Creator economy statistics and facts for 2025-26
- Stephanie Segev
- Oct 26
- 19 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
The creator economy has revolutionized how people around the world share content, build audiences, and generate income online. This has benefited individuals and transformed brand marketing, with many of the world's most established companies turning to digital creators to promote their products.
With billions engaging with platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitch, creators have become a key component in how customers connect with brands and a prominent source for discovering products, news, opinions, and entertainment.
But how big is the creator economy? And what are the main trends that will drive the industry in the coming years?
To find out more, Hopp compiled the latest creator economy statistics for 2025, covering the number of creators, income statistics, platform data, and more.
Top 10 must-know creator economy facts and stats
The global creator economy market is projected to be worth over $848 billion by 2032. (Coherent Market Insights)
North America holds the largest portion of the creator economy in 2025, with a market share of over 35%. (Coherent Market Insights)
There are over 207 million creators worldwide. (DemandSage)
57% of brand partnerships now occur on Instagram. (Sprout Social)
92% of marketers claim sponsored creator content outperforms organic brand content. (inBeat Agency)
15% of surveyed creators earned at least $100,000 per year. (NeoReach)
Over two-thirds of creators claimed brand deals were their primary income stream. (Goldman Sachs)
The average male content creator earns $66,200 per year, compared to $57,700 for females. (NeoReach)
TikTok is the most popular platform among creators, with over 45% choosing this as their preferred platform. (NeoReach)
41% of creators said time management was their biggest challenge. (NeoReach)
Creator economy market size, data, and trends
A report from Coherent Market Insights found that the global creator economy market was worth $202.56 billion in 2025. North America holds the largest market share of any continent, occupying over 35% of the industry.
Europe is the next most prominent region, with a market share of over 25%, followed by Asia, which controls over a fifth of the industry.
The global value of the creator economy market, 2025-2032
Market value is projected to accelerate in the following years, reaching a global value of more than $848 billion by 2032. If correct, then the creator economy will experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.7% between 2025 and 2032.
US expenditure on influencer marketing across major platforms, 2019-2024
Creator economy statistics from Goldman Sachs found that US spending on influencer marketing across major platforms nearly tripled between 2019 and 2024. After a collective spend of $2.42 billion in 2019, expenditure would climb by nearly a fifth in 2020, reaching $2.9 billion.
A billion-dollar rise (34.5%) between 2020 and 2021 took the total to $3.9 billion, before surpassing $6 billion two years later. Though the 2024 expenditure of $7.14 billion marked a new high, the year-over-year rise of 15.9% is the lowest annual growth since before 2019.
Creator economy growth statistics
There were around 207 million creators worldwide in 2022, according to a report referenced by Demand Sage. With various reports estimating creator growth to be between 9% and 15% in the following years, the global number of creators is likely between 245-275 million, as of 2025.
With 5.66 billion active social media users worldwide, according to DataReportal via Kepios, this means that nearly 4% of social media users are engaged in some level of content creation.
The same DemandSage report revealed that almost half (46.7%) of creators identify as full-time content creators, despite the average one requiring over six months of work before earning their first dollar.
Elsewhere, a report from Deloitte anticipated that the social commerce industry would be worth an astounding $2 trillion by 2026 – a projected rise of 25% from the previous year.
These numbers are less surprising when considering that 57% of brand partnerships now happen on Instagram, according to Sprout Social.
What’s more, an article from inBeat Agency found that 19 out of 20 marketing leaders are increasing or maintaining their influencer budgets in 2025. This suggests that the digital creator sector may still be yet to reach its peak.
How important is the creative economy to brands?
A report from Sprout Social found 92% of marketers saying sponsored creator content outperforms their brand content. Additionally, nine out of 10 reported better engagement, with 83% citing improved conversion rates from influencer content.
Creator economy statistics from Statista found that over 40% of brands allocated 30% or more of their marketing budget to influencers, with nearly 12% allocating at least 50%. The reasons for this are clear, with 50% of people preferring to purchase products from their favorite influencers, according to WPBeginner.
As such, it’s no surprise that over two-thirds (68%) of companies claim they prefer working with influencers.
Creator economy revenue statistics
Nearly seven in 10 creators cited brand deals as their primary income stream, according to a report from Goldman Sachs. This was over nine times more than any other source, making brand deals the only one cited by more than 10% of respondents.
