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 3,558 detected deals and channels between 10K and 50K landed 8,361. 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 8.2K views, earns about $123–$410 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, Squarespace, Gfuel 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 1.6M sponsorship deals SponsorRadar has detected in the videos themselves, not from surveys.

Updated Oct 15. CPM benchmarks reviewed July 2026.

1.6M

Sponsorship deals tracked

49,528

Brands that sponsored a video, last 12 months

31,483

Channels that landed a sponsor, last 12 months

2,055

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 subs965 views$14–$48
10K to 50K subs4.3K views$65–$217
50K to 250K subs8.2K views$123–$410
250K to 1M subs26.6K views$400–$1,332
Over 1M subs93.6K views$1,405–$4,682

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.

41943

82887

93404

88395

55144

69187

63533

44217

54807

79112

84417

83900

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSep

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: 946 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	3,558	392	625	965	$14 to $48
10K to 50K subs	8,361	606	1,633	4,346	$65 to $217
50K to 250K subs	399,471	14,253	28,292	8,208	$123 to $410
250K to 1M subs	298,095	10,486	21,177	26,649	$400 to $1,332
Over 1M subs	167,586	5,746	11,293	93,644	$1,405 to $4,682

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 8.2K views, the median for 50K to 250K subscribers.

Niche	CPM (per 1,000 views)	Per video at 8.2K views
Finance & Business	$40–$80	$328–$657
Technology	$30–$60	$246–$492
Automotive	$25–$50	$205–$410
Health & Fitness	$25–$45	$205–$369
Beauty & Fashion	$20–$40	$164–$328
Travel	$20–$40	$164–$328
Education	$20–$40	$164–$328
Science	$20–$40	$164–$328
Food & Cooking	$18–$35	$148–$287
AI	$15–$30	$123–$246
Lifestyle & Vlog	$15–$30	$123–$246
DIY & Crafts	$15–$30	$123–$246
News & Politics	$12–$25	$98–$205
Sports	$12–$25	$98–$205
Gaming	$10–$25	$82–$205
Pets & Animals	$12–$25	$98–$205
Entertainment	$10–$20	$82–$164
Music	$8–$18	$66–$148

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	442	23,622
2	Streamyard	Education	1,094	14,143
3	Prizepicks	Sports	262	11,761
4	Squarespace	Lifestyle & Vlog	480	9,869
5	Gfuel	Gaming	148	9,331
6	BetterHelp	Entertainment	1,668	8,799
7	NordVPN	Gaming	931	8,724
8	Eneba	Gaming	193	6,949
9	Whatnot	Entertainment	496	6,630
10	Instant Gaming	Gaming	149	6,188
11	EpicGames	Gaming	247	5,523
12	Seatgeek	Sports	311	5,129
13	Kontrolfreek	Gaming	59	4,996
14	Surfshark	Lifestyle & Vlog	1,191	4,603
15	Underdog Fantasy	Sports	104	4,202
16	Carvertical	Automotive	169	4,107
17	Factor	Entertainment	1,353	4,016
18	Unacademy	Education	70	3,998
19	Incogni	Education	1,168	3,799
20	Amazon	Entertainment	514	3,665

The full ranking, 84,684 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. 24% of brands came back for a second channel.

One channel
37,439 brands · 76%
2 to 4 channels
8,029 brands · 16%
5 to 19 channels
3,114 brands · 6%
20 or more
946 brands · 2%

Where the deals go, by channel size

Channels over 1M subscribers took 19% of deals in the last 12 months. Coverage is thinner under 50K subscribers, so those tiers understate the real count.

Under 10K subs625 brands
3,558 · 0%
10K to 50K subs1,633 brands
8,361 · 1%
50K to 250K subs28,292 brands
399,471 · 46%
250K to 1M subs21,177 brands
298,095 · 34%
Over 1M subs11,293 brands
167,586 · 19%

Sponsors by niche

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

Sponsorship for small channels

530 brands paid a channel under 10K subscribers in the last 12 months. 14,084 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
9,842 deals · smallest channel 1.3K subs
22 channels
2
Wise
323 deals · smallest channel 4.1K subs
16 channels
3
NordVPN
5,300 deals · smallest channel 5K subs
15 channels
4
Insta360
1,003 deals · smallest channel 5.6K subs
15 channels
5
Flexispot
709 deals · smallest channel 6.4K subs
14 channels
6
Safetywing
316 deals · smallest channel 1K subs
14 channels
7
Klook
679 deals · smallest channel 1.8K subs
13 channels
8
Airalo
573 deals · smallest channel 1.1K subs
12 channels
9
Saily
1,354 deals · smallest channel 5K subs
11 channels
10
Yesstyle
524 deals · smallest channel 1.1K subs
9 channels

Recent deals on channels under 50K subscribers

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

How I Make AI UGC Ads Look 100% Real with Claude (Full Guide)
Maxfusion AiKarolis46.4K subsOct 14
The BEST Drop Spot in Fortnitemares! (Fortnite Unreal Ranked 20 Elims)
EpicGamesFireflyFN14.4K subsOct 13
REN REACTS TO "The Biggest Idiot in Counter-Strike"
Cs.moneymore renyan40.6K subsOct 13
Boston Celtics Season Preview (w/ Will Weir) | The Dime With Josh and Kwab
PrizepicksThe Dime With Josh and Kwab6.4K subsOct 12
Vishen Lakhiani: If You Learn The Art Of Storytelling, You Can Change Your Life
ManychatCreator Unplugged with Jun Yuh10.2K subsOct 12
Why I left America after making $250,000/yr for Vietnam
Simifybrokethehabit44.8K subsOct 11

Channels under 50K subscribers landed 11,919 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. 24% 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 3,558 detected deals and channels between 10K and 50K landed 8,361. 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 8.2K views, earns about $123–$410 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, Squarespace, Gfuel 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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