How to Make Money on Snapchat: What Top Creators Won’t Tell You (2025)

Creators on Snapchat earn between $30,000 and $3 million, making many people wonder about the money-making potential on this platform. The app boasts 443 million daily active users. 

These users spend around 30 minutes each day on the platform. Let us guide you through the exact steps that will help you monetize your Snapchat presence and take advantage of this incredible chance.

Snapchat Monetization Requirements in 2025

Snapchat rolled out major changes to its monetization setup in early 2025. The platform now has stricter rules for creators who want to earn money. Their new unified Monetization Program brings together all revenue streams under one roof with clear benchmarks creators need to hit.

Age and location eligibility

Snapchat won’t budge on age limits for creators looking to make money. You’ll need to be at least 18 years old or hit the legal adult age where you live. This rule will give a solid guarantee that only legally responsible adults can earn from their content.

The program also has some geographic limits. You can only join if you live in countries where Snapchat allows monetization. Right now, creators from more than 40 countries can participate, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, India, and many nations in the Middle East, Europe, and parts of Asia. While Snapchat keeps adding new countries, creators outside these areas can’t join, whatever their content quality.

Follower count thresholds

The biggest challenge for new creators is getting enough followers. Since February 2025, you need at least 50,000 followers to start earning money. This number is way higher than before – the old Spotlight Rewards program only needed 1,000 followers.

Your follower count isn’t the whole story. Your account needs to show real engagement too. You must hit one of these targets in a 28-day window:

• 10 million Snap views, or
• 1 million Spotlight views, or
• 12,000 hours of view time[63]

Content posting frequency

Regular posting plays a vital role in staying eligible. Snapchat wants you to:

• Post at least 25 times per month on Saved Stories or Spotlight
• Stay active on Spotlight or Public Stories for at least 10 days in each 28-day period[63]

These rules make sure only dedicated creators who post often can earn money. Even amazing content won’t help if you post too rarely.

Account verification process

While you don’t need it to start earning, becoming a verified “Snap Star” can unlock more ways to make money, especially through brand deals. Snapchat looks at several things during verification:

• Account engagement: You need a big, active audience
• Content quality: Your sories should be original, safe, and follow Community Guidelines
• Authenticity: The account must be real and your only presence
• Notability: People should search for your account often or you should be culturally relevant

You can ask for verification through Snapchat’s official form. Meeting all requirements doesn’t mean automatic approval though. Snapchat makes it clear that “no one is entitled to a Snap Star, regardless of the size of the account’s audience”.

How Much Does Snapchat Pay Creators in Different Programs

Snapchat creators can make good money through several different ways. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what you might earn from each program in 2025.

Spotlight payment structure

Snapchat recently changed its Spotlight payments. Videos must now be at least 1 minute long to make money. The platform uses “Crystals” to track creator earnings – 10 Crystals are worth about $1. You’ll need to collect 1,000 Crystals ($100) before you can get paid.

Your earnings depend on these factors:

• Total unique video views
• How well your content performs compared to others
• Where your viewers are located
• Whether you use Snapchat’s creative tools

The program has created some big winners. During its original testing phase, Snapchat paid $250 million to more than 12,000 creators.

Stories revenue sharing rates

You can earn money from ads that play between your Snaps. While Snapchat keeps quiet about the exact split, sources in the industry say creators get about half the revenue.

The money can be impressive. Hannah Stocking, a top creator, made $30,000 in just 72 hours from Stories content. Adam Waheed started earning around $1,500 each day soon after joining.

Creator Marketplace earnings potential

The Creator Marketplace lets brands connect directly with Snapchat creators. Creators have full control over their prices and can pick which projects they want.

This marketplace works like Snapchat’s own influencer network. AR Lens creators who make branded augmented reality experiences are the main focus. Having a clear niche helps you get better opportunities since businesses search by budget and specialty.

Gift system and virtual currency conversion

Your fans can buy “Snap Tokens” to send you virtual gifts. These gifts help push fan Story Replies to the top of your feed.

Snapchat isn’t as clear about token conversion rates as other platforms. You need to earn at least $100 before cashing out, and payments usually come the next month.

The gift system helps creators with smaller followings make money before they reach the requirements for bigger programs.

Building Your Audience to Monetization Threshold

The first major milestone to unlock Snapchat monetization starts at 50,000 followers. Gen Z makes up nearly 60% of Snapchat’s user base, so understanding their priorities becomes essential to grow your audience quickly.

Content strategies that attract Gen Z viewers

Gen Z values authenticity above everything else. They connect with genuine, unfiltered content rather than polished marketing material. Studies show 63% of Gen Z chooses Snapchat because “it’s more personal than other social media”.

