MrBeast leads the top 10 highest-paid YouTubers of 2021 with $54 million

[jsilva]

Why it matters: The year 2021 must have been quite profitable for some YouTubers. With content creators such as MrBeast, Jake Paul, and Markiplier earning more than many Hollywood stars, it's starting to be harder to distinguish them from the likes of Angelina Jolie and Will Smith.

At number one on the top 10 highest-paid YouTubers of 2021 list is MrBeast, who earned $54 million. That's almost double what 2020's top earner Ryan Kaji received ($29.5 million). A significant part of the $54 million comes from the 10 billion views of his channel. Still, the MrBeast Burger app and menu also played an important role, as it's available in 1,600 restaurants in the US and has already sold five million sandwiches.

In second place, we have Jake Paul with $45 million. Most of this ($40 million) supposedly comes from three boxing matches he had in 2021 against Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley (two matches). However, the boxer stated these numbers are actually slightly below what he actually earned. The rest ($5 million) is from YouTube ads, which isn't that surprising considering he primarily uses it to promote his boxing career.

Completing the podium, Markiplier earned $38 million from YouTube and merchandise. After the success of the Unus Annus series, which he ultimately deleted, Markiplier now plans to go to the small screen with his post-apocalyptic thriller The Edge of Sleep. Markiplier hopes to sell the series to a content provider like Hulu or Netflix this year.

Jake Paul (2nd) and Markiplier (3rd) complete the podium of highest-paid YouTubers of 2021

Like Nastya is also featured on the list in 6th place. The full top 10 list of highest-paid YouTubers of 2021 is as follows:

• MrBeast ($54 million)
• Jake Paul ($45 million)
• Markiplier ($38 million)
• Rhett & Link ($30 million)
• Unspeakable ($28.5 million)
• Like Nastya ($28 million)
• Ryan Kaji/Ryan’s World ($27 million)
• Dude Perfect ($20 million)
• Logan Paul ($18 million)
• Preston ($16 million)

These values are estimations based on measurements taken from January 1st, 2021, to December 31st, 2021, and data from Captiv8, SocialBlade, Pollstar, and industry insiders. These figures are pre-tax and don't include fees for agents, lawyers, and managers.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/93015-mrbeast-leads-top-10-highest-paid-youtubers-2021.html

 

[QuantumPhysics]

If you're estimating their income based on the estimations of social blade and similar sites, then you're wayyyyy off.

 

[Dimitriid]

This is highly deceiving: I'd be surprised if 20% of the incomes of any of them is actually ad sense related. Which is ultimately bad news for youtube: it shows that they were and still are, fundamentally wrong about advertising since all of these youtubers can basically use the platform as either a product placement vehicle or direct deals with advertisers.

Meanwhile I doubt youtube gets back a penny from those lucrative deals or any cut of the merch sales, patreon donations, etc. They just failed miserably at recognizing that by owning one of the biggest entertainment platforms ever, they and not the advertisers, had the upper hand and shouldn't have buckled immediately and unquestionably to their demands in 2017.

But now the cat's out of the bag and even new and aspiring creators only really want the algorithm discovery and the free video hosting they all immediately launch their ventures into advertising, merchandise selling and direct donations sometimes even before they bother to enter the partner program at all or monetize. In case it isn't clear this isn't sustainable and youtube as a site will start buckling under it's own weight probably in the next couple years or so.

 

[tancabean]

Extremely misleading article if those revenues are not all from YouTube ads.

 

[tellmewhy]

This is highly deceiving: I'd be surprised if 20% of the incomes of any of them is actually ad sense related. Which is ultimately bad news for youtube: it shows that they were and still are, fundamentally wrong about advertising since all of these youtubers can basically use the platform as either a product placement vehicle or direct deals with advertisers.

Meanwhile I doubt youtube gets back a penny from those lucrative deals or any cut of the merch sales, patreon donations, etc. They just failed miserably at recognizing that by owning one of the biggest entertainment platforms ever, they and not the advertisers, had the upper hand and shouldn't have buckled immediately and unquestionably to their demands in 2017.

But now the cat's out of the bag and even new and aspiring creators only really want the algorithm discovery and the free video hosting they all immediately launch their ventures into advertising, merchandise selling and direct donations sometimes even before they bother to enter the partner program at all or monetize. In case it isn't clear this isn't sustainable and youtube as a site will start buckling under it's own weight probably in the next couple years or so.

YT has update their terms and they can monetize videos without to be mandatory for the channels to be in the ypp.

