Highest paid YouTubers: the Forbes Top Creators list
All 50 creators, ranked by what they earn. Open any one to see the playbook behind it: the topics they own, the content strategy that works, and who they compete with.
Top 10 of 50. Earnings via Forbes, channel data via OutlierKit.
Who is the highest paid YouTuber in 2026?
MrBeast tops the Forbes Top Creators 2026 list with $300 million in earnings. That is 29.5% of what the whole top 50 earned. Second is Dhar Mann at $65 million, and third is Steven Bartlett at $52 million. Together the 50 creators earned about $1.02 billion, the first time the list has passed a billion.
One thing to know before you quote these figures. Forbes counts all income, not YouTube ad revenue. Most of the money on this list comes from brand deals, product lines and licensing. Figures via the Forbes Top Creators 2026 list, published 23 June 2026.
Which niches made the Forbes list
Grouping the 50 by what they actually make gives eight niches. The ranking changes completely depending on whether you count creators or dollars.
| Niche | Creators | Earnings | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Challenge and stunt entertainment | 7 | $402.8M | 39.6% |
| Comedy and sketch | 11 | $189.3M | 18.6% |
| Lifestyle and creator-celebrity vlogs | 13 | $107.7M | 10.6% |
| Podcasts and storytelling | 4 | $92.7M | 9.1% |
| Education, science and tech | 4 | $70.3M | 6.9% |
| Gaming | 3 | $69.0M | 6.8% |
| Business and personal finance | 4 | $55.9M | 5.5% |
| Food and cooking | 4 | $30.7M | 3.0% |
Headcount and money point in opposite directions. Lifestyle vlogging is the biggest group at 13 creators, but it earns $107.7 million. Challenge and stunt entertainment has half as many creators and earns nearly four times as much. If you pick a niche by how crowded it is, you get the wrong answer.
All 50 channels, grouped by niche
Jump to any niche below. The tags on each card are the topics that channel actually covers, ranked by how many videos it has on each. Every card links to a full breakdown.
Challenge and stunt entertainment
7 creators · $402.8M · 39.6% of the listThe single most valuable format on the list. Big-budget stunts and challenges built for retention, and the only group where one creator clears $300M alone.
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#1
MrBeast
Extreme Real-Life Challenges & Philanthropy
- Subscribers
- 514.0M
- Avg views
- 138.0M
- Total views
- 137.6B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#8
IShowSpeed
Extreme Entertainment & Creator-Led Sports Vlogging
- Subscribers
- 57.2M
- Avg views
- 4.9M
- Total views
- 9.3B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#12
Brent Rivera
High-Retention Gen-Z/Alpha Entertainment & Challenges
- Subscribers
- 43.5M
- Avg views
- 14.9M
- Total views
- 13.4B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#14
Jesser
Sports Entertainment & Challenges
- Subscribers
- 46.9M
- Avg views
- 7.7M
- Total views
- 13.0B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#18
Stokes Twins
High-Production Teen & Gen-Z Challenge Entertainment
- Subscribers
- 145.0M
- Avg views
- 70.2M
- Total views
- 32.6B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#20
Rebecca Zamolo
Family Entertainment & Physical Challenges
- Subscribers
- 23.0M
- Avg views
- 9.0M
- Total views
- 10.8B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#34
Alexa Rivera
Gen-Z High-Concept Challenge & Lifestyle Entertainment
- Subscribers
- 18.1M
- Avg views
- 11.8M
- Total views
- 5.2B
Comedy and sketch
11 creators · $189.3M · 18.6% of the listThe most crowded group. Short sketches port cleanly to every platform, which keeps the barrier low and the field full.
