every video qualifies for gifts. For example, videos with Duets, Stitches, ads, sponsored content, or promoted posts will not be eligible.

Diamonds, on the other hand, are a form of virtual currency that creators can earn through live streams. When viewers send you gifts during your live stream, those gifts are converted into Diamonds. You can then exchange these Diamonds for real money or virtual items.

To qualify for receiving Diamonds, creators must:

• live in a country where Diamonds are available;
• be 18 years old;
• be eligible to use features that let you collect Diamonds;
• comply with TikTok Community Guidelines and Terms of Service.

So, by going live and creating engaging content, you can earn Diamonds and video gifts, making it a solid way to make money on TikTok.

TikTok Shop as a creator

TikTok Shop offers creators another way to earn money by promoting products they love through videos and earning commissions on sales. Also, TikTok offers a native affiliate program that allows creators to partner with brands across various categories.

Approved TikTok Shop Creators can make money on TikTok with their content in multiple ways, such as adding shoppable links to videos, displaying products on their profile page, or promoting products during live streams. To qualify as a TikTok Shop Creator, users must meet specific requirements, such as:

• be at least 18 years old;
• have a minimum of 5,000 followers;
• comply with TikTok’s policies and guidelines.

There are two additional types of TikTok Shop creators, each with specific requirements. Affiliate Creators can promote products from the Affiliate Product Marketplace without being tied to a specific TikTok Shop. Marketing Creators, however, must be invited by a seller and are linked to a TikTok Shop, allowing them to promote both that shop’s products and those from the Affiliate Marketplace. Both creator types must have at least 5,000 followers.

Here’s how an affiliate creator can promote items from TikTok Shop:

@myfavgadgets

Where has this been all my life!? 🤯🔥 tap the orange shopping cart shopping cart to shop! #carlover #caressentials #carsoftiktok #armrest #smartgadgets #problemsolved #usefullifetips #tiktokshopfinds

♬ original sound – ⚢

How to make money on TikTok without followers

There are many ways to monetize a large following on TikTok, but what if you’re just starting out and don’t have a big audience yet? Let’s explore a few ways to make money on TikTok even without followers.

Affiliate marketing

You can start making money on TikTok with affiliate marketing, even without many followers. It involves promoting products or brands and earning a commission on sales made through your referral link. There are several platforms that offer affiliate programs, including Shopify Collabs, Amazon Associates, and others.

Once you’re accepted into an affiliate program, you’ll receive a unique link to share. From there, you can start creating TikTok content around the product. The advantage of TikTok’s algorithm is that it can help your videos go viral, even if you don’t have a huge following or a ton of views or likes.

Here’s a video promoting a product on TikTok:

@teresalauracaruso

How cool is this 👀 One of my favorite Amazon finds everrr 🤍 #gadgets #amazonmusthaves #amazonfinds #aesthetic #amazonfavorites #amazonprime

♬ original sound – Teresa Caruso

You might be wondering how affiliate marketing works on TikTok. Since clickable links can’t be added directly in video descriptions, you can share your affiliate links in your TikTok bio instead. TikTok allows only one clickable link in your bio, but you can create a personalized link-in-bio page to showcase all your affiliate links. This will make it easier for your followers to explore and purchase the products you recommend, helping you grow your affiliate earnings over time.

With SendPulse’s bio link builder, you can easily create a personalized landing page to showcase all your key links on TikTok — no coding or technical experience needed. Just pick a professionally designed template from our library and customize it to match your brand’s look and feel.

Sponsored content

Even if you don’t have a massive following, brands often look for creators to make sponsored posts or user-generated content. This means you can create promotional videos or reviews for a brand’s product or service and get paid for it. Some brands prefer to post these videos on their profiles, while others may ask creators to post the content on their own profiles to reach new audiences.

To find these opportunities, try signing up for influencer marketing platforms, such as Grapevine, Brands Meet Creators, and others, where brands regularly post collaboration offers. Many brands are open to working with smaller creators, especially if your content matches their target audience or you have a unique niche.

Another great approach is to reach out directly to smaller businesses or startups. These brands might be more flexible and willing to partner with you on creative projects.

Take a look at this UGC video on TikTok:

@ugcliza

skincare lovers — you can’t miss this Discover Healthy Skin Kit by @Dermalogica UK 🫧 it’s the perfect way to try their 4 bestselling products and my skin LOVED this routine so much, just look at the glow in the end! this kit also saves you £14! I’m grabbing full-sized versions asap 🤍 #skincare #dermalogica #microfoliant #dermalogicauk

♬ original sound – Liza | UK UGC Creator

Effect House Creator Rewards

If you enjoy making effects for TikTok, there’s yet another excellent opportunity for you to make money on TikTok without followers. With TikTok’s Effect Creator Rewards program, you can earn money by crafting high-quality, engaging effects through Effect House.​ To be eligible for the program, creators must meet specific criteria, such as:

• be at least 18 years old;
• reside in one of the 50+ eligible countries;
• have at least five published effects;
• have three effects used in at least 1,000 videos;
• hold a Gold, Platinum, or Diamond badge.

Once your effect is used in 100,000 unique public videos within its first 90 days, you’ll start earning rewards. The more your effect is used, the more you can earn, up to a maximum of $14,000 per effect. A creator can earn up to $50,000 per month.

Here’s a testimonial from an Effect House Creator:

@effecthouse

Meet Effect House Ambassador @bykasai, and watch as he walks you through the new mobile effect editor. Visit the Create tab in the effect tray to make your first effect on TikTok.

