Channels with memberships turned on can create members-only perks. Members-only perks are only available to your active paid members. Perks include custom emoji, badges and access to other perks that you offer.
Channel membership levels
You can offer multiple membership levels that all have different prices. Bear in mind that if you have multiple levels, their perks build on each other. This means that the highest-priced levels have access to perks offered at lower-priced levels.
See full pricing details for levels in available countries.
Add a level
Add membership levels
- Go to studio.youtube.com using your channel with memberships.
- In the left menu, select Earn.
- On the main dashboard, click Memberships.
- Click Edit in the box that says 'Step 1: Add levels and perks'.
- Follow the on-screen instructions. Once complete, click Publish.
Your levels and perks will need to be reviewed before going live. This process takes about a day.
How levels work with badges and emoji
Loyalty badges and custom emoji are unaffected by levels. All members receive the same badge based on loyalty, and members of all levels have the same access to all emoji.
Remove a level
Remove a level
- Go to studio.youtube.com using your channel with memberships.
- In the left menu, select Earn.
- On the main dashboard, click Memberships.
- Click Edit in the box that says 'Step 1: Add levels and perks'.
- Click on the level that you want to remove click the delete icon .
- Follow the rest of the on-screen instructions. Once complete, click Publish.
Channel membership perks
You must create and publish at least one perk (and up to five perks) that you'll offer to your members. Your perks must follow our policies and terms, and you must deliver all creator perks that you offer. YouTube does not take responsibility for your creator perks and you must carefully consider whether you can deliver what you offer to your members' satisfaction.
Members-only Community posts- Click your profile picture and tap on your channel name.
- Click the Community tab.
- In the drop-down menu, choose whether to make the post public or members only. Public is the default setting.
- Enter your post in the text field.
- Click Post.
Set a new upload as members only
- Upload a video.
- For Visibility, select Members only.
- If you have more than one level, select the levels that can watch your video.
- Complete the rest of the upload process.
Set an existing video as members only
- Use a computer to go to YouTube Studio or open the YouTube Studio app on your mobile device.
- Select Content.
- Find the video that you only want to share with your members.
- Select Edit Visibility Select Members only Select Save.
- If you have more than one level, select the levels that can watch your video.
Promote your members-only video
Your members can find members-only videos on the Memberships, Content and Community tabs. These videos may also surface on members' Home and Subscriptions feeds.
Viewers who are recommended your content but aren't members may also have members-only videos surface in their Home feed. Surfacing members-only videos to non-members can help them discover channel membership programmes that they may be interested in signing up for. Non-members can view the video's thumbnail and title, but cannot watch the members-only video unless they sign up.
To let all of your viewers know that a video is available, you can share the URL publicly on:
- Cards
- Public community
- Playlists
Members at the right levels can immediately watch the members-only video. A note will surface for non-members, letting them know that the video is only available to members, and ways in which they can become a member
Members-only early access
Set a new upload as members only
- Upload a video.
- For Visibility, select From members only to public.
- If you have more than one level, select the levels that you want your video to be visible to.
Select the date and time that the video should change to public.
Promote your members-only video
Members-only videos can surface on members' Home and Subscriptions feeds. Members can also find videos on your channel page's content and Community tabs. To let all of your viewers know that a video is available, you can share the URL publicly on:
- Cards
- Public community
- Playlists
Your members can immediately watch the members-only video at their right level(s). Non-members will see a note that says that it's only available to members, and will be shown ways to become a member.
Members-only Shorts
To create a members-only Short:
- Select a short video file:
- Up to 60 seconds.
- With a square or vertical aspect ratio.
- Select members-only in the visibility settings.
Or:
- Edit the visibility state of a Short which has already been uploaded as unlisted, private or public to Members-only
[Note] If you record and upload a Short in one flow, you may not see the option to set it as members-only. You can still upload as unlisted and then change the visibility setting to members-only.
Members-only Shorts, like all members-only videos, must be fully original content and may not include music owned by third parties, including music from the Shorts music library.
Member-only Shorts do not trigger any notification. They can be discovered in members' Shorts Feed, Home and Watch next.