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#2
Dhar Mann Studios
Scripted Moral Dramas & Teen Melodrama
- Subscribers
- 27.5M
- Avg views
- 10.4M
- Total views
- 20.2B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#5
Good Mythical Morning
Daily Comedy & Food Variety Show
- Subscribers
- 19.7M
- Avg views
- 2.4M
- Total views
- 11.1B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#7
Druski
Urban Comedy & Reality TV Parodies
- Subscribers
- 5.9M
- Avg views
- 1.6M
- Total views
- 1.7B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#13
Adam W
Relatable Physical Comedy Skits
- Subscribers
- 21.0M
- Avg views
- 16.7M
- Total views
- 19.6B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#15
Khaby. Lame
Silent Comedy & Celebrity Lifestyle Vlogs
- Subscribers
- 12.9M
- Avg views
- 14.2M
- Total views
- 4.9B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#23
Haley Kalil
Satirical Beauty & Lifestyle POV Skits
- Subscribers
- 8.2M
- Avg views
- 2.6M
- Total views
- 12.7B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#25
Alan's Universe
Teen Melodrama & High School Roleplay Skits
- Subscribers
- 101.0M
- Avg views
- 35.8M
- Total views
- 63.8B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#28
NurseJohnn
Healthcare Humor & Lifestyle
- Subscribers
- 896.0K
- Avg views
- 527.1K
- Total views
- 653.6M
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#39
Hannah Stocking
Physical Comedy & Relatable Sketches
- Subscribers
- 10.4M
- Avg views
- 5.4M
- Total views
- 5.1B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#47
Anwar Jibawi
Relatable Physical Sketch Comedy
- Subscribers
- 15.6M
- Avg views
- 7.3M
- Total views
- 9.3B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#49
Steven He
Cultural Sketch Comedy & Parody
- Subscribers
- 14.2M
- Avg views
- 4.9M
- Total views
- 5.0B
Lifestyle and creator-celebrity vlogs
13 creators · $107.7M · 10.6% of the listThe largest group by headcount and the smallest by average audience. Most of these creators built the following on TikTok or Instagram and treat YouTube as the long-form annex.
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#6
charli d'amelio
A-List Creator Lifestyle & Entertainment
- Subscribers
- 8.9M
- Avg views
- 675.0K
- Total views
- 412.4M
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#16
Alix Earle
Aspirational Lifestyle & Celebrity Access Vlogs
- Subscribers
- 359.0K
- Avg views
- 91.9K
- Total views
- 30.0M
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#17
mikaylanogueira makeup
Beauty & Lifestyle Vlogging
- Subscribers
- 172.0K
- Avg views
- 2.6K
- Total views
- 999.3K
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#29
Tana Mongeau
Chaotic Lifestyle Vlogging & Influencer Drama
- Subscribers
- 5.5M
- Avg views
- 2.5M
- Total views
- 972.4M
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#30
Josh Richards
TikTok Creator Culture & Influencer Drama Vlogs
- Subscribers
- 2.0M
- Avg views
- 629.9K
- Total views
- 271.5M
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#31
Dixie D'Amelio
TikTok-Era Celebrity Variety & Music
- Subscribers
- 6.4M
- Avg views
- 5.6M
- Total views
- 324.7M
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#32
Dani Austin
Lifestyle, Beauty & Personal Vlogging
- Subscribers
- 163.0K
- Avg views
- 83.0K
- Total views
- 14.0M
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#33
Nara Smith
Aesthetic Lifestyle & Domestic Vlogging
- Subscribers
- 138.0K
- Avg views
- 94.3K
- Total views
- 565.7K
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#38
Brooke Monk
Gen-Z Beauty, Relationship & ASMR Lifestyle
- Subscribers
- 11.7M
- Avg views
- 3.0M
- Total views
- 13.8B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#41
Ashton Hall
Fitness, Travel & Self-Improvement Challenges
- Subscribers
- 5.7M
- Avg views
- 5.0M
- Total views
- 2.8B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#42
Leah Kateb
Celebrity Lifestyle & Relationship Vlogging
- Subscribers
- 471.0K
- Avg views
- 361.0K
- Total views
- 10.5M
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#43
Katie Fang
Aspirational Lifestyle & Beauty Vlogging
- Subscribers
- 429.0K
- Avg views
- 318.2K
- Total views
- 13.4M
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#44
anna x sitar
Aesthetic Lifestyle & Parasocial Vlogging
- Subscribers
- 195.0K
- Avg views
- 18.2K
- Total views
- 6.9M
Podcasts and storytelling
4 creators · $92.7M · 9.1% of the listAudio-first formats that scaled into media businesses. Three of the four sell something other than ads.
