Every TikTok creator wants the same thing, to turn attention into real income. And with the platform pushing harder into longer, more meaningful videos, TikTok has officially retired the old Creator Fund and replaced it with something far more performance-driven, the TikTok Creator Rewards Program.
This shift isn’t just a rebrand. It’s a strategic move that rewards creators for depth, retention, and storytelling rather than quick virality. For brands, it signals a clear direction, TikTok wants quality content that keeps people watching, not just scrolling.
In today’s post, we’re breaking down exactly what this new program is, how it works, and who qualifies.
What Is the TikTok Creator Rewards Program?
As TikTok moves deeper into long-form, high-retention content, the platform has officially shifted away from the old Creator Fund and introduced a more transparent, performance-based system: the TikTok Creator Rewards Program.
This program, which replaced the TikTok Creator Fund on March 18, 2024, offers payouts up to 10 times higher.
Unlike the Fund, which paid creators mostly based on views and often led to inconsistent, low payouts, the Rewards Program is built to compensate creators for the quality of the content they produce.
TikTok’s Algorithm now prioritizes videos that keep viewers watching, engage them in meaningful ways, and feel original rather than recycled.
This shift changes how creators earn on the platform. Short, fast, trend-based clips may drive views, but longer, more intentional videos are now the ones that get rewarded financially.
How the TikTok Creator Rewards Program Works
The TikTok Creator Rewards Program isn’t just a rebranded Creator Fund, it’s a completely redesigned monetization engine that pays creators based on performance quality, not just raw views. That means TikTok now rewards deeper engagement, audience retention, and content that truly holds attention.
What the Program Is Designed to Reward
Instead of simply counting total views, TikTok evaluates how valuable your views are. The algorithm now rewards completion and engagement signals far more than surface metrics. A 90-second video that keeps viewers engaged will earn significantly more than a 3-minute video that people drop off early.
In simple terms, TikTok is now paying for quality attention instead of just fast views, and creators who understand this shift stand to earn far more.
Key Metrics TikTok Uses to Calculate Earnings
Here’s how TikTok actually decides what each video earns:
1. Watch Time: This is the amount of time viewers spend watching your video. Longer watch durations signal quality and directly boost your RPM (revenue per 1,000 views).
2. Retention Rate: Retention (how much of your video people watch) matters even more than total watch time. Videos with retention above ~70% consistently earn higher payout rates.
3. Engagement (Likes, Comments, Shares): Likes help, but comments and shares carry extra weight, they indicate true viewer investment and can lift your RPM. Saves also count strongly toward earnings, read here for more.
4. Originality & Ad-Friendly Content: Reposted, watermarked, or recycled content often earns less (or nothing), while original, high-quality clips get rewarded. Creative, narrative, educational, and brand-safe videos attract better monetization performance overall.
How It’s Different from the Old Creator Fund
Under the legacy Creator Fund, payouts were largely views-based, often paying as little as $0.02–$0.05 per 1,000 views.
With the Creator Rewards Program, most creators now see payouts averaging $0.40–$1.00 per 1,000 qualified views, a roughly 10x increase, and exceptional videos can earn even more.
In other words, TikTok has shifted from “paying for quantity” to “paying for attention quality.” That’s a huge strategic change for how creators should think about crafting content.
Eligibility Requirements for Creators
To join the TikTok Creator Rewards Program, creators must meet a stricter set of requirements than the old Creator Fund. The Creator Rewards Program is still TikTok’s open door, compared to The TikTok Creativity Program. If you want a full breakdown, check this blog post.
Minimum Follower and View Requirements
TikTok requires creators to have at least:
- 10,000 authentic followers, and
- 100,000 valid video views in the last 30 days.
These numbers help TikTok filter for creators who already produce consistent, engaging content.
Region Availability and Age Requirement
- The program is currently available in select regions including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil.
- Creators must also be 18 years or older to participate.
Content Length and Originality Requirements
A major shift in the Rewards Program is the requirement for videos longer than one minute. Only content that exceeds the 60-second mark is eligible for payouts. Additionally, TikTok emphasizes originality. This means:
- No watermarked or reposted content.
- No reused clips from other platforms.
- No low-effort AI-generated videos.
TikTok has stated that AI-assisted content is allowed, but videos made entirely by AI without meaningful creator input may be excluded from monetization.
Account Guidelines
To qualify, your account must be in good standing. Videos that violate community guidelines, include misleading content, or rely heavily on copyrighted material can disqualify your channel from earning. Repeated violations may lead to removal from the program entirely.
These requirements create a higher barrier to entry than the former Creator Fund, but they also ensure stronger, more stable earning opportunities for creators producing in-depth, original videos.
How Much Creators Can Earn (and What Type of Content Performs Best)
The TikTok Creator Rewards Program can significantly outperform the old Creator Fund, but earnings vary widely depending on how well your videos hold attention. Because the system is performance-based, creators aren’t paid a flat rate. Instead, payouts rise or fall based on the strength of your watch time, retention, and engagement.
Earning Potential Under the Rewards Program
Most creators report earning between $0.40 and $1.00 per 1,000 qualified views, with some high-performing videos earning more when retention is exceptionally strong.
It’s important to set realistic expectations. The Rewards Program can be profitable, but not every video earns well. Earnings depend heavily on:
- Niche competition.
- Audience behavior.
- Video depth and originality.
- Completion rates, especially past the one-minute mark.
Creators with established audiences and strong storytelling skills tend to see the highest RPMs.
What Content Earns the Most Under the New System
Because the Rewards Program is built around retention and quality, certain formats consistently perform better:
Storytime videos
Narrative-driven videos keep people watching and often achieve high completion rates. These can be personal stories, industry experiences, behind-the-scenes moments, or real-life lessons.
Tutorials and educational content
How-to videos, explainers, and step-by-step guides perform extremely well. Viewers are more likely to stay until the end when a video promises a clear takeaway.
Reviews and commentary
Detailed opinions on products, news, trends, or industry updates drive strong engagement and longer watch times, making them valuable for monetization.
Deep dives and mini-documentaries
Longer, well-structured breakdowns of topics earn some of the highest payouts due to strong retention and high average watch time.
These formats work because they align naturally with TikTok’s new direction: longer, more thoughtful videos that provide value beyond quick entertainment.
Why Longer Content Boosts Earnings
The new payout structure rewards depth, so videos over one minute have two built-in advantages:
- They offer more time for TikTok to evaluate quality and viewer commitment.
- They generate higher total watch time, one of the strongest indicators for increased RPM.
Creators who can consistently keep viewers engaged past the 60–90 second mark tend to unlock higher payouts across their entire channel. Nuelink helps track engagement patterns, making it easier to maximize payouts through the TikTok Creator Rewards Program and other programs like it across platforms.
For creators who can produce longer, high-retention videos, the TikTok Creator Rewards Program is one of the strongest monetization opportunities the platform has offered to date.
Creators who benefit most are those who naturally lean toward tutorials, story-driven content, reviews, or educational formats. If your videos regularly pass the one-minute mark and keep viewers watching until the end, the Rewards Program can offer far higher earning potential and more predictable payouts than previous monetization models.
