YouTube Monetization Checker

In November 2023, YouTube removed the public flag that used to say whether a channel was monetized. Since then, no monetization checker can read the status directly — every tool infers it. The difference is whether a tool admits that. We do, and we show our work — here, and soon in a browser extension that reads the same signals on the page you are already on.

Each check combines three kinds of public evidence. First, official channel statistics from the YouTube Data API — subscriber count tells us which Partner Program tiers are even possible. Second, Partner-exclusive features: a Join button for channel memberships or a merch shelf only appear on channels YouTube has accepted into the program. Third, ad delivery: we sample the channel's recent long-form videos and check whether ad placements are actually being served, including the format — pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll — and where the mid-roll breaks sit.

No single signal is conclusive — memberships exist from the 500-subscriber tier, and YouTube has run ads on non-partner channels since 2020. That's why results come as four confidence levels (Likely Monetized, Possibly Monetized, Likely Not Monetized, Unable to Determine) with every signal listed, so you can judge the evidence yourself.