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#3
The Diary Of A CEO
High-Performance Lifestyle & Ideas
- Subscribers
- 17.8M
- Avg views
- 1.9M
- Total views
- 1.6B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#11
Jake Shane
Gen-Z Celebrity & Pop Culture Talk Show
- Subscribers
- 356.0K
- Avg views
- 88.6K
- Total views
- 53.7M
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#21
MrBallen
True Crime & Paranormal Storytelling
- Subscribers
- 11.0M
- Avg views
- 3.5M
- Total views
- 2.9B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#22
The Comment Section with Drew Afualo
Pop Culture & Creator Interview Podcast
- Subscribers
- 68.6K
- Avg views
- 213.4K
- Total views
- 14.1M
Education, science and tech
4 creators · $70.3M · 6.9% of the listThe most durable group. Every channel here has been publishing for a decade or more, and all four rank on trust rather than volume.
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#9
Mark Rober
Creative Engineering & Pop Science
- Subscribers
- 79.3M
- Avg views
- 68.1M
- Total views
- 17.8B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#24
Ms Rachel - Toddler Learning Videos
Early Childhood Development & Toddler Entertainment
- Subscribers
- 20.5M
- Avg views
- 134.5M
- Total views
- 16.5B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#27
Marques Brownlee
Consumer Technology & Hardware Reviews
- Subscribers
- 21.1M
- Avg views
- 3.0M
- Total views
- 5.5B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#48
iJustine
Consumer Tech & Lifestyle
- Subscribers
- 7.0M
- Avg views
- 545.6K
- Total views
- 1.6B
Gaming
3 creators · $69.0M · 6.8% of the listSmall, old and stable. No TikTok-era entrant broke into gaming on this list.
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#4
Markiplier
Let's Play & Indie Horror Gaming
- Subscribers
- 38.8M
- Avg views
- 4.0M
- Total views
- 23.8B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#26
Typical Gamer
Variety Gaming & Live Streaming
- Subscribers
- 16.0M
- Avg views
- 881.3K
- Total views
- 5.7B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#35
jacksepticeye
Let's Play & Indie Horror Gaming
- Subscribers
- 31.2M
- Avg views
- 3.3M
- Total views
- 17.7B
Business and personal finance
4 creators · $55.9M · 5.5% of the listThe smallest audiences on the list and some of the highest revenue per subscriber. These channels sell courses, communities and deals rather than attention.
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#10
Codie Sanchez
Boring Businesses & Financial Freedom
- Subscribers
- 2.2M
- Avg views
- 427.8K
- Total views
- 406.8M
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#37
School of Hard Knocks
Wealth & Entrepreneurship Street Interviews
- Subscribers
- 2.2M
- Avg views
- 412.3K
- Total views
- 307.6M
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#40
Erika Kullberg
Personal Finance & Entrepreneurship Interviews
- Subscribers
- 2.3M
- Avg views
- 941.7K
- Total views
- 332.4M
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#45
Your Rich BFF
Female-Focused Personal Finance & Lifestyle Wealth
- Subscribers
- 1.3M
- Avg views
- 208.4K
- Total views
- 359.4M
Food and cooking
4 creators · $30.7M · 3.0% of the listThe clearest example of one repeatable format carrying a channel. Each of these four is known for a single recognisable device.
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#19
Nick DiGiovanni
High-Concept Culinary Entertainment
- Subscribers
- 45.1M
- Avg views
- 39.9M
- Total views
- 22.5B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#36
Tineke Younger "Chef Tini"
Elevated Comfort Food & From-Scratch Cooking
- Subscribers
- 56.5K
- Avg views
- 16.7K
- Total views
- 2.5M
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#46
Jordan Howlett
Deadpan Lifestyle, Fast-Food Secrets & Generational Commentary
- Subscribers
- 5.6M
- Avg views
- 2.8M
- Total views
- 3.6B
OutlierKit Channel Analysis
#50
logagm
Aesthetic Solo Travel & Comfort Cooking
- Subscribers
- 1.2M
- Avg views
- 306.1K
- Total views
- 525.0M
Explore all 50: search, sort and filter
Search any topic to see which creators cover it. Click a tag to filter by it, sort by earnings or audience size, and open the outlier playbook for anyone here. Earnings are the Forbes figure and cover all income, not YouTube alone.
