The TikTok Creator Fund offers eligible creators money for their content. However, the fund shouldn’t be the only way you earn money on the platform.

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Since TikTok's rapid rise during the 2020 pandemic, there has been so much buzz about the app's virality. The app caught on with Gen Z users, frontiers of the social video platform craze, who pushed usage to staggering levels, prompting key players (like Instagram) to return to their drawing boards and develop strategies for user valuation and retention.

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TikTok has since sought different methods to increase their growth, including offering the TikTok Creator Fund to reward its content creators and keep them on the platform. This fund is a way for U.S. and Europe-based creators to monetize their content and earn revenue on TikTok from its hundreds of millions of users.

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In this article, we'll cover what the TikTok Creator Fund is, how it works, eligibility requirements, and controversies surrounding the fund. 

What Is the TikTok Creator Fund?

The TikTok Creator Fund is a revenue-sharing program that was launched last year. The initial budget is $70 million across select countries in Europe. That’s projected to rise to as much as $300 million in the next three years. 

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The fund was created to provide revenue to a number of creators for their original content views.

How Do You Earn Money With the Creator Fund?

According to TikTok, how much money content creators can make on the fund depends on a variety of factors, such as a creator’s number of views and the level of video engagement. Hence, the rate is not the same for individual content creators, and cost per mille (amount of money received per 1 thousand video views) differs across accounts. 

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As a creator, you can receive payments in multiple ways, such as PayPal or Zelle. But you can only withdraw from the creator fund when your videos have earned at least $10. You can withdraw up to $3,000 per day, but you must wait 30 days after the funds accumulate in your account before requesting payouts/transferring them to your payment method.

TikTok Creator Fund Requirements

The TikTok Creator Fund is a monetization opportunity available only to active influencers above the micro influencing tier. To be eligible for the fund, you must meet every one of the eligibility requirements: 

• Be based either in the U.S. or Europe (U.K., France, Spain, Italy, or Germany)
• Be at least 18 years old and have 10,000 followers on your account
• Have videos with 100,000 views in the last 30 days and follow TikTok Community Guidelines and terms of service

If you meet the eligibility criteria, you'll see an option to apply for the TikTok Creator Fund. You'll need to confirm that you're over 18 years old and agree to the Creator Fund Agreement. Once accepted into the program, you can view your earnings in your Creator Fund dashboard.

How to Join the TikTok Creator Fund

You can apply to join the creator fund once you’ve met all the creator fund requirements. Then, you need to create a professional TikTok account (pro account). Pro accounts are creator and business accounts that allow you to access your analytics. 

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If you haven’t made the switch yet, you can do so by navigating to Settings > Manage accounts > Switch to Creator account.

Is the TikTok Creator Fund Worth It?

Now to the juicy bit. There are skepticisms about joining the program, with many influencers pulling out of the program en masse.

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There are three areas of concerns:

• High reports of accounts being shadow banned
• Reported significant drop in views
• TikTok taking advantage of lack of payment transparency to pay less than expected

Let’s take a look at the concerns and how TikTok has responded.

Shadow Bans

Many content creators express frustration about being shadow banned after joining the Creator Fund. One possible explanation for shadow bans is an increased scrutiny of videos by the algorithm after a creator is part of the Fund. The most common rule violations are copyright and trademark infringement and nudity/sexualized content. However, some creators report being banned even when they have not broken any rules.

Drop in Views

Some creators report a tank in their video views after joining the TikTok Creator Fund. TikTok attributes the drop in views to normal fluctuations in the app. The most valid explanation is the rise in video competition for the FYP, which is caused by many content creators signing up for the fund.

Less Pay

Creators often complain that their low earnings from the TikTok Creator Fund don’t live up to their expectations that they can earn a sustainable income from the fund. 

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For example, popular YouTuber and mega influencer KSI earned just about $3,000 in his first creator fund payout from 43 TikTok videos with approximately 478 million views, 835 thousand comments, and 15.4 million shares. One would think the fund would give more money for such outstanding engagement metrics and a high number of views. 

How to Earn on TikTok Outside the Creator Fund

It’s easy to see why it’s important to prioritize other revenue streams.

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Our advice? Keep creating great content, but use the link in your bio to drive more traffic from TikTok to your other revenue streams, whether they’re products or other social media platforms. 

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Also, optimize your profile to land more brand collaborations and sponsorship deals. The highest earners on the platform owe their revenue to influencer marketing opportunities, such as brand deals and sponsored content.

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💡To learn how to add a link to your TikTok bio, review our guide.

Boost Your TikTok Earnings

The TikTok Creator Fund aims to support influencers simply for creating great content. Before signing up with a pro account, creators must meet TikTok’s eligibility requirements.

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Some creators complain about a drop in views and increase in shadow bans after joining the fund. Many influencers hope the TikTok Creator Fund will be a sustainable revenue stream on the platform but end up disappointed. 

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Hype can help you earn more on TikTok. With Hype, you can use your link in bio to connect with a microsite where you can link to your other social media accounts, affiliate links, embedded YouTube videos, and beyond.