As for the search and discovery algorithm it is and it was always a completely mess. Try to upload a video and search the exact keywords it has on the title. If the keywords aren’t super specific and rare it wont appear in the search results list at all and the even worst is that they appear other videos without the keywords. You put a video about lets say clocks you try to find it with searching for clocks and it will show you the firework of kpery.

 

[polord]

Never heard of them….but I think I chose the wrong job..

 

[Faelan]

Lol - Logan Paul is the only name I recognize and that’s only because of the whole suicide forest thing being in the media. I’m so out of touch with celebrities and influencers because I just don’t care.

 

[DZillaXx]

Most if not all these have kids as their #1 view base. They do very clickbait type of videos, that in practice is hard for most adults to even find enjoyable. Very much a "Lets pay for this car in pennies" or "Nerf Gun Battle war" type of videos.

 

[Mister_K]

Lol - Logan Paul is the only name I recognize and that’s only because of the whole suicide forest thing being in the media. I’m so out of touch with celebrities and influencers because I just don’t care.

You aren't missing much. Weird the whole celebrity obsession people have.

 

[GamerNerves]

Most if not all these have kids as their #1 view base. They do very clickbait type of videos, that in practice is hard for most adults to even find enjoyable. Very much a "Lets pay for this car in pennies" or "Nerf Gun Battle war" type of videos.

Though I don't follow any of these channels or even know half of them, this is likely the case. Clickbait and kids, that's the golden (and worrysome) combo.

Extremely misleading article if those revenues are not all from YouTube ads.

Indeed this is an important point, but so many even small time tubers try to get money through direct sponsors and via Patreon and such, so I guess the time of simply staring at views is pretty much over when we measure success. Pure fame is another thing of course.

 

[Neatfeatguy]

You aren't missing much. Weird the whole celebrity obsession people have.

My wife isn't a big celebrity stalker or anything, but she's occasionally reading up on them and for some reason thinking it's fun to follow what they do.

She used to come up to me and say, "Do you know [such and such celebrity]?"

I'd look at her and say, "No, and I don't care." and the conversation would stop there, even if she kept trying to talk to me about how they had a kid and the name they gave it or how they got married and to who and....whatever, I don't give a rip.

She also used to say, "Do you remember [such and such] from high school? I found them on facebook." (which is odd, because 99% of the high school people she's tried asking me about she wasn't friends with or hung out with them in high school)

She'd be met with a, "If I wanted to remember [such and such] I would have kept in touch with them from high school. I don't have their number, they don't have mine. I didn't like them then and I don't care to know them now."

I don't know, I guess some people always think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.

 

[sorten]

Crazy numbers. Only names I know are the Paul brothers, and that's because of boxing coverage on ESPN. The only reason I go to youtube is if I need to fix something on my house.

 

[Dimitrios]

My wife isn't a big celebrity stalker or anything, but she's occasionally reading up on them and for some reason thinking it's fun to follow what they do.

She used to come up to me and say, "Do you know [such and such celebrity]?"

I'd look at her and say, "No, and I don't care." and the conversation would stop there, even if she kept trying to talk to me about how they had a kid and the name they gave it or how they got married and to who and....whatever, I don't give a rip.

She also used to say, "Do you remember [such and such] from high school? I found them on facebook." (which is odd, because 99% of the high school people she's tried asking me about she wasn't friends with or hung out with them in high school)

She'd be met with a, "If I wanted to remember [such and such] I would have kept in touch with them from high school. I don't have their number, they don't have mine. I didn't like them then and I don't care to know them now."

I don't know, I guess some people always think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.

My ex that I was engaged to would make perfect friends with your wife. She always keep up to date with Criss Angel, Greek female singers and other garbage that you can find on TMZ. I just can't idolize people like a sheep. I'm not a leader but I'm not a follower hard to explain.

Good example is Will Ferrell HBO TV series EAST BOUND A DOWN and this actor giving the reason. It's 100% true on this statement. Probably one of the best quotes in history.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Out of curiosity I looked up the top 50. I don't know any of them outside of two based off of TV shows. I think it would be safe to say I wouldn't be interested in any of them.

 

[Ravey]

Out of curiosity I looked up the top 50. I don't know any of them outside of two based off of TV shows. I think it would be safe to say I wouldn't be interested in any of them.

Its entertainment for a whole new generation. Just think how many of your parents childhood heroes you know or even care about!

 

[Tinderbox]

Worth every penny I’m sure.