What is a YouTube sponsorship?

A YouTube sponsorship is a paid placement inside a creator's video. A brand pays the creator to talk about its product, usually for 60 to 90 seconds, and the creator discloses it as a paid promotion. It is separate from YouTube ads, which YouTube sells and places itself. The creator sets the price and keeps the whole fee.

How many subscribers do you need for a YouTube sponsorship?

There is no threshold. In the last 12 months, channels under 10K subscribers landed 3,462 detected deals and channels between 10K and 50K landed 11,041. Brands buy views and audience fit, so a small channel with a clear niche and steady views gets offers, usually smaller ones and often product-only at first.

How much do YouTube sponsors pay?

Most deals are priced per 1,000 expected views. Typical CPMs run $15–$50 across YouTube, from about $8–$18 in music to $40–$80 in finance. A channel between 50K and 250K subscribers, whose sponsored videos get a median of 9.2K views, earns about $138–$460 per integration.

How do brands find YouTube creators to sponsor?

Four ways, in order of volume: agencies and creator networks that package channels for them, sponsorship platforms where creators list themselves, inbound pitches from creators, and their own research. The brands that run the most deals have a person or an agency doing this every week, which is why pitching a brand that already sponsors channels like yours works far better than pitching one that has never bought a placement.

Do sponsors have to be disclosed?

Yes. In the United States the FTC requires a clear disclosure, and YouTube requires creators to tick the "paid promotion" box, which shows a label at the start of the video. Most creators also say it in the video and put the sponsor link in the description.

Which brands sponsor the most YouTube videos?

Gamersupps, Streamyard, Prizepicks, Gfuel, NordVPN lead by tracked placements. VPNs, meal kits, mobile games, online therapy, language apps and finance apps make up most of the top 50.

SponsorRadar

YouTube Sponsorship in 2026

How sponsorship on YouTube works, what a sponsored video pays by channel size and niche, which brands buy the most placements, and how to get one. Every number on this page comes from 1.7M sponsorship deals SponsorRadar has detected in the videos themselves, not from surveys.

Updated Nov 10. CPM benchmarks reviewed July 2026.

1.7M

Sponsorship deals tracked

41,018

Brands that sponsored a video, last 12 months

27,417

Channels that landed a sponsor, last 12 months

2,094

Brands that paid a channel under 50K subs

What a sponsored video pays, by channel size

Median views of sponsored videos over three minutes in the last 12 months, priced at a $15–$50 CPM.

Under 10K subs1.1K views$16–$53
10K to 50K subs5.8K views$87–$289
50K to 250K subs9.2K views$138–$460
250K to 1M subs28.6K views$429–$1,431
Over 1M subs99.3K views$1,489–$4,963

Niche moves the CPM. See the rate table by niche or run the rate calculator for your channel.

Sponsorship deals per month

Sponsored videos detected across YouTube, by publish month. The latest month is still filling in.

61445

93915

87043

54740

68797

62862

47751

60354

85222

103164

117807

106827

NovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOct

The most active YouTube sponsors right now

How a YouTube sponsorship works

The deal, the formats, and the rules, in plain terms.

A brand pays a creator to feature its product in a video. The creator writes and delivers the segment in their own voice, the brand approves the script or the cut, and the creator publishes with a paid-promotion disclosure. The brand usually gets a tracking link or a promo code so it can measure signups, which is what it uses to decide whether to book the creator again.

Money changes hands directly or through an agency. Prices are quoted per 1,000 expected views (a CPM) or as a flat fee, and the fee depends on the channel's median views, its niche, and whether the placement is an integration or a dedicated video. Payment is normally net 30 after publishing, with a deposit on bigger deals.

Sponsorship sits alongside YouTube's own ads, affiliate links and memberships. For most channels above 50K subscribers it is the largest single income line, because the creator sets the price and keeps all of it. It is also the line brands scale fastest: 983 brands ran deals across twenty or more channels in the last 12 months.

The three formats

Integration: A 60 to 90 second segment inside a regular video, usually in the first third. The most common format and the one CPM benchmarks describe.
Dedicated video: The whole video is about the product. Priced at two to four times an integration and rarer, because it costs the creator a regular upload.
Mention and description link: A short shout-out, a pinned comment or a link in the description. Cheap, often bundled into a bigger deal or paid on affiliate terms.

Disclosure is not optional. The FTC requires a clear statement that the segment is paid, and YouTube requires the paid-promotion checkbox, which shows a label in the first seconds of the video. Creators who skip it risk their channel; brands who ask them to skip it risk a regulator. Every deal SponsorRadar counts is one the creator disclosed in the video or the description.

What YouTube sponsorships pay

Priced per 1,000 views, so the same channel earns very different money in different niches.

By channel size, last 12 months

Deals, channels and brands per tier, the median views a sponsored long-form video gets at that size, and what that is worth at a $15–$50 CPM.