Showing 50 of 50 creators
Earnings
$300M
Subscribers
514.0M
Similar: Ryan Trahan · Beta Squad · Stokes Twins Top Videos
Earnings
$65M
Subscribers
27.5M
Similar: Illumeably · Vid Chronicles · Kinigra Deon
Earnings
$52M
Subscribers
17.8M
Similar: Shawn Ryan Show · Lex Fridman · Dr. Mayim Bialik
Earnings
$38M
Subscribers
38.8M
Similar: jacksepticeye · Let's Game It Out · MoreCaseOh
Earnings
$37M
Subscribers
19.7M
Similar: Smosh Pit · The Try Guys · try every day
Earnings
$31M
Subscribers
2.2M
Earnings
$30M
Subscribers
57.2M
Similar: Live Speedy · SpeedUniverse · Fanzy
Earnings
$30M
Subscribers
79.3M
Similar: CrunchLabs · Veritasium · Reckless Ben
Earnings
$26M
Subscribers
20.5M
Similar: Rosa von hahn · Funny Lala - Kindergarten Collection · Blippi Playtime
Earnings
$25M
Subscribers
46.9M
Similar: Celine Dept · Jeffrey Bui · 2HYPE
Earnings
$24M
Subscribers
11.0M
Similar: The Why Files · Lets Read! · 48 Hours
Earnings
$20M
Subscribers
5.9M
Earnings
$18M
Subscribers
8.9M
Similar: Quenlin Blackwell · Stas Karanikolaou · Kalogeras Sisters
Earnings
$18M
Subscribers
31.2M
Similar: Markiplier · SMii7Y · MoreCaseOh
Earnings
$17.3M
Subscribers
21.0M
Similar: Anwar Jibawi · Dhar Mann Studios · Matt & Justus
Earnings
$15M
Subscribers
23.0M
Similar: Jordan Matter · The Royalty Family · Amp World
Earnings
$14M
Subscribers
356.0K
Similar: Cancelled with Tana Mongeau & Brooke Schofield · In Your Dreams With Owen Thiele · Las Culturistas
Earnings
$14M
Subscribers
45.1M
Similar: Max the Meat Guy · Chef Nick · Ryan Trahan
Earnings
$13.7M
Subscribers
43.5M
Similar: Alexa Rivera · Stokes Twins · Amp World
Earnings
$13M
Subscribers
16.0M
Similar: PrestonPlayz · Home Of Games · PrestonGamez
Earnings
$12.4M
Subscribers
145.0M
Similar: Jordan Matter · Stay Wild · Topper Guild
Earnings
$12.4M
Subscribers
5.6M
Similar: Magnus Midtbø · Doctor Mike · Sayko
Earnings
$12M
Subscribers
359.0K
Similar: Stas Karanikolaou · Victoria Villarroel · Call Her Daddy
Earnings
$10.9M
Subscribers
21.1M
Similar: ShortCircuit · Mrwhosetheboss · Auto Focus
Earnings
$10.5M
Subscribers
101.0M
Similar: Dhar Mann Studios · Jordan Matter · The Royalty Family
Earnings
$10M
Subscribers
5.7M
Earnings
$9.9M
Subscribers
12.9M
Similar: CEO of Funny · TikTok GO · Papa Ruzz
Earnings
$9.9M
Subscribers
2.2M
Similar: School of Hard Knocks Podcast · Mo Vlogs · EC Finance
Earnings
$9.6M
Subscribers
8.2M
Similar: Jordan Matter · Grey Wiese · Privileged Few
Earnings
$9M
Subscribers
172.0K
Similar: Makeup By Nikki La Rose · Monica Ravi-Conway · Robert Welsh
Earnings
$8.2M
Subscribers
1.3M
Similar: The Financial Diet · Rose Han · George Kamel
Earnings
$8.1M
Subscribers
163.0K
Similar: CRAZY MIDDLES · Sophia & Noelle · Studio McGee
Earnings
$8M
Subscribers
5.5M
Similar: Brand Safe · Paige Camerlin · Ashly Schwan
Earnings
$7.5M
Subscribers
138.0K
Similar: Sophia Pelizzoli · Birta Hlin · Johanna Jupin
Earnings
$7.2M
Subscribers
896.0K
Similar: Doctor Mike · Asian Dad Energy · The Financial Diet
Earnings
$7.1M
Subscribers
471.0K
Similar: Jana Craig · Alix Earle · Stas Karanikolaou
Earnings
$7M
Subscribers
6.4M
Similar: Brett Cooper · Grey Wiese · Lifetime
Earnings
$6.8M
Subscribers
2.3M
Similar: Codie Sanchez · The Ramsey Show Highlights · The Calum Johnson Show
Earnings
$6.7M
Subscribers
18.1M
Similar: pierson · Amp World · Brent Rivera
Earnings
$6M
Subscribers
2.0M
Similar: Bryce Hall · Logan Paul · Danny Duncan
Earnings
$5.8M
Subscribers
10.4M