The most common revenue streams cited by creators
Shares from advertising revenue were the next most prominent income stream, cited by 7.3% as their primary source. The top five were rounded off by starting their own brand, affiliate deals, and courses, with each being chosen by between 4% and 5% of respondents.
Creator economy income statistics
Nearly three in five influencer marketers cited engagement rate as the main factor that defines their success. The survey, reported by the Influencer Marketing Hub, found 32.5% referencing income as their primary success factor – 26 percentage points fewer than those who picked engagement rate.
The most common factors for success cited by influencer marketers
(Source: Influencer Marketing Hub)
Less than one in ten influencers said they based their success on their number of followers. This was over six times fewer than the number who chose engagement rate.
What are the largest income sources for content creators?
A 2025 article from Gitnux revealed that nearly 70% of creators run multiple income streams, including affiliate marketing, merchandise, digital products, and paid communities.
Brand partnerships are still the most prominent income source, making up seven tenths of creator income, on average. The next three most prominent income streams are ad revenue, subscriptions, and direct payments.
Meanwhile, half of marketers now consider influencers key to driving revenue and establishing credibility.
How much do creators earn?
Over half of the content creators surveyed by NeoReach earned less than $15,000 a year from their ventures in 2025, up from just over 48% in 2023. More than 68% of creators earned less than $50,000 in 2025, with just over 13.5% earning between $50,000 and $75,000.
The percentage of creators by year and income bracket
While the number of creators in the lowest income category rose between 2023 and 2025, the percentage in the highest bracket fell. Just over one in 20 (5.69%) creators reported annual earnings above $200,000 in 2025, down from 7.2% two years earlier.
Despite this, the number of creators earning between $100,000 and $150,000 increased by over 3.5 percentage points to 9.72%. Overall, this means that more than 15% of creators earn at least $100,000 per year.
The percentage of creators by year and income bracket
The latest research from NeoReach found a direct correlation between the number of followers and average annual earnings among creators. Over three-quarters (77%) of creators with fewer than 15,000 followers earned less than $15,000 per year, compared to just 2% of those with 1-10 million followers.
Over two-thirds (67%) of the creators with 1-10 million followers earned at least $100,000, compared to just 13% of those with 15,000 to 50,000 followers.
Those earning over $1 million a year typically had a minimum of 500,000 followers. Of those with at least 10 million followers, over two-fifths (42%) were earning a minimum of a million dollars per year.
Average annual creator income by gender
The average male content creator earns $66,200 per year, according to NeoReach. This is $8,500 more than the average female creator ($57,700) and $5,500 higher than those identifying as neither male nor female ($60,700).
How much do content creators earn on Instagram?
Influencers are typically categorized under the following terms, based on their number of followers.
Nano-influencers (1,000 – 10,000 followers)
Micro-influencers (10,000 – 50,000 followers)
Mid-tier influencers (50,000 – 500,000 followers)
Macro-influencers (500,000 – 1,000,000 followers)
Mega-influencers (1,000,000+ followers)
According to data from the inBeat Agency, the average nano influencer earns between $10 and $100 per post. For micro influencers, this rises to between $100 and $500 per post, with ‘mid-tier’ creators typically expecting $500 to $5,000 for each sponsored post.
Average earnings per post for an Instagram influencer by audience size
Unsurprisingly, average earnings per post continue to rise alongside follower count, with macro influencers typically earning between $5,000 and $10,000, and mega influencers earning more than $10,000 per post.
The chances of earning via Instagram content are considerable, with 98% of surveyed creators saying they’ve been paid for Reels – over eight percentage points more than the number who’d been paid for TikTok videos.
How much do content creators earn on TikTok?
Like Instagram, the average earnings per post for TikTok are highest among those with the most followers, according to inBeat Agency. Nano influencers typically earn between $25 and $125 per sponsored TikTok post, with micro influencers earning $30 to $400 per post, slightly less than micro influencers on Instagram.
Average earnings per post for a TikTok influencer by audience size
Mid-tier influencers tend to earn between $500 and $5,000 per post, with this number rising to $5,000-$10,000 among macro influencers. The average mega influencer on TikTok can expect to see earnings of at least $10,000 per post, 25 times more than the highest average amount for micro influencers.
