Peer pressure made me register on TikTok, as I was never interested. Predictably, I abandoned it for months but had to return when I discovered it was a goldmine. I mean, if your thought has always been that your favorite TikToker is just dancing for fun, then you will have to think again because their bank accounts tell a different story.
How much do TikTok influencers make? Well, the answer depends on follower count, engagement rate, niche, and brand partnerships. While some earn a few dollars per post, top influencers can earn more, even six figures for a single sponsored video.
Now, as I am almost done navigating how to earn from TikTok, I also need to walk you through the process. This article is for aspiring TikTok creators evaluating monetization potential, marketers, social media analysts, and digital marketing students curious about the numbers behind the screen.
Less talk now; I will walk you through TikTok influencers’ earnings in 2025. From Creator Fund earnings to per-post fees by follower tier and influencer earnings per post. You will also get access to the latest data and real-world examples that bring the numbers to life.
Enjoy the read!
Key Takeaways
- The answer to how much TikTok influencers make varies depending on follower count, engagement rate, niche, and brand partnerships.
- The median salary for TikTok influencers is somewhere between $15,000 and $25,000.
- Earnings on TikTok also vary by follower tier, with influencers earning more per follower count increase, with mega influencers (1M+) making over $10,000 per post.
- TikTok Influencers in profitable niches like fitness and lifestyle attract high-paying collaborations.
- Consistency and high-quality content are essential for long-term success on TikTok.
Insight into the earnings of TikTok influencers
A recent NeoReach INDUSTRY REPORT offers an elaborate insight into the earnings of TikTok influencers. Before I share the breakdown, the numbers show that the median salary for TikTok influencers is between $15,000 and $25,000.
| Earnings Range | Percentage of Influencers |
| Less than $15,000 | 48% |
| $15,000–$25,000 | 9% |
| $25,000–$35,000 | 7% |
| $35,000–$50,000 | 5% |
| $50,000–$75,000 | 11% |
| $75,000–$100,000 | 5% |
| $100,000–$150,000 | 6% |
| $200,000 or more | 7% |
This earnings data shows that most TikTok influencers earn modest incomes, with 48% making less than $15,000 annually. Only 9% earn between $15,000 and $25,000, which likely represents the median range for typical creators.
Also, higher income brackets see fewer influencers, with just 7% earning $25,000–$35,000 and 5% making $35,000–$50,000. 11% of creators earn between $50,000 and $75,000, indicating a smaller group with stronger success. Only 7% make $200,000 or more, portraying how rare high earnings are.
Amid other insights, I deduce from the data above that while a few creators earn big, most TikTok influencers remain in the low- to mid-income range, and you may maintain that the foregoing shows the platform’s competitive and uneven earnings.
Earnings per post by follower tier
From Nano to Mega, the influencer market has categorized influencers based on their follower count or audience reach. Below is a brief insight into the tiers:
Nano influencers (1,000–10,000 followers)
With followers between 1000 and 10,000, these influencers have the smallest following in comparison with others. Brands appreciate their authenticity and influence within niche markets, making them ideal for targeted, grassroots campaigns.
Micro influencers (10,000-50,000 followers)
Micro-influencers are individuals with followers between 10,000 and 50,000. They are known for a particular area of interest, with very high rates of engagement from their audiences. They are said to be more effective in terms of engagement and trust because of a strong connection with their followers. In fact, studies indicate that over 82% of consumers are likely to buy something a micro-influencer recommends.
Mid-Tier Influencers (50,000-500,000 followers)
With audiences between 50K and 500K, these influencers offer brands a wide reach and slightly more engagement than macro- or mega-influencers. They have strong content creation skills and reputation. Mid-Tier influencers balance reach and influence, making them appeal to both mid-sized and large brands.
Macro-Influencers (500,000 – 1 million followers)
A macro influencer is a personality with a large following, typically ranging from 500,000 to one million followers or subscribers. They are known figures in their niche with broad reach and professional-quality content, making them appealing for high-visibility campaigns.