Similar: Lele Pons · Anwar Jibawi · Inanna Sarkis
Earnings
$5.4M
Subscribers
429.0K
Similar: Ha Sisters · erica ha · HAHA Podcast
Earnings
$5.2M
Subscribers
11.7M
Similar: Nanou ASMR · Oceans ASMR · cait ASMR
Earnings
$5M
Subscribers
15.6M
Similar: Adam W · Content Machine · MIKEY & WYATT
Earnings
$4.4M
Subscribers
195.0K
Similar: Jennifer Madison · Noorie Ana · Sinclaire Johnson
Earnings
$3.4M
Subscribers
7.0M
Similar: Marques Brownlee · Mrwhosetheboss · Same Brain
Earnings
$3M
Subscribers
56.5K
Similar: Meals by Mary · Protect Our Plates · Grey Wiese
Earnings
$2.7M
Subscribers
68.6K
Similar: So True with Caleb Hearon · Ziwe · Bob The Drag Queen
Earnings
$2M
Subscribers
14.2M
Similar: Josiah Schneider · AGC ANDY · Laugh Over Life
Earnings
$1.3M
Subscribers
1.2M
Similar: Jessica Vu · Haley Post · Honeysuckle
Subscriber count does not predict earnings
The clearest pair on the list: Alan Chikin Chow has 101 million subscribers and earns $10.5 million. Jake Shane has 356,000 subscribers and earns $14 million. The smaller channel earns more.
Alix Earle sits at 359,000 subscribers and $12 million. Nara Smith has 138,000 subscribers and $7.5 million. Both built their audience somewhere else and monetise it through brand partnerships. If you want the ranking by audience size instead, see our list of the biggest YouTube channels, which is a very different set of names.
Common questions
Who is the highest paid YouTuber in 2026?
MrBeast, with $300 million in earnings over the Forbes reporting period. That is 29.5% of what the entire top 50 earned combined, and more than four times the second-placed creator, Dhar Mann, at $65 million.
How much did the top 50 creators earn in total?
About $1.02 billion. Forbes reports this is the first year the list has passed $1 billion, up 20% from $853 million the year before.
Which niche has the most creators on the Forbes list?
Lifestyle and creator-celebrity vlogging, with 13 of the 50. Comedy and sketch is second with 11. But challenge and stunt entertainment earns the most at $402.8 million from only 7 creators.
Do YouTube ads make up most of what these creators earn?
For most of them, no. Forbes counts all income, not YouTube ad revenue. Brand deals, product lines, live events and licensing carry most of the total, which is why creators with small channels can still rank high on this list.
Does subscriber count predict how much a creator earns?
No. Jake Shane has 356,000 subscribers and earns $14 million. Alan Chikin Chow has 101 million subscribers and earns $10.5 million. Audience size and revenue are only loosely related.
How we built this list
Rank and earnings come from Forbes. We then found and checked the YouTube channel for each creator by hand. That mattered more than expected. Several of these creators have squatted lookalike handles with a few dozen subscribers, so the obvious guess is often the wrong account.
Six creators post under a name that differs from the one Forbes uses. Haley Baylee posts as Haley Kalil. Alan Chikin Chow posts as Alan's Universe. Lexi Rivera posts as Alexa Rivera. Jordan The Stallion posts as Jordan Howlett. James Dumoulin runs School of Hard Knocks. Jake Shane runs Therapuss.
Subscriber counts, niche labels and topic tags come from running all 50 channels through OutlierKit. Niche labels are each channel's own positioning line, and the tags are the topic clusters its catalogue actually splits into.
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