How much do content creators earn on YouTube?
Creator economy statistics from inBeat agency stated that the average YouTube creator earns $0.018 per view, working out at around $18 for every 1,000 views.
YouTube remains one of the most generous platforms for monetizing viewers, with the platform paying creators over half (55%) of the advertising revenue generated from their videos.
The monetization rates were given more context by the Influencer Marketing Club, which revealed that brands typically pay between $10 and $30 per 1,000 views for sponsored content.
Other YouTube revenue streams include:
Merchandise sales - Branded products can increase monthly revenue by thousands of dollars.
Affiliate marketing - Commission rates can range from 5% to 50% per sale.
Memberships and super chats - Additional income can be generated through paid live streams and channel memberships, with creators receiving a 70% share of the income.
Average income by platform
Creators who use Instagram as their primary platform generate the highest annual income on average, according to NeoReach. With average yearly earnings of $81,700, Instagram creators typically earn around $19,000 more than those on YouTube, the platform with the second-highest average income.
Average creator income by primary platform
TikTok creators generate average annual earnings of $44,250. This was nearly $37,000 less than Instagram creators and over $18,000 lower than those on YouTube. Twitch had the lowest average earnings of any platform in the study, with its total $25,600 over three times less than Instagram.
Creator economy tools and platform statistics
Creator economy platforms statistics
Creator economy statistics from NeoReach revealed that TikTok is the most popular platform among creators, with 45.5% citing this as their preferred platform. This was 15 percentage points more than YouTube (30%) and over double the total of Instagram (21.03%).
The top three most popular platforms among creators
(Source: NeoReach)
Overall, this meant that more than nine in 10 creators considered either TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram to be their favorite platform.
Creator economy tools statistics
According to creator economy statistics from Growth Market Reports, the global value of the creator analytics AI market reached $3.92 billion in 2024. This highlights the growing impact of AI-based analytics tools in both content and marketing.
Global value of the creator analytics AI market, 2024-2033
Growth looks set to continue in the following years, with industry value projected to reach $14.05 billion by 2033. If correct, then the industry will undergo a CAGR of 17.3% between 2025 and 2033.
Elsewhere, a report from G2 found that nearly 63% of content creators regularly employ AI-assisted scriptwriting tools to help them generate video scripts quickly.
Additionally, over 130,000 creators now use Payhip – an eCommerce platform that allows creators to sell digital products directly to fans. Creators on the platform typically sell products including online courses, ebooks, memberships, and training programs.
Creator economy demographic statistics
What is the most common age group for digital creators?
Over half of the creators surveyed by NeoReach were aged between 25 and 34, suggesting this is the most prominent age group driving the creator economy. This was over 17 percentage points higher than any other age group, with just under a third aged 18 to 24. This means that more than four in five digital creators are aged between 18 and 34.
The percentage of content creators by age group
The number of creators declines rapidly from the age of 35, with just over 11% aged between 35 and 44, and less than 2% aged 45 to 54. Less than 1% were aged 55 and over, making this the least common age group for digital creators.
What is the most popular niche among creators?
Lifestyle was the most popular niche among creators, with 14.5% falling into this category. This was 0.2 percentage points more than second-placed entertainment, the only other niche responsible for more than 10% of creators.
The most common niches among surveyed creators
At the other end of the scale, just 1.4% of creators were focused on business-related content. This was 1.3 percentage points fewer than the next-lowest niche (sport) and over 10 times fewer than both lifestyle and entertainment.
Which countries do top creators make the most money in?
Hopp’s independent study looked at data from Social Blade on the top 500 YouTube channels across 30 countries, calculating the average annual earnings, subscribers, and viewers per video for each.
Our study shows that top creators based in the US generate the most income, with average annual earnings of over $762,000.
This was over $70,000 more than second-placed India, the final country in which creators generated more than half a million pounds per year, on average. India’s average of $690,106 was over three times more than third-placed Indonesia.
It is worth noting, however, that while the gap among top US and Indian creators is just over $70,000, the difference is likely to be considerably higher among the average creator. This is because global brands typically spend 5-10 times more on a partnership with a US or EU-based creator than one in India, according to a LinkedIn study.