Mega-Influencers (over 1 million followers)
Mega influencers are influencers with a follower count exceeding one million. They are often celebrities, public figures, or highly influential individuals within their fields, commanding significant reach and engagement across their social media platforms. Their endorsements can significantly impact public perception and drive major brand recognition.
As I mentioned earlier, TikTok influencers’ earnings vary. Below is a breakdown of the influencer earnings per post per the influencers’ tiers.
| Influencer tiers | Followers | Earnings per post |
| Nano-Influencers | 1,000-10,000 | $50 to $150 |
| Micro-Influencers | 10,000-50,000 | $150 to $500 |
| Mid-Tier Influencers | 50,000-500,000 | $500 to $5,000 |
| Macro-Influencers | 500,000-1 million | $5,000 to $10,000 |
| Mega-Influencers | 1 million+ | $10,000 and upwards |
Overview of how TikTok influencers make money in 2025
Per my earlier paragraphs, it’s clear that TikTok is beyond a platform where you scroll and just laugh. It is a platform where you can make money, but you just need to understand the process.
In 2025, TikTok influencers do not rely on a single income stream. They build multiple earning channels and create a business out of their content. They earn from a mix of TikTok’s payout programs, brand sponsorships, live features, affiliate deals, and even their products or services.
This section will draw you closer to the revenue streams for TikTok Influencers and further answer the question of how much TikTok influencers make.
TikTok creator fund payouts
TikTok’s Creator Fund was launched in 2021 to compensate creators. TikTok assigns eligible creators $0.02–$0.04 for every 1,000 views. This program has since evolved into the Creator Rewards Program, which offers improved payment rates. While earnings still vary based on factors like follower count and engagement, the original fund provided a foundational model for monetizing content on the platform.
Who is eligible for the TikTok Creator Fund?
Creators who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply to the Creator Fund:
- Are based in the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy etc.
- Are at least 18 years old.
- Have at least 10,000 followers.
- Have at least 100,000 video views in the last 30 days.
- Have an account that fits the TikTok Community Guidelines and terms of service.
- Creator must have a valid digital payment account in their name (or owned by them if an entity), in good standing, and complete all required onboarding and tax documents to apply to the Program.
Meanwhile, employees, officers, and directors of TikTok or its parent, subsidiary, or affiliated companies are not eligible to participate in the Program.
TikTok rebranded the Creator Fund as the Creator Rewards Program to help creators earn more through original, longer content. Earnings vary based on engagement and qualified video views, with payouts calculated accordingly.
TikTok pays creators monthly in U.S. dollars, but only if earnings reach a minimum of $50. Creators must maintain an accurate, linked payment account and withdraw funds within 30 days of transfer or risk forfeiture. Any issues with the payment account that delay or block transfers are the creator’s responsibility.
The platform can withhold or adjust payments if it detects fake views or violations of its terms. It may also suspend or terminate a creator from the program at any time, especially for misconduct or ineligibility. If terminated for cause, unpaid earnings may be forfeited, and the creator may not be allowed to rejoin the program.
Brand sponsorships and paid partnerships
Are you aware that you can’t discuss TikTok influencer earnings in 2025 without mentioning brand sponsorships and paid partnerships? Well, I realized that this is a major aspect of the entire influencer/creator economy. You may even say that the influencer space is centered around endorsing brands’ products.
However, you can’t achieve this without building your brand. I found a peculiar attribute when checking out many of the popular TikTokers who get the sponsorship deals: They all have strong followings and good engagement, which makes brands notice them for partnership.
For instance, in a 2022 interview with Business Insider, TikToker Lillian Zhang, with 22,500 followers, revealed that she follows a specific pricing formula when working with brands. She typically charges between 2% and 6% of her follower count per video and adds an extra 30% each month the brand wants to repurpose that content on their platforms. By applying this strategy, Zhang reported earning between $2,000 and $4,000 monthly since March of that year.
