In the nearly two decades since its inception, YouTube has become one of the world’s most prominent websites.
The video-sharing platform debuted in 2005 and, in the years since, surged in popularity, eventually becoming the second most-visited website in the world. Creators who start on YouTube often branch out into a range of successful careers, leaning on their history among YouTube’s elite to launch them into music, acting, and business. Many of the platform’s most prominent stars make millions on the platform on an annual basis, with some of the site’s top earners raking in more than Hollywood celebrities. Here are the 10 richest YouTubers in the world, ranked from the lowest (but still absurdly high) level of wealth, to the highest.
The world’s richest YouTubers
YouTubers often make money from a variety of sources, and some celebs can claim “YouTuber” status while also ticking off “superstar” on their resume. For this reason, prominent celebs like Justin Bieber — who did make his start on YouTube — will not be included on this list. Instead, we will only include creators who make the majority of their money from YouTube, whether it be through ad revenue, merchandise, partnerships, or sponsors.
10. DanTDM — Daniel Middleton — $35 million
Streamer and content creator Daniel Middleton has been a mainstay on YouTube for more than a decade, uploading his first video all the way back in 2012. Those years have served him well, according to Celebrity Net Worth, earning the young star a cushion of $35 million. He’s gradually grown in popularity over the years as viewers flock to enjoy his game streams and commentary. He’s received several awards for his contributions to the world of streaming, and even set a new Guinness World Record for his gaming and presentation skills.
9. Markiplier — Mark Fischbach — $45 million
35-year-old Mark Fischbach has turned his popular YouTube career into a sprawling profession that spans fields. These days, he’s known for far more than his uploads to the video-sharing platform, adding filmmaker, podcaster, and business owner, and even OnlyFans model to his resume. Known best as Markiplier, Fischback is known broadly among fans of horror games, who flock to enjoy his streams of a range of spooky games. His formula is clearly working for him, as Fischback currently boasts a wealth more than $45 million strong, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
8. PewDiePie — Felix Kjellberg — $45 million
As one of the biggest YouTubers on the planet, its no surprise that PewDiePie found a spot on this list. One of the most recognizable internet stars of the 2010s, PewDiePie continues to dominate his corner of YouTube, where he’s collected more than 111 million subscribers — almost the largest number on the platform. For months, PewDiePie waged a public war with Indian channel T-Series for the coveted role of “most subscribed-to YouTube page,” occasionally surpassing the company only to again fall short. These days, he maintains his position near the top, with the eighth most subscribed-to YouTube channel. He currently tied with streamer Markiplier, with a net worth of $45 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
7. Ninja — Tyler Blevins — $50 million
Another of YouTube’s most recognizable stars, Ninja is making a name for himself in almost every corner of the web. He got his start streaming games like Halo 3, but became a household name following the release of Fortnite. His popularity skyrocketed from there, earning the popular gamer a net worth of $50 million at only 33 years old, according to Celebrity Net Worth. More than a half decade after he first blasted into the mainstream, Ninja is still going strong, adding consistent uploads to his thriving YouTube channel.
6. Jake Paul — $80 million
The younger Paul brother went from earning less than his older sibling to earning far more, surpassing his big bro by a good $15 million, before the brothers abruptly changed places again. These days he’s once again worth far less than his brother, according to Celebrity Net Worth, but he’s still doing just fine.
In the years since he and his brother entered the scene with their blonde-haired, obnoxious brand of comedy, Paul has maintained a steady presence on YouTube. The majority of his more recent videos see him putting an emphasis on his boxing and musical careers, both of which have been on the rise of late. His boxing career, in particular, is really taking off these days, and is a major culprit behind Paul’s impressive $80 million net worth. Whether or not that’s a good thing is entirely up to your tastes — or lack thereof.
5. Dude Perfect — Tyler Toney, Garrett Hilbert, Cody Jones, and Cory and Coby Cotton — $100 million
Individually, this YouTube team doesn’t boast nearly the net worth of anyone else on this list, but as a team, Dude Perfect is raking it in. The YouTube channel belonging to “5 best buds just kickin’ it” has collected more than 59.4 million subscribers over nearly a decade and a half on YouTube, filling their channel with skits, stunts, and their popular “stereotypes” series. Between them, these “best buds” have cemented a net worth more than $100 million strong, according to Celebrity Net Worth, and a following to match.
4. Ryan Kaji – Ryan’s World – $100 million
YouTube’s youngest star is also one of its most successful. Ryan Kaji rang in his 11th birthday last October following several years of massive success on YouTube, where his kid-oriented channel — Ryan’s World — is absolutely thriving. Ryan has more than 32 million subscribers on the platform, and earns an utterly bonkers amount of money from his toy unboxing videos, educational uploads, and other kid-friendly content. He even wrote a book, and all before properly entering his teenage years. The young creator currently boasts an astounding net worth of $100 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, and is still years away from knowing the first thing about how to spend it.
3. Logan Paul – $150 million
The elder Paul brother has bounced back from his 2017 controversy in pretty spectacular fashion, with a thoroughly comfortable net worth of $150 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Like his younger brother, Logan has recently taken an interest in boxing, adding this to his persistent interest in podcasting, acting, and continuously courting controversy. Love him or hate him, he appears to have a genuine burgeoning career in boxing and wrestling, competing professionally several times over the last few years, and his wealth has only grown since he broke out of his drama-chasing phase.
2. Jeffree Star – $200 million
YouTube’s biggest earner is also one of its most controversial stars, following numerous accusations of racism and sexual assault. Despite it all, makeup guru Jeffree Star boasts a net worth of $200 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. His accumulated wealth is the result of Star’s various business pursuits along with his popularity on YouTube, where he boasts 16 million subscribers. Star’s carefully crafted makeup looks have seen him collaborate with a number of the internet’s biggest stars, from Shane Dawson to Trisha Paytas, and have earned him his singularly impressive net worth.
1. MrBeast — Jimmy Donaldson — $1 billion
Forbes named him as YouTube’s top earner in 2022, and he’s only gone up from there. In the last few years, Jimmy Donaldson — far better known by his online persona, MrBeast — has seen his net worth explode, rocketing from a nice cushy $100 million in 2022, to an insane $1 billion just two years later. And that’s despite the fact that he’s known for giving much of his accumulated wealth away, and regardless of the spate of recent controversies weighing the MrBeast brand down.
The 26-year-old YouTuber rose to popularity via his stunt videos, many of which see the creator toss hundreds of thousands of dollars at prize winners, friends, and strangers. Despite his tendency toward philanthropy, MrBeast is still worth an eye-popping $1 billion, making him one of the world’s youngest billionaires, and easily YouTube’s top earner.