How to monetize TikTok: the requirements for each program, the countries, and what to do first
One table with the requirements for Creator Rewards, LIVE, TikTok Shop, TikTok One, and brand deals, what exists in Mexico and Latin America, and why every program asks for the same thing: many views on many videos.
Scaling consumer apps on TikTok and Instagram.
October 26, 2026
To monetize TikTok you have to meet the requirements of one specific program, and almost all of them ask for the same thing: an active account with followers and views. Hook Studio is an AI reel maker for people who need to post often without filming every day. This guide lists TikTok's programs with their requirements so you can see which one fits you.
One note first: Hook Studio is not affiliated with TikTok. The requirements below are the ones that agree across 2026 guides, because TikTok's help pages change and look different by country. They are as of October 2026. Check yours in the monetization section of TikTok Studio before you plan anything.
The short version
The program that pays for views, Creator Rewards, asks for 18+, 10,000 followers, 100,000 views in 30 days, and videos over one minute. Affiliate sales on TikTok Shop Mexico need 2,000 followers. LIVE and brand work start lower. Every route runs on the same engine: more videos, more views. A 5 second hook in Hook Studio costs 107 credits, about $0.93 on the Concept plan. Nobody can promise what you will earn.
TikTok monetization requirements, program by program
TikTok has no single monetization button. It has several programs, each with its own requirements. This table puts them side by side as 2026 guides report them in October 2026.
| Program | Reported requirements | How you earn |
|---|---|---|
| Creator Rewards | 18 or older; 10,000 followers; 100,000 views in the last 30 days; personal account in good standing; original videos longer than 1 minute | Pay for qualified views |
| LIVE Gifts | 18 or older; about 1,000 followers; personal account; depends on your country | Viewers send you gifts |
| Subscriptions | Varies by country and rolls out in phases. Check whether it shows in your tools | Monthly fee from fans |
| Series | Guides mention 10,000 followers. Confirm in your creator tools | Paid content sales |
| TikTok Shop affiliates, Mexico | 18 or older; 2,000 followers; one video posted in the last 180 days; follow the Community Guidelines | Commission on each sale |
| TikTok One | 18 or older; TikTok One launched in your country; follow the branded content policy; to join projects, 1,000+ followers | Pay for brand campaigns |
| Direct brand deals | TikTok sets none. The brand does | What you negotiate |
The TikTok One requirement comes from its official help page. The rest is reported by guides and news outlets, not by an official page we could open, so treat it as a starting point. Follower and view numbers change, and TikTok reviews your account, not only your numbers.
Can you monetize TikTok in Mexico and Latin America?
In Mexico, yes, with caveats. The most recent guides list Mexico among the Creator Rewards countries, but TikTok changes the list and the guides do not fully agree.
| Country | Creator Rewards | TikTok Shop |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | On the most recent lists | Live; affiliates from 2,000 followers |
| United States | On every list | Live |
| Spain | Some guides include it, others do not | Could not confirm |
| Colombia | Not on the lists we checked | In testing, no full launch |
| Chile | Not on the lists we checked | In testing, no in-app checkout |
| Peru | Not on the lists we checked | Sources contradict each other |
| Argentina | Not on the lists we checked | No confirmed launch |
"Not on the lists" does not mean "banned". It means we found no source that confirms it. The most reliable test is to open TikTok Studio, go to monetization, and see what your account shows. LIVE Gifts, brand work, and TikTok One each have their own availability by country. If Creator Rewards does not show up, you can still earn through brands or affiliate sales.
How to turn on monetization on TikTok
You turn monetization on inside the app, not on an outside site. The steps:
- Personal account. A business account is not eligible for Creator Rewards. You switch in settings.
- Check your numbers. Followers and views for the last 30 days, in TikTok Studio analytics.
- Find the monetization section. If your country and numbers qualify, the program and an apply button show up. Guides report a review of about 3 days.
- Verify your identity and add a payment method. There is no payout without that, even after approval.