The 10 countries with the highest average annual YouTube earnings per creator
There is a fairly diverse geographic spread among the top 10 nations, with four based in the Americas, four in Asia, and two in Europe. Though Canada’s average of just under $80,000 was enough to place it tenth, this was nearly 10 times less than the neighboring US.
Which countries do leading creators generate the most YouTube subscribers in?
Creator economy statistics show that the top creators in the US have the most YouTube subscribers on average. With an average subscriber count of nearly 2.8 million, the US was over 300,000 more than second-placed India, the final nation with more than an average subscriber count above a million.
The top countries with the most average YouTube subscribers per creator
The top five nations are dominated by Asia and the Americas, with two coming from the former and three from the latter.
The UK was the highest-ranked European nation, with an average subscriber count of over 638,000. Though this was the sixth-highest total overall, it was over four times less than the US.
Which countries do leading creators get the most YouTube views in?
Top creators in the US generate the most video views on YouTube, with an average total of 436,636 per video among Social Blade’s top 500 creators. This was almost 200,000 more than second-placed Russia and nearly double the total of Brazil in third.
The top countries with the most average YouTube subscribers per creator
The UK and Canada were the final countries with an average viewer count of more than 200,000 per video, placing fourth and fifth, respectively. The Americas dominate the list of countries with the most YouTube subscribers, with 50% of the top 10 coming from this region.
What are the most profitable niches among the top YouTube creators?
Hopp’s independent study looked at Social Blade’s top 500 YouTube channels across 15 prominent categories, assessing the average earnings, subscriber count, and video views for each.
Entertainment was found to be the highest earning category, with top creators in this niche typically earning over $246,000 a year, on average. This was over $80,000 more than the next highest category (people), making entertainment the only one with average annual earnings exceeding $200,000.
Average YouTube earnings by category among leading channels
Third-placed music was the final category with average earnings exceeding $100,000, with a total of $136,763 – over $40,000 more than gaming in fourth.
At the other end of the scale, top non-profit creators generated less than $5,000 per year, on average. This was less than half the total of the next least profitable niche (travel) and over fifty times less than entertainment.
As this study looks at the top creators in each niche, it is worth noting that these rankings could be considerably different when factoring in all creators.
For example, while the top music creators can generate huge income, this niche is renowned for being difficult to monetize in the modern day. Similarly, other niches in the study, like tech, are considered to be among the most viable niches for generating profit, with the capacity to forge brand partnerships through avenues like product reviews.
Which YouTube niche generates the most subscribers?
Entertainment leads the way when it comes to YouTube subscribers, with top creators in this niche amassing over 960,000 subscribers, on average. This was over 350,000 more than second-placed music, the final category with more than half a million average subscribers.
Average YouTube subscriber count by category among leading channels
Non-profit-based creators typically generated the lowest number of subscribers, with top creators in this field having average subscriber counts below 37,000. This was nearly 25,000 fewer than travel and less than half the total of auto & vehicles.
Which YouTube niche generates the most views per video?
Creator economy statistics from Hopp revealed that top music creators generate the most YouTube views per video. With an average viewer count of nearly 697,000 per video, leading music channels generated over 200,000 views more than the next-highest category.
Comedy has the next highest number of average views, with its total of 445,520, around 135,000 more than third-placed entertainment.
Average YouTube video views by category among leading channels
(Source: Hopp)
At the other end of the scale, non-profit (17,633) and news (22,524) were the only categories with average views below 50,000. Though the leading travel channels generated more than double the video views of top news channels, this was over 13 times fewer than those in the music category.
Gen Z in the creator economy
A report from YouTube covered by G2 found that 83% of Gen Z consider themselves creators. Additionally, nearly 9% of Gen Zs active in online side hustles are earning five-figure salaries.
One of the top motivations for being a creator among Gen Z was to be their own boss, with 49% citing this reason. A further 42% claimed pursuing a passion was their main driving factor.
Video games are particularly popular in this generation, with 14.1% of those with a digital side hustle streaming games to generate income.
Challenges of the creator economy
Creator economy statistics from G2 found that 46% of creators say they’re finding success in the creator economy, with 58% struggling to monetize their work.
Of those earning money from their content, 68% said they were dissatisfied with their earnings.