Channel size	Deals	Channels	Brands	Median views	Per video at $15 to $50 CPM
Under 10K subs	3,462	391	598	1,051	$16 to $53
10K to 50K subs	11,041	548	1,692	5,776	$87 to $289
50K to 250K subs	486,105	11,793	23,010	9,196	$138 to $460
250K to 1M subs	317,297	9,062	18,063	28,628	$429 to $1,431
Over 1M subs	168,082	5,623	11,117	99,260	$1,489 to $4,963

By niche

CPM ranges SponsorRadar uses for the rate calculator, reviewed July 2026. Finance and tech audiences convert on expensive products, so brands pay the most for them; music and entertainment pay the least. The per-video column prices a channel at 9.2K views, the median for 50K to 250K subscribers.

Niche	CPM (per 1,000 views)	Per video at 9.2K views
Finance & Business	$40–$80	$368–$736
Technology	$30–$60	$276–$552
Automotive	$25–$50	$230–$460
Health & Fitness	$25–$45	$230–$414
Beauty & Fashion	$20–$40	$184–$368
Travel	$20–$40	$184–$368
Education	$20–$40	$184–$368
Science	$20–$40	$184–$368
Food & Cooking	$18–$35	$166–$322
AI	$15–$30	$138–$276
Lifestyle & Vlog	$15–$30	$138–$276
DIY & Crafts	$15–$30	$138–$276
News & Politics	$12–$25	$110–$230
Sports	$12–$25	$110–$230
Gaming	$10–$25	$92–$230
Pets & Animals	$12–$25	$110–$230
Entertainment	$10–$20	$92–$184
Music	$8–$18	$74–$166

Three things move a quote off the benchmark. Views on the last ten long-form videos matter more than subscribers. A niche where the audience buys what the sponsor sells earns the top of the range. And a dedicated video, exclusivity, usage rights or a rushed deadline each add to the fee. The full breakdown, with observed view distributions per niche, is on sponsorship rates by niche.

Who sponsors YouTube channels

Ranked by placements detected in videos. Every brand links to the creators it sponsors and its recent deals.

#	Brand	Category	Creators sponsored	Deals
1	Gamersupps	Gaming	456	27,473
2	Streamyard	Education	1,100	15,478
3	Prizepicks	Sports	257	14,411
4	Gfuel	Gaming	158	11,529
5	NordVPN	Gaming	1,030	10,245
6	Squarespace	Lifestyle & Vlog	489	9,821
7	BetterHelp	Entertainment	1,620	9,059
8	Kontrolfreek	Gaming	68	7,367
9	Eneba	Gaming	190	6,918
10	Seatgeek	Sports	327	6,321
11	Whatnot	Finance & Business	542	5,969
12	Instant Gaming	Gaming	146	5,673
13	Surfshark	Lifestyle & Vlog	1,313	5,277
14	Underdog Fantasy	Sports	105	5,041
15	Kalshi	Finance & Business	269	4,885
16	Ene	Gaming	180	4,772
17	Itrustcapital	Finance & Business	40	4,608
18	Carvertical	Automotive	175	4,221
19	Factor	Entertainment	1,258	4,209
20	Bybit	Finance & Business	106	4,142

The full ranking, 67,012 with a tracked deal, is on the YouTube sponsors list.

How many channels a sponsor works with in a year

Brands by distinct channels sponsored in the last 12 months. 28% of brands came back for a second channel.

One channel
29,402 brands · 72%
2 to 4 channels
7,478 brands · 18%
5 to 19 channels
3,155 brands · 8%
20 or more
983 brands · 2%

Where the deals go, by channel size

Channels over 1M subscribers took 17% of deals in the last 12 months. Coverage is thinner under 50K subscribers, so those tiers understate the real count.

Under 10K subs598 brands
3,462 · 0%
10K to 50K subs1,692 brands
11,041 · 1%
50K to 250K subs23,010 brands
486,105 · 49%
250K to 1M subs18,063 brands
317,297 · 32%
Over 1M subs11,117 brands
168,082 · 17%

Sponsors by niche

Budgets follow niches. Each page lists the brands active in one, with the creators they sponsor.

Sponsorship for small channels

514 brands paid a channel under 10K subscribers in the last 12 months. 12,049 paid one under 100K.

Brands that sponsored the most channels under 50K subscribers

Distinct channels under 50K with a detected deal, last 12 months. The better first pitch for a small channel than the biggest spenders.

1
Streamyard
11,687 deals · smallest channel 1.3K subs
24 channels
2
NordVPN
5,966 deals · smallest channel 5.3K subs
21 channels
3
Klook
843 deals · smallest channel 1.8K subs
15 channels
4
Saily
1,539 deals · smallest channel 5.3K subs
15 channels
5
Surfshark
2,410 deals · smallest channel 8.2K subs
14 channels
6
Insta360
929 deals · smallest channel 5.6K subs
14 channels
7
Hostinger
1,941 deals · smallest channel 3.2K subs
14 channels
8
Wise
287 deals · smallest channel 4.1K subs
13 channels
9
Quince
2,146 deals · smallest channel 8.3K subs
13 channels
10
Safetywing
246 deals · smallest channel 3.1K subs
12 channels

Recent deals on channels under 50K subscribers

One video per brand, newest first. The brand is buying now, at this size.