TikTok also asks you to label realistic AI-made content. Every reel you download from Hook Studio comes with a reminder to turn on the AI label.
The engine behind every program: views, and so, consistency
Every program in the table runs on the same thing: enough views on enough videos. Creator Rewards pays for views. TikTok Shop commissions come from people who watch your video and buy. Brands look at your views before they write to you.
That means posting often, and the real cost is the time it takes to film. Nobody can tell you how many views a video will get. What is known is that an account that posts 5 videos a week gets more chances to hit than one that posts once a month. We cover that side in how to go viral on TikTok.
Where Hook Studio fits
Hook Studio helps with production: making reels in volume without filming every day. You chat with an agent that builds the reel in shots: a still, a short clip for the hook, on-screen text, and an end card.
| Piece | Credits |
|---|---|
| A still (image) | 11 |
| 5 s hook: still + Kling 3 clip | 107 (about $0.93 on Concept) |
| 5 s hook with the clip's own voice | 154 |
| A voice line (narration) | 5 |
The Concept plan gives 2,300 credits for $20 a month, which covers about 21 five-second hooks if that were all you made. The rest of the reel (text, screens, end card) costs a few credits of render time. You confirm the plan and see each job's price before it runs. More on the flow in the AI reel maker.
What it does not do
- It does not promise views, followers, or money. It makes the reels. Whether they work depends on your idea, your niche, and your consistency.
- Its reels run about 15 to 20 seconds. Creator Rewards asks for videos longer than a minute, so these reels fit growth, affiliate sales, brand work, and sending people to your LIVE, not that program.
- It does not post for you yet. You download the bundle and upload it to TikTok yourself. There is no scheduling.
If your goal is to sell something (yours or as an affiliate), a new hook every day is a cheap way to test. The same logic applies to Facebook and YouTube.
Making money on TikTok by watching videos: what is true
None of the official programs in this guide pays for watching videos. They all pay people who post, sell, or go live. We found no official TikTok program that pays anyone to watch ordinary videos.
Apps and sites that promise otherwise exist, and many are scams or pay pennies. These signs should stop you:
- They ask for money, a card, or bank details to "activate" your account.
- They ask you to invite friends before you can cash out.
- They pay in points that only convert once you hit a goal almost nobody reaches.
- They say they are TikTok but are not in the official app store or on a TikTok domain.
An app can pay a little for tasks like watching ads or answering surveys. That is pennies per hour, not a way to monetize TikTok.
Frequently asked questions about monetizing TikTok
How many followers do I need to monetize TikTok?
It depends on the program. As of October 2026, guides report 10,000 followers and 100,000 views in 30 days for Creator Rewards, 2,000 followers for TikTok Shop Mexico affiliates, and about 1,000 for LIVE Gifts and TikTok One projects. You also need to be 18 or older and follow TikTok's rules. Confirm your numbers in TikTok Studio.
Can you monetize TikTok in Mexico?
Yes. Mexico is on the most recent Creator Rewards country lists, TikTok Shop runs in Mexico with affiliates from 2,000 followers, and you can also earn through brands. TikTok changes its country list, so check the monetization section in TikTok Studio to see what your account shows.
How much does TikTok pay per 1,000 views?
TikTok does not publish a fixed rate, so there is no official number. Creator Rewards pays for qualified views, and the amount varies with the video, where viewers are, and other factors. The figures that circulate are creator estimates and swing widely, so we do not quote one.
Can you make money on TikTok by watching videos?
Not through TikTok's official programs: they all pay people who post, sell, or go live. Apps that promise to pay you for watching tend to pay pennies or be scams, especially if they ask for money, your card, or friend invites before you can cash out.
Can I monetize videos made with AI?
You can post AI-made content, but TikTok asks you to label realistic AI content and its programs ask for original videos. Every Hook Studio reel exports with an AI label. Each program's rules change, so read them before you apply.
Want to Post More Without Filming Every Day?
Tell the Hook Studio agent your idea, see the still before the clip, and see each job's price before you pay. A 5 second hook costs 107 credits.
Make your first reel