Many aspiring creators struggle to balance the creative aspects of their content with those key to monetization, with 43% considering this a challenge. Additionally, a further 45% cited a lack of time and knowledge as their main obstacle, with 41% of creators saying they struggle to maintain a consistent content schedule.
The G2 report also found:
32% of high-performing creators cite expanding their audience as a core worry.
46% of a creator's time is spent on content creation.
54% of a creator's time is spent on distribution, marketing, and administrative tasks.
64% cite growing their audience as their top challenge.
The pressures of modern-day content creation are affecting the outlooks of many creators, with three-quarters experiencing stress or anxiety from their content activities.
Despite these struggles, just one in 50 said they regret their career choice, suggesting that content creation will continue to be a popular career path in the coming years.
What are the biggest challenges for creators?
A 2025 survey from NeoReach found 41% of content creators citing time management as their biggest challenge. This was more than double the total of any other answer, making time management the only one referenced by more than a fifth of respondents.
Consistency and burnout were the next most common obstacles, with a combined 19% citing this as their biggest challenge. This was four percentage points more than engagement/retention and five percentage points more than monetization/income – the final challenges referenced by more than a tenth of creators.
The most common challenges cited by surveyed content creators
At the other end of the scale, just 1% selected trolls and hateful comments as their main obstacle. This was three times less than the number who cited mental health and pressure, and 19 times fewer than those who chose consistency and burnout.
AI and the future of the creator economy
As with most digital sectors, the advancements of AI and automation look certain to have a huge impact on the future of the creator economy. A report from G2 found that nearly three in five creators are using AI tools to streamline workflows and improve monetization.
Additionally, just under a quarter employ artificial intelligence for product curation or to analyze audience data, with 34% using it to automate follower engagement.
The younger generations are leading the way with AI adoption, with 25% of Gen Z delegating more than half of their work to AI tools and 40% using AI at least once a week. By comparison, half of those born in the “Baby Boomer” generation don’t use AI at all.
Who are the highest-earning content creators?
Hopp’s independent study analyzed the top 50 creators included in Forbes’ annual list. Looking at the annual income of the top 10 earners, we calculated how long it would take each to earn the average annual US salary of $63,795.
MrBeast
MrBeast was the highest-earning creator in Forbes’ 2025 list, with staggering annual earnings of $85 million.
Famed for his philanthropic and large-scale challenge videos on YouTube, MrBeast’s earnings were $29 million more than the next highest creator, with his annual income working out at nearly $233,000 per week or $161.72 per minute.
This means that it takes the YouTube sensation just seven hours to earn the average annual US salary of $63,795.
The scope of MrBeast’s earnings is unsurprising when considering his huge follower count of 634 million across all channels. This was over four times more than anyone else in the top 10.
Dhar Mann
With annual earnings of $56 million, Dhar Man had the second-highest income of all creators in the study. This was $6 million more than the next-highest creators, making Dhar Mann one of only two creators with annual earnings exceeding $50 million.
The creator, known for producing motivational videos and scripted content around life lessons and moral values, pockets average earnings of over $153,000 per day – equivalent to $106.54 per minute.
This means it takes Dhar Mann just 10 hours to earn the average annual US salary, working out at less than 36,000 seconds.
Jake Paul
With estimated creator earnings of $50 million per year, Jake Paul shares third place. As one half of the controversial Paul brothers, the younger Paul was originally famed for producing prank, skit, and lifestyle videos, but has gained even wider coverage for his forays into the world of boxing in recent years.
Paul’s annual earnings work out at roughly $5,700 per hour, equating to a staggering $1.59 every second. This means that the YouTube star earns the average US salary in approximately 11 hours, or 671 minutes.
Matt Rife
Sharing the third spot with Jake Paul is Matt Rife, a comedian famed for his live specials, crowd-work videos, and short-form video clips on Instagram and TikTok. With annual earnings of $50 million, Rife pockets average earnings of over $4.1 million per month – equivalent to $95.13 per minute.
These earnings mean it takes Rife less than half a day to earn the average US salary of $63,795. To put this in perspective, this means that the typical US worker earns in a year what Rife can generate in just over 40,000 seconds.
Rhett and Link
With combined average earnings of $36 million per year, the creator duo Rhett and Link had the fifth-highest annual earnings of all creators in the study. Famed for their longstanding YouTube channel Good Mythical Morning, Rhett and Link’s annual earnings equate to over $4,100 a day, or $1.14 every second.
