You swipe. You laugh. You swipe again.
We all do it. YouTube Shorts is addictive. And for creators, the numbers look insane. 10 million views in a week? That used to take years!
Naturally, you think: "Wow, if they get ₹100 per 1,000 views like long videos, they must have made... let's see... ₹10 Lakhs? in one week?!"
Wrong.
They probably made enough to buy a mid-range Android phone. Maybe not even that.
The math for Shorts is completely different from long-form videos. If you are starting a channel in 2026 hoping to get rich off youtube shorts income per 1000 views india, you need a reality check. And a calculator.
The "Shorts" Paycheck: Why Is It So Low?
Let's rip off the band-aid. In India, the average earnings per 1,000 views (RPM) for Shorts is:
₹0.10 - ₹6.00
Per 1,000 Views
Compare that to long-form videos which pay ₹50 - ₹300 per 1,000 views.
Why the huge gap?
- Ad Density: In a 10-minute video, you might see 2-3 ads. In Shorts, you swipe through 10 videos before seeing ONE ad. That one ad's revenue is split between those 10 creators. You get pennies.
- Attention Span: Advertisers pay for attention. 15 seconds of half-attention is worth less than 10 minutes of focused watching.
The Million View Math (Let's Do It)
So, you hit the jackpot. Your Short went viral. 1 Million Views. Boom.
How much hits your bank account?
| Category | RPM (Approx) | Earnings for 1 Million Views |
|---|---|---|
| Entertainment / Comedy | ₹0.50 | ₹500 |
| Gaming / Facts | ₹0.80 | ₹800 |
| Tech / Gadgets | ₹3.00 | ₹3,000 |
| Finance / Business | ₹6.00 | ₹6,000 |
Read that again. A comedy creator gets 1 MILLION people to laugh, and earns ₹500. That's a nice dinner for one.
Meanwhile, a long-form creator with just 50,000 views (1/20th the traffic) makes ₹2,500 - ₹5,000 easy.
So, Is Shorts a Waste of Time?
No. But you are playing the wrong game if you think AdSense is the prize.
Shorts is for Reach. Long-form is for Revenue.
Smart creators use Shorts as a funnel:
- Make a viral Short (Reach 1M people).
- Use the "Related Video" link to push them to a long video.
- Even if 1% click through (10,000 people), you make real money on the long video.
Don't rely on the Shorts Paycheck. It will break your heart.
How to Estimate Your Shorts Income
Stop guessing. If you are planning a Shorts channel, you need to know the RPM for your specific niche.
Use our YouTube Earnings Calculator. We have updated it with a specific "Shorts Mode" logic.
- Select "Shorts" as video type? (Mental check: Keep RPM low).
- Enter your projected views.
- See the reality.
The "Sponsorship" Exception
There is ONE way to get rich on Shorts. Brand Deals.
Brands love views. They don't care about RPM. If you consistently get 1M views per Short, a brand might pay you ₹20,000 - ₹50,000 for a 60-second integration. That is 50x what YouTube pays you directly.
Strategy: Build the views first. Ignore the AdSense pennies. Pitch to brands once you have the numbers.
Conclusion: Don't Quit Your Job Yet
I see so many young Indians quitting jobs to become "Shorts Creators."
Please. Do the math.
To earn a basic ₹30,000/month salary solely from Shorts ads, you need roughly 30 to 50 MILLION views per month (in entertainment niches).
Can you generate 1 million views every single day? If not, keep your job and start this as a side hustle.
Check your numbers now: Calculators don't lie.
Deep Mistry
Digital Marketing Expert | AI & Business Growth Specialist
Deep Mistry is a Digital Marketing Expert specializing in AI-driven growth strategies and business scaling. With an academic background in Computer Science and an MBA, he combines technical expertise with real-world marketing experience. Deep is also a researcher and book author, focused on building practical, privacy-first digital tools that help individuals and businesses work smarter.
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The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Estimates and calculations are based on market trends and may vary. Please consult a qualified expert before making significant financial or career decisions.