Earning Money On TikTok: Who Makes The Most?

Hundreds of thousands of TikTok users earn money on the social media platform — and it’s safe to say that hundreds of thousands more (if not millions) have dreams of becoming TikTok influencers and raking in the big bucks.

As many of the latter have already discovered, that’s not an easy task.

You must have at least 10,000 TikTok followers to join the app’s Creativity Program (which replaced the Creator Fund) and be paid for the number of views your TikTok videos receive. You’ll need 1,000 fans to run TikTok Live shows and receive tips from your viewers. And you’ll have to have a real business to earn money in a TikTok Shop.

There’s no guarantee that you’ll be receiving big payouts, either. Even if you qualify to earn money on the platform, you’ll need a lot more TikTok fans than the minimum (or do a lot of advertising and/or promotion) to bring in the huge audiences that will make you rich and bring you TikTok fame.

About half of those making money on TikTok earn less than $15,000 per year, and average revenue on the app is just over $130,000. The vast majority of users who earn that much not only produce great TikTok content, but also spend enormous amounts of time making and promoting their videos as a full-time job.

Some captivating content creators tip the scales, though. We’ll take a look at the app’s biggest earners after putting the numbers into context: it’s impossible to know exactly how much any influencer makes specifically from their TikTok posts. Virtually all of them also bring in money from sponsor partnerships, merchandise and affiliate sales, TikTok Live shows, and other deals.

Who Makes the Most Money on TikTok?

These rankings were current as of this writing, but the landscape changes quickly. One huge sponsor deal could catapult an influencer to the top of the list, or put someone new onto it. All of the numbers cited are only estimates.

1. Mr. Beast

Jimmy Donaldson is famous on TikTok and other social apps as Mr. Beast for his elaborate challenges and the prizes he gives out. He has more than 100 million TikTok followers and makes more than $80 million per year from his videos, endorsements, and other businesses.

2. Charli D’Amelio

It’s extremely profitable to be a worldwide social media star in your early 20s. Charli brings in nearly $25 million from her posts, outside brand deals, businesses, and cable TV show (as well as appearances on shows like Dancing With the Stars).

3. Khaby Lame

This Senagalese-born influencer’s satirical “life hack” videos have made him the most-followed creator on TikTok, with more than 160 million fans. His sponsorships and brand partnerships bring in an estimated $20 million per year.

4. The Stokes Twins

In many ways, these brothers produce videos similar to Mr. Beast’s but more family-friendly (some call them cringy). They’re quickly growing in popularity, with 30 million TikTok fans, and are said to make as much as $20 million annually from their videos and brand sponsorships.

Not making this list but certainly worth is mentioning is the person who probably makes the most from TikTok: Zhang Yiming, He’s the co-founder of parent company ByteDance, who is now China’s richest billionaire worth almost 60 billion dollars. Nice work, if you can get it.