REN EXTERMINATES THE CHEATING COMPETITION.. WHILE BEING ACCUSED OF CHEATING
Cs.moneymore renyan41.6K subsNov 10
The Perfect Resource Portfolio: An Outperforming Fund Manager Reveals His Strategy
WealthsimpleIn the Money47.4K subsNov 10
I Made Claude Fable 5.2 & Opus 5.5 Build the Same App (RAW RESULTS)
Fish AudioDubibubi49.7K subsNov 10
Rockets-Nuggets Reaction: Alperen Sengun OUTDUELS Nikola Jokic | The Dime With Josh and Kwab
PrizepicksThe Dime With Josh and Kwab6.8K subsNov 10
Is the Plaud Note Pro Worth It for Makers and Creators? I Tested It
Plaud Note ProDraftID23.1K subsNov 10
Canada's Wine Country Completely Surprised Us! (Okanagan Valley)
HolaflyJames and Josie Travel47.1K subsNov 10

Channels under 50K subscribers landed 14,503 detected deals in the last 12 months. The money per deal is smaller and product-only offers are common, but the brands are real and most of them have a pattern of buying at that size. The full list, by niche, is on sponsors for small channels, and the brands that hand every creator a code are on brand ambassador programs.

How to get a YouTube sponsorship

Five steps. The guides linked under each one carry the data and the templates.

Step 1Build a target list from real sponsor activityStart with brands that sponsored a channel in your niche in the last 90 days. They have budget and a person whose job is the next deal.The full guide
Step 2Filter to brands that buy your sizeA brand that only books million-subscriber channels will not answer a 20K channel. Check the size of the channels each brand paid recently.Sponsors for small channels
Step 3Know your rate before anyone asksMedian views on your last ten long-form videos, divided by 1,000, times your niche CPM. Quote a range and defend it with numbers.Rate calculator
Step 4Pitch the person who buys, with proofShort, specific, referencing a deal they ran. A media kit with real views and audience data does the rest.Pitch email templates
Step 5Negotiate, deliver, reportAgree the format, exclusivity, usage rights and payment terms in writing. Send results after publishing. 28% of brands book a second channel.Negotiating the deal

Buying YouTube sponsorships as a brand

The same data, read from the other side of the deal.

Questions people ask

What is a YouTube sponsorship?: A YouTube sponsorship is a paid placement inside a creator's video. A brand pays the creator to talk about its product, usually for 60 to 90 seconds, and the creator discloses it as a paid promotion. It is separate from YouTube ads, which YouTube sells and places itself. The creator sets the price and keeps the whole fee.
How many subscribers do you need for a YouTube sponsorship?: There is no threshold. In the last 12 months, channels under 10K subscribers landed 3,462 detected deals and channels between 10K and 50K landed 11,041. Brands buy views and audience fit, so a small channel with a clear niche and steady views gets offers, usually smaller ones and often product-only at first.
How much do YouTube sponsors pay?: Most deals are priced per 1,000 expected views. Typical CPMs run $15–$50 across YouTube, from about $8–$18 in music to $40–$80 in finance. A channel between 50K and 250K subscribers, whose sponsored videos get a median of 9.2K views, earns about $138–$460 per integration. The rate calculator runs the same math for your channel.
How do brands find YouTube creators to sponsor?: Four ways, in order of volume: agencies and creator networks that package channels for them, sponsorship platforms where creators list themselves, inbound pitches from creators, and their own research (watching who competitors sponsor). The brands that run the most deals have a person or an agency doing this every week, which is why pitching a brand that already sponsors channels like yours works far better than pitching one that has never bought a placement.
Do sponsors have to be disclosed?: Yes. In the United States the FTC requires a clear disclosure, and YouTube requires creators to tick the "paid promotion" box, which shows a label at the start of the video. Most creators also say it in the video and put the sponsor link in the description. Undisclosed sponsorships risk demonetisation and, for the brand, regulatory action.
Which brands sponsor the most YouTube videos?: Gamersupps, Streamyard, Prizepicks, Gfuel, NordVPN lead by tracked placements. VPNs, meal kits, mobile games, online therapy, language apps and finance apps make up most of the top 50. The full ranking is on the YouTube sponsors list.

How these numbers are made

SponsorRadar reads YouTube videos, descriptions and captions and records a deal when a creator discloses a sponsor. Deals are dated by the video's publish date, so the last month or two is always still filling in. Channel size is the subscriber count at the time of the read. CPM ranges are benchmarks from published deals and agency rate cards, not measured fees, because creators do not publish what they were paid. Full detail on the methodology page.

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