To connect with this audience:

• Keep it brief and attention-grabbing—create content under 10 seconds that delivers value immediately
• Showcase your personality through Snapchat’s creative tools like lenses, filters, and Bitmojis
• Welcome user-generated content—76% of Gen Z prefers content created by other users
• Highlight social responsibility in your content, as Gen Z cares deeply about social and environmental issues

Cross-promotion techniques from other platforms

Cross-promotion plays a vital role in follower growth since Snapchat operates as a closed system. Top creator Brent Rivera noted, “Once you get them off of Vine or off of Facebook, the other platforms are really easy to connect [people] to”.

Effective cross-promotion strategies include:

1. Sharing Snapcodes on your other social accounts, website, and marketing materials
2. Posting teaser content on Instagram or Twitter that directs followers to exclusive full content on Snapchat
3. Creating YouTube highlight compilations from your best Snapchat content with clear calls-to-action

Engagement tactics that boost view time

View time plays a significant role in reaching the 12,000-hour threshold required for monetization.

Interact directly with followers using Story Replies. Snapchat recommends: “Ask your audience to send you questions and answer away!”

Create immersive experiences with AR lenses—users participate 4x longer with augmented reality content.

Post consistently but strategically—you want to share 4-7 posts daily and analyze your audience’s peak activity times.

Use polls and quizzes to boost two-way communication and increase time spent with your content.

Authentic content combined with strategic cross-promotion will speed up your path to monetization more effectively than focusing on Snapchat alone.

Fastest Ways to Get Monetized on Snapchat

Building an audience is vital, but you need smart tactics that deliver quick results to speed up your Snapchat monetization journey. Here are some insider tips that will help you hit the monetization threshold faster than usual.

Viral content formulas that work in 2025

Content with strong emotional appeal consistently drives rapid growth. People share emotionally charged content more often. Your first few seconds must hook viewers because they quickly decide whether to keep watching.

The Snapchat algorithm rewards high-quality, engaging content that gives you a chance to reach millions. Success comes from:

• Raw, unfiltered moments instead of overproduced content
• Surprising elements that break viewer expectations
• Solutions that solve your target audience’s problems

Collaboration strategies with existing creators

The quickest path to monetization runs through partnerships with creators. Snapchat’s Creator Collab Campaigns help brands and creators cooperate smoothly. These partnerships create wins for everyone – when viewers saw creator content before brand ads, product page visits increased substantially.

Popular creators can take over your channel for 24-48 hours and send their followers your way.

Utilizing trending topics and events

Perfect timing propels rapid growth. Snapchat’s Trends tool works just like Google Trends and shows what’s popular right now. This data helps you create content that matches active user discussions.

You should spot newsworthy trends and challenges early and produce better content before others join in. Viral clips usually feature trending music or sounds – research shows 9 out of 10 viral videos include popular audio.

Niche selection for maximum growth

Success comes from targeting specific communities of passionate fans rather than chasing broad appeal. Niche audiences drive higher engagement rates and faster follower growth.

Niche creators, including local ones, will shape 2025’s creator landscape. Finding your special corner lets you build deeper connections with specific viewers, making it easier to reach monetization engagement goals.

Conclusion

Snapchat can help creators earn real money when they meet specific requirements. Getting to 50,000 followers takes time, but you can speed up your growth with authentic content, partnerships with other creators, and posts that align with current trends.

Choose your niche carefully and create content that resonates with Gen Z audiences. A consistent posting schedule will help you build momentum. Building a Snapchat following takes patience, but the financial benefits make your effort worthwhile.

FAQs

Q1. What are the requirements to start earning money on Snapchat in 2025? 

To monetize your Snapchat account, you need to be at least 18 years old, have at least 50,000 followers, and meet specific engagement metrics such as 10 million Snap views or 12,000 hours of view time within a 28-day period. You also need to post consistently, with at least 25 posts per month.

Q2. How much can creators earn through Snapchat’s various monetization programs? 

Earnings vary widely depending on the program and content performance. Spotlight payments use a “Crystal” system where 10 Crystals equal about $1. Stories revenue sharing is approximately 50/50 between creators and Snapchat. Some top creators have reported earning between $1,500 to $30,000 for their content over short periods.

Q3. What types of content are most effective for growing a Snapchat audience quickly? 

Content that is authentic, brief, and attention-grabbing tends to perform best, especially with Gen Z viewers. Successful strategies include using Snapchat’s creative tools, showcasing your personality, embracing user-generated content, and highlighting social responsibility issues. Viral content often has strong emotional appeal or unexpected elements.

Q4. How can I leverage other social media platforms to grow my Snapchat following?

Cross-promotion is crucial for Snapchat growth. Share your Snapcode on other social accounts, post teasers on platforms like Instagram or Twitter that direct followers to exclusive Snapchat content, and create YouTube compilations of your best Snapchat moments with clear calls-to-action to follow you on Snapchat.

Q5. Are there any fast-track methods to reach Snapchat’s monetization threshold? 

Collaborating with established creators through account takeovers can rapidly boost your following. Leveraging trending topics and events using Snapchat’s Trends tool can also lead to viral growth. Additionally, focusing on a specific niche audience can result in higher engagement rates and faster follower growth, potentially accelerating your path to monetization.