How To Join the Creator Fund on TikTok and Start Earning

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Carolyn Howell

Last Updated: Jul 15, 2024

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Have you received consistently high views and engagement for your videos on TikTok? Perhaps it’s high time that you start making money from your content! Keep reading to find out how to join the Creator Fund on TikTok! 

High Social’s screenshot shows TikTok’s Creativity Program.

What Is the Creator Fund?

The TikTok Creator Fund is one of TikTok’s earliest monetization programs, and it aimed to celebrate and support its top-performing creators. TikTok’s initial investment in the fund, which they launched in early 2021, was two million U.S. Dollars. 

The platform also committed to increase the fund to USD one billion over the succeeding three years.

Through the Creator Fund, content creators in the program earned money based on the performance of their videos. In a gist, qualified creators could turn viral content into cold, hard cash.

By the last quarter of 2023, the TikTok Creator Fund had grown to USD two billion. 

How Many Followers on TikTok To Join the Creator Fund?

How many followers on TikTok to join the Creator Fund? To be eligible for the Fund, creators had to have at least 10,000 followers. Other eligibility requirements are as follows:

  • Only creators based in the U.S., UK, France, Germany, Spain, or Italy could apply to join the Fund. 
  • Creators had to be at least 18 years old. 
  • Creators had to have at least 10,000 followers. 
  • Creators had to have at least 100,000 views in the last 30 days. 
  • Creators had to comply with TikTok’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Service

A person holds a fan of U.S. dollar bills in front of their face.

How Much Did Creators Earn From the Creator Fund?

Reports from top influencers during the Fund’s early months revealed that TikTok paid between two and four cents per 1,000 views. These numbers don’t amount to much unless you’re raking in hundreds of thousands or millions of views. And TikTok never disclosed how they calculated how much each creator earned

However, the platform did explain that the Creator Fund total fluctuated daily based on the number of published videos per day. This meant that the amount creators could earn also varied daily. At the same time, TikTok did not put a cap on the amount of funds they released daily. The sky’s the limit for eligible creators in terms of potential earnings.

How To Join the Creator Fund on TikTok: Is It Still Active?

Towards the end of 2023, TikTok rebranded the Creator Fund and launched the new Creativity Program Beta. All creators enrolled in the Creator Fund had the option to switch to the new program, which fully replaced the fund in December 2023.

According to TikTok, they “developed the Creativity Program based on learnings and feedback from our creators on our creator solutions, including the TikTok Creator Fund.”

In the first quarter of 2024, TikTok once again rebranded the program. Its latest iteration is the TikTok Creator Rewards Program

A person counts U.S. dollar bills.

What Is TikTok Creator Rewards Program?

The Creator Rewards Program is the newly designed and much-improved version of the Creator Fund and Creativity Program Beta. For Creator Fund members and new applicants, the eligibility requirements are as follows:

  • You must reside in a country where the Program is available. Take note that TikTok prohibits the use of a VPN or other similar tool. The new Program is currently available in the U.S., Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, and the UK.
  • You have at least 10,000 authentic TikTok followers. 
  • You have at least 100,000 authentic video views in the last 30 days prior to joining the Creator Fund or the new Creativity Program. 
  • You have a Personal Account; Business Accounts don’t qualify. You can easily switch from Business to Personal
  • You are not a TikTok employee, officer, or contractor. 
  • Your TikTok account is in good standing with the platform’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines

Remember that switching from the Creator Fund to the new Program is permanent. You won’t be able to undo the switch and go back to the Fund. 

A woman wears a big smile while she looks at her TikTok earnings on her laptop.

Creativity Program FAQ

TikTok offers creators numerous opportunities to turn their creativity and passion into a rewarding career. If you’re interested in joining the Creativity Program and wish to learn more, below are answers to some frequently asked questions:

FAQ: How do you apply for the Program?

Follow these steps to apply for the Program:

  1. Go to your Profile and tap the Menu/three-line icon in the top right. 
  2. Select TikTok Studio
  3. Under Monetization, select Creator Rewards Program
  4. Follow the steps to submit an application. 

Can’t find the Creator Rewards Program among the Monetization options? It means the feature is not yet available in your region, or you don’t meet the eligibility requirements. 

FAQ: What types of content are eligible to receive rewards under the Program?

To start earning money from your video, it must be at least one minute long. TikTok’s rewards formula also focuses on the following core metrics:

  • Originality. The content must be unique to the creator, showcasing their perspective and creative thought process. 
  • Play duration. This refers to both watch time and finish rate. The new formula favors qualified creators with clear and engaging content over those who create videos excessively.
  • Audience engagement. These include likes, comments, and shares, which must be authentic. 
  • Search value. This is the value of the content based on its relevance to popular search terms. 
  • Ad value. This is the value of the content based on the creator’s community’s ad watch time. 

FAQ: Do you have to pay to join the Program?

No, the program does not require a payment to join. As long as you meet the eligibility requirements listed above, you can apply to become a member. 

A person stacks coins on a table.

How To Maximize Your Earning Potential on TikTok 

In today’s creator economy, anybody can start creating content and earn from it. With a smartphone, your social media platform of choice, and inspired ideas, the virtual world is your oyster. If you want the best odds of turning your creativity and passion into a livelihood, TikTok is your best bet. 

Knowing how to join the Creator Fund on TikTok or its latest version opens up rewarding monetization opportunities. If you want to start growing your numbers to qualify for these opportunities, explore High Social’s growth solutions.

How can High Social help you? Its advanced, proprietary AI targeting technology works perfectly alongside TikTok’s recommendation algorithm. This means you’ll double your audience-targeting capability and connect with more genuinely interested viewers. 

Start growing your TikTok today

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