Below is how much TikTok influencers can earn per promotional post based on their follower count:
| Followers | $/Post (Low End) | $/Post (High End) |
| 1,000-10,000 | $20 | $150 |
| 10,000-50,000 | $30 | $400 |
| 50,000-500,000 | $80 | $1,650 |
| 500,000-1,000,000 | $150 | $3,500 |
| 1,000,000+ | $1,200 | Unlimited |
Affiliate marketing
You can also earn a commission when you promote products and share affiliate links. Influencers get a commission when someone buys through the unique link in their bios. While some of them use Amazon affiliates or brand-specific programs, others use TikTok’s native shopping features.
The commission varies depending on what’s being sold. Some influencers earn a few dollars a month, while some earn about $5,000 to $10,000 more, depending on the audience, the product, and how their engagement performs.
To reduce the struggles that accompany affiliate marketing, check out this Techpoint Africa’s article on the best AI tools for affiliate marketing in 2025.
TikTok LIVE Gifts and Video Gifts
TikTok LIVE Gifts is another way influencers make money. It provides a direct way for their audience and followers to show support in real time. As an influencer, you must first make LIVE Gifting active before people can send them. Based on my experience on TikTok, I will say that the LIVE gifts are rewards fans can give to their favorite creators for hosting a TikTok LIVE video.
While LIVE GIFTs is real-time support during live broadcasts and great for creators who regularly go live, Video Gifts is support through regular content and great for creators who focus more on short-form content than live streaming
Eligibility Requirements for TikTok LIVE Gifts
- Be at least 18 years old (or 19 in South Korea).
- Live in a region where LIVE Gifts are available.
- Have an account in good standing, following TikTok’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Service.
- Use a personal account, as Business accounts are ineligible.
- Not be a government, politician, or political party account, as these are restricted from collecting Diamonds.
How to manage LIVE Gifts
- On the LIVE screen, tap Settings.
- Turn the LIVE Gifts setting on or off.
- Make any additional changes on the LIVE screen and tap Go LIVE to complete.
Eligibility Requirements for TikTok Video Gifts
- You must live in a location where Gifts is available. This feature is not available everywhere.
- You must be 18 years of age or older (or 19 in South Korea).
- You need at least 10,000 followers, and your account must be at least 30 days old.
- You must have published a public video in the last 30 days.
- Your account must be in good standing and adhere to our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service.
- You must have a Personal Account. Business Accounts, Government, Politician, and Political Party Accounts and any other public interest account are ineligible to receive Gifts on their content.
Videos are ineligible if they include:
- Duets and Stitches.
- Ads, sponsored content, or promoted posts.
- Content that violates our Community Guidelines.
How to turn on Video Gifts
- In the TikTok app, tap Profile at the bottom.
- Tap the Menu ☰ button at the top, then select TikTok Studio.
- Tap Video Gifts within Monetization.
- Turn the Gifts setting on, review the eligibility requirements, and tap Turn on Gifts.
Merchandise sales and subscription rates
Outside of the built-in monetization tools like creators’ rewards and gifts, TikTok influencers can also earn through the sale of branded merch like T-shirts and hoodies, among others. As a TikTok influencer, this is simply about leveraging the loyalty of your followership.
You can equally earn through subscription rates. TikTok subscriptions enable creators to offer exclusive perks to their followers in exchange for a monthly subscription fee, ranging from $2.99 to $99.99. Subscribers may gain access to subscriber-only videos, special interactions during LIVE streams, and other premium benefits. Creators can earn up to 50% of the net revenue generated from these subscriptions.
Real examples of TikTok influencer earnings
How can I discuss the TikTok influencer earnings in 2025 without providing you with real examples? This section will address that, including brief profiles of two influencers with known earnings.
Khaby Lame
TikTok followers: 162.3 million
Content: Silent comedic reactions to overly complicated life hacks
Notable achievement: Most-followed creator
In 2023, Forbes estimated that Lame was getting around $750,000 to highlight a product in a TikTok and Instagram post, including that he grossed $16.5 million thanks to deals with companies including Hugo Boss, Binance, and Middle East bank QNB—plus his Fortnite and State Farm partnerships.
