Monetisation & Revenue
Fan Funding
Also called: viewer funding, direct support, audience funding
On YouTube this covers channel memberships, Super Chat and Super Stickers, Super Thanks, and jewels and gifts on vertical live streams. The lower Partner Program tier unlocks these features and Shopping while giving no share of ad revenue, and it requires 500 subscribers, three published videos in the last 90 days, and either 3,000 public watch hours in twelve months or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days.
Because each payment is an individual decision, the totals track how many people care enough to act. A small, committed audience can out-earn a much larger one that watches and forgets.