This means that it takes the pair around 16 hours to earn the average annual US salary, equating to just over 930 minutes.
Ryan Kaji
YouTube child star Ryan Kaji is the sixth highest earner in the study, with an annual income of $35 million. The creator, known for his toy and game reviews and kid-friendly content, earns over $673,000 per week, equating to nearly $4,000 an hour.
This means that it takes Kaji 958 minutes to earn the average US salary, 27 minutes more than Rhett and Lee.
Markiplier
Markiplier, an American gaming-based content creator, shares seventh spot with annual earnings of $32 million.
Markiplier’s annual earnings mean that he pockets over $2.6 million per month on average, equal to nearly $88,000 a day. This means that it would take the gaming creator just 17 hours to earn the typical US salary of $63,795.
Alex Cooper
Sharing the seventh spot with Markiplier is Alex Cooper, the host of the globally popular Call Me Daddy podcast, with annual earnings of $32 million. Among her 15 million followers, she averages an engagement rate of 3.79%, the highest of any creator in the top 10.
Cooper’s annual earnings mean that it takes her just 1,048 minutes, or just under 63,000 seconds, to generate income equal to the average US salary.
Steven Bartlett
British business and entrepreneurial content creator Steven Barlett sits ninth, with average yearly earnings of $29 million. Bartlett, who is also a notable TV personality in the UK, generates almost $558,000 each week, equal to $55.18 per minute.
Bartlett’s earnings mean that he can earn the typical US salary in just 19 hours, or just under 70,000 seconds.
Mark Rober
Rounding off the top 10 is Mark Rober, a creator known for his large-scale STEM and DIY experiment videos. With annual earnings of $25 million, it takes Rober less than a day to earn the average salary for a US worker.
His engagement rate of 2.39% across 80 million subscribers was the second highest in the top 10.
Rober’s annual income means that he pockets well over $2 million per month and a staggering $47.56 each minute.
Creator economy statistics FAQs
What is the creator economy?
The creator economy is the ecosystem of online creators who monetize their content. Typically, creators generate income via their audience (e.g., subscription fees, merchandise sales, donations) or through partnerships and sponsorships with brands and platforms.
Examples of creators within the creator economy include YouTubers, podcasters, Instagram/TikTok influencers, and streamers.
How big is the creator economy?
The creator economy is big business, with Coherent Market Insights valuing the global industry at over $200 billion in 2025.
With the digital age continuing to accelerate and technological advancements making content creation easier than ever, industry growth is likely to expand further in the coming years. As such, it’s no surprise that industry value is projected to skyrocket by 2032, surpassing $848 billion.
Where is the creator economy heading in the future?
The creator economy is expected to continue growing rapidly as it shifts from ad-driven models to more sustainable revenue streams like subscriptions, digital products, and audience support (e.g., merch sales, donations, live event sales, crowdfunding).
It’s expected that AI advancements will expand opportunities for creators, broadening the possibilities of content creation while increasing productivity to previously unseen levels.
How to use AI in the creator economy?
Creators can use AI by adopting specific tools to streamline their tasks. For example, text generators can assist with generating copy, drafting scripts, devising content for social media posts, or proofreading blog posts. AI tools with audio or video functions can also assist with editing, removing background noise, generating subtitles, and a range of other refining tasks.
AI tools can automate a range of functional administrative tasks, allowing you more time to hone and refine the content that is key to growing your audience. Operationally, AI can help with performance analytics, analyzing audience preferences, and providing strategies for monetization.
When used effectively, AI can help you elevate all aspects of your content strategy, improving creativity, efficiency, productivity, and ultimately success.
How is AI transforming the creator economy?
AI is transforming the creator economy by reducing the barriers for entry and making it easier for creators to generate quality content at speed and scale. By reducing the time required for previously exhausting administrative tasks, creators now have more time than ever to refine, enhance, and perfect their content.
Additionally, many tasks that once required extensive skills or equipment (video editing, sound design, graphic creation, content writing) can now be automated to a high-enough standard that allows independent aspiring creators to produce professional-caliber output.
It’s also transforming how creators connect with their audience, with AI-driven analytics and personalization tools offering creators a greater insight into audience preferences.
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