♬ original sound – Effect House – TikTok Effect House

However, make sure you create your effects using TikTok’s desktop version editor, as effects created with the app editor are not eligible for rewards.

TikTok shop as a business

TikTok Shop offers a straightforward way for businesses to make money on TikTok. It integrates shopping into the TikTok experience, allowing you to promote and sell products through features like live shopping events, shoppable videos, and a dedicated shop page. Also, TikTok offers several tools to help increase product visibility and sales, including in-app checkout and promotional campaigns.

To get started, businesses can register as sellers and start listing products without any followers. Simply sign up through the TikTok Seller Center, where you’ll verify your identity and link a bank account for payouts. However, keep in mind that TikTok Shop is currently available only in select countries, including the US, UK, Germany, Singapore, and a few others.

In-feed ads

In addition to organic growth opportunities, you can also make money on TikTok by running your videos as in-feed ads, as long as you’re open to an initial investment. TikTok Ads Manager is a platform that helps businesses manage and optimize ad campaigns based on their goals, control their budget, and target the right audience.

Getting started with TikTok Ads Manager is simple. You’ll need to create an account and fill in some key details, such as your industry, business name, time zone, and payment information. Once your account is verified, you can start running ads. TikTok Ads Manager is a self-serve platform, meaning businesses can create and manage ads independently, without needing an account manager. However, it’s important to comply with TikTok’s advertising policies and verification requirements to ensure the campaigns run smoothly.

TikTok Rewards

TikTok Rewards is another way to make money on TikTok without followers. It’s a referral-based program that lets you earn rewards by inviting new users to join the platform. When someone signs up using your invitation code, both you and the new user can earn rewards by completing video-watching tasks within a set time frame. These rewards can be redeemed for cash, coupons, or mobile top-ups, depending on your location. To withdraw cash rewards, you’ll need to link your PayPal or bank account to TikTok.

Keep in mind that the withdrawal process depends on regional guidelines. You can only withdraw amounts that meet your country’s specific requirements. While rewards don’t expire once earned, in some regions, like Indonesia and Thailand, they may lapse if you don’t log in for 30 consecutive days. Additionally, users found to have spam or fake accounts will be disqualified from redeeming their rewards.

Online shop

If you want to make money on TikTok but don’t have a large following yet, setting up an online shop with a third-party platform can be a great solution. Platforms like SendPulse let you easily create an online store where you can sell products and accept payments. Once your store is set up, you can add a bio link page to your TikTok profile, making it easy for followers to access your products.

Instead of relying on your own audience, you can use TikTok ads, collaborate with influencers, or use trending sounds to drive traffic to your store. This method works well because you don’t need a large follower base to start making sales. If you’re eligible, you can also link your store to TikTok Shop, allowing customers to check out directly within the app.

Services and freelance

While not a direct monetization method, TikTok is a great platform for showcasing your services and attracting new clients. This approach works particularly well for creative professionals, such as graphic designers, photographers, videographers, motion designers, and digital marketing specialists like social media marketing (SMM) and search engine optimization (SEO) experts.

You can use TikTok to create engaging content that highlights your skills, such as tutorials, behind-the-scenes looks at your projects, or showcasing the results of your work. By doing so, you can demonstrate your expertise and creativity to potential clients. Make sure to include video descriptions and links in your profile that direct viewers to your website, portfolio, or contact information. If you have digital products, you can also add a link to your shop in your bio.

Here’s a graphic designer sharing his experience on TikTok:

@jordans.archives

These are my top 3 favorite apps to use right now, what are your current favorite? #graphicdesign #design #howto #illustrator #capcut #pinterest #photoshop #bestdesignsoftware #graphicdesigntutorial #fyp #fypdongggggggg #foryoupage

♬ original sound – Jordan Watkins

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is another great way to make money on TikTok without followers. It’s particularly useful for smaller creators or those who don’t yet qualify for any monetization programs. Platforms like Patreon, Ko-fi, and Buy Me a Coffee allow you to accept donations from your viewers, even if you don’t have a large following. If people appreciate your content or find it valuable, they may choose to support you directly. You can set up donation-based or subscription-based funding, allowing your audience to support you through payments for your videos or content.

If you’re looking to fund a specific project, TikTok can help you gather support from a global audience. You can set a funding goal and even host live fundraising events to engage viewers. For crowdfunding projects, Kickstarter is a popular and trusted platform, but other options, such as Indiegogo and Fundable, are also available.

Here’s how TikTok users can share a Kickstarter project on TikTok:

@enjoythewood

Meet unique Wooden World Travel Photo Map📸 🔸3 colors – Black, Physical, Light and different sizes. 🔸 Add LED Backlight option with fun innovative features – the light adjusts to the beat & adapts to any color from your surroundings. ✅ Available only on Kickstarter with exclusive offers now. Leave “+” in the comments and we will send you a Link ❤️ #homedecor #wallart #kickstarter #usa #canada #europe #photo #worldmap #innovation #travel

♬ original sound – Enjoy The Wood Inc.

The bottom line

There are plenty of ways to make money on TikTok, whether you have a huge following or are just getting started. You can pick the methods that fit your goals and type of account. Mixing and matching different strategies can help you make the most of your TikTok presence. By creating content that’s both engaging and valuable, you can turn your interactions with followers into a steady income stream.

If you want to take your monetization to the next level, consider using third-party tools. For instance, SendPulse lets you create a free link-in-bio page and set up an online store that you can easily link to your TikTok bio. This way, your followers can quickly access your products, services, or affiliate links. It’s simple, and it can help drive more sales.