With 162.3 million followers, Khaby Lame, a senegalese-italian influencer is reportedly the most followed TikToker. Khaby became a social media sensation after losing his job during the COVID-19 pandemic. He began posting on TikTok, initially sharing videos of himself dancing and reacting to video games.
His breakthrough came with his humorous responses to overly complicated “life hack” videos, using TikTok’s duet and stitch features. Without speaking, Khaby would simplify the tasks with a straight face and his now-famous hand gesture. By April 2021, he had surpassed Gianluca Vacchi became the most-followed Italian on TikTok and later overtook Addison Rae to become the second most-followed TikTok creator worldwide.
Tejas Hullur
TikTok followers: 566,000
Content: Explores the world through economics and psychology.
Revenue Streams: Sponsorships, affiliate marketing, speaking engagements
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Tejas Hullur is a Macro-tier influencer with 566,000 followers. He began posting content on TikTok in August 2020, and by december 2022, He was named one of the rising stars within the creator economy by Business Insider.
By the first quarter of 2022, Tejas had earned around $30,000 through his diverse revenue streams, with brand deals accounting for about 67% of his income. His starting rate is said to be $3,000 per video, adjusted based on factors including usage rights and audience engagement
Factors that influence TikTok earnings
After assessing several TikTok influencers, I realized that they didn’t just succeed but with some factors. Below are some of the factors that influence TikTok earnings:
- Follower count and audience demographics
Just as mentioned while discussing the followers tier, Follower count is a major determinant in how much a TikTok influencer makes. For instance, Brands, assess your follower numbers to determine your influence and reach. In fact, this is why there are categories like Nano, Micro, Macro, among others.
So, the more followers you have, the more attractive you are to potential sponsors and partners. As a prospective TikTok influencer, you need to build a substantial follower base to open the door to higher earnings since it increases the visibility of your content and boosts engagement chances.
Also, the audience demographics are a factor. I discovered that the location and purchasing power of a creator’s audience can influence earnings, and brands are ready to pay more to reach audiences in regions with higher consumer spending. For instance, an African-based influencer may not earn the same as an influencer in the United States.
- Content quality
I came across an interesting fact on TikTok creator academy, maintaining that high-quality creators outperform other creators by 72% in accumulated watch time per video view. Even when compared to other creators with 10,000+ followers, high-quality accounts maintain a significant 42% lead.
This means that quality content is king. While writing this article, I had to check several TikTok influencers’ accounts, and the experience made me understand why they have engagement. They know their audience and offer high-quality content.
So, if you want to grab attention and boost engagement on TikTok, your content must be high quality. Make sure it’s clear, creative, tells a story, and looks good visually.
- TikTok niche
A TikTok niche is a specific area of interest that helps you stand out. With so many creators on the platform, finding your niche increases your chances of being discovered and lets you create content that connects with a targeted audience.
For instance, travel, product reviews, workout and fitness, dancing, fashion content, beauty and skincare, and others are niches that get you engagement on TikTok, depending on the quality and consistency.
Charli D’Amelio became famous through her dancing videos and has become one of TikTok’s most recognizable faces. Currently, she has 156.9 million followers.
- Engagement rate
Just like other social media platforms, TikTok’s algorithm rewards content with high engagement. Your engagement rate, which includes likes, comments, shares, and views, is important to how widely your videos are shown.
A higher engagement rate increases your visibility and monetization potential. You can improve your engagement by creating relatable, interactive and quality content.
Conclusion
I am sure you have enjoyed the article, just as I have also updated my knowledge towards earning on TikTok. By now, you should be aware that TikTok is not a get-rich-quick platform. However, it can become a real source of income with the right approach. Khaby Lame is an example in this instance.
TikTok influencers in 2025 can make a good income, but it depends on several things, like how many followers you have and how engaged your audience is. Some influencers earn just a few dollars per 1,000 views, while others make thousands through brand deals, product sales, and live gifts.
Even if you are a nano influencer, you can still earn through tools like TikTok Creator Rewards, affiliate marketing, and selling your products. What is important here is to be creative, post regularly, and connect with your audience.
So, what’s your TikTok follower count and earning goal for 2025? Share in the comments.
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