YouTube creators can now start earning through product recommendations with a smaller audience than ever before. The platform is expanding access to its YouTube Shopping affiliate program to creators in the YouTube Partner Program with at least 500 subscribers and who meet eligibility guidelines, according to an announcement on 25 March 2026.
The change represents another significant lowering of barriers to monetisation. YouTube previously restricted the program to creators with 5,000 subscribers or more before dropping that to 1,000 subscribers earlier this year. Now, emerging creators who meet basic partnership requirements can begin earning commissions immediately.
The affiliate program launched in 2022, allowing creators to earn kickbacks when viewers buy products tagged in their videos. Eligible creators can now diversify their revenue by tagging products from favourite brands across Shorts, VOD, and Live content, with viewers able to shop recommendations seamlessly whether watching on mobile or in the living room.
To qualify, creators must still meet other YouTube Partner Program requirements. These include having 500 subscribers, three public uploads in the past 90 days, and either 3,000 watch hours in the last 12 months or 3 million short-form video views in the last 90 days. There are also geographic restrictions; creators must be located in specific countries including the United States, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, India, Singapore, Brazil, Taiwan, and Japan, and their channels cannot focus on music or content for children.
The timing of YouTube's move is notable. The announcement comes only a day after Meta added shopping links to Reels, allowing creators on Facebook and Instagram to link to up to 30 distinct products from marketplace partners in a single video. Both platforms are clearly competing for creator attention and engagement as monetisation becomes an increasingly important factor in where content creators choose to build their audiences.
For smaller creators, the expanded access could provide a tangible revenue stream beyond advertising. The program operates similarly to platforms like LTK and ShopMy by offering creators the chance to earn commissions by tagging products that appear in their videos from a long list of affiliate sellers, and creators can also request product samples and compare commission rates since each seller sets their own rate. YouTube's general manager and vice president of shopping noted that viewers watch 35 billion hours of shopping-related content annually on YouTube, and the platform aims to capitalise on this by expanding its affiliate program and adding other shopping capabilities.
The shift reflects a broader industry trend toward diversifying creator income beyond traditional advertising. As platforms compete for creator loyalty, expanding monetisation options earlier in a creator's journey appears to be a key battleground.