Members-only live streams
You can share live streams exclusively with your members.
From a computer:
- On a computer, sign in to YouTube Studio.
- Click CREATE .
- Click Go live .
- Follow the steps to create a live stream.
- In the visibility settings, select which paid members can view your live stream:
- All paid members allows any paid member to view the live stream
- Selecting a specific membership level allows paid members at the selected level (and higher) to view the live stream.
- To create a members-only Community post that links to the live stream, follow the prompts. If your members have their notifications turned on, they're told when you create a new members-only live stream.
From a mobile device:
- On your mobile device, open the YouTube app.
- At the bottom, tap Create Go live.
- Tap More options Show more.
- In the visibility settings, select Members-only and select which paid members can view your live stream:
- All paid members allows any paid member to view the live stream
- Selecting a specific membership level allows paid members at the selected level (and higher) to view the live stream.
- Tap Next Go live.
- Sign in to YouTube Studio.
- At the top right, click CREATE Go live.
- From the left-hand menu, click Stream.
- Create a stream:
- To copy a previous stream: Select a previous stream and click Reuse settings.
- To create a new stream: Enter your stream's info and click Create stream.
- From the top right-hand menu, click Settings .
- Under 'Live chat', select Enable members-only chat.
- Click Save
Member Milestone Chats
Channel members can send one special highlighted message per month in live chat to recognise and celebrate how long they've been a member. This feature is available to members who are in at least their second consecutive month as a member. Messages can only be sent during live streams or Premieres, and are visible to all viewers.
(To turn off this feature, go to Studio Earn Memberships and set Member Milestone Chat to Off.)
Note: Since all eligible members can use Member Milestone Chats, you may observe high usage the first few times that you live stream after this feature is enabled. The rate should smooth out over time as each member can redeem a Member Milestone Chat once per month.
Member Recognition Shelf
To publicly recognise your channel members, you can feature their avatars in a shelf at the top of your channel page. This shelf is a way for you to thank your channel members and show others how much you appreciate your members. Featured members are randomly selected and will change often to give more members the chance to shine. Members viewing your channel page will always find their own avatar on the shelf. If a member cancels their membership, they'll no longer be featured on the shelf.
To turn off the member recognition shelf:
- Use a computer to sign in to YouTube Studio.
- Go to Earn Memberships.
- Switch the Member Recognition Shelf to Off.
Custom channel badges
Members will stand out in live chat, comments and the Community tab via exclusive members-only badges.
Custom channel badges overview- New
- 1 month
- 2 months
- 6 months
- 1 year
- 2 years
- 3 years
- 4 years
Upload custom channel badges
Custom channel badges specifications
File size: Less than 1 MB.
Image dimensions: Minimum 32 px x 32 px.
Custom emoji
Upload custom emojiSurname
Family names aren't unique across YouTube and must be 3–10 characters.
As a best practice, we recommend picking a family name that is easily recognisable as your brand.
Emoji name
Each emoji will have a name that members can use to auto-complete in live chat. To change the emoji name, you must delete and re-upload the emoji. Emoji names must be 3–10 alphanumeric characters and unique within their emoji family (but not across YouTube).
Number of custom emoji that you can uploadAs you gain more members, you will unlock additional slots for more custom emoji. You will not be notified when new slots are unlocked.
No. of members | No. of emoji |
---|---|
0 | 4 |
2 | 5 |
5 | 6 |
10 | 7 |
15 | 8 |
20 | 9 |
30 | 10 |
40 | 11 |
50 | 12 |
75 | 13 |
100 | 14 |
125 | 15 |
150 | 16 |
175 | 17 |
200 | 18 |
225 | 19 |
250 | 20 |
300 | 21 |
350 | 22 |
400 | 23 |
450 | 24 |
500 | 25 |
600 | 26 |
700 | 27 |
800 | 28 |
900 | 29 |
1,000 | 30 |
1,200 | 31 |
1,400 | 32 |
1,600 | 33 |
1,800 | 34 |
2,000 | 35 |
2,200 | 36 |
2,400 | 37 |
2,600 | 38 |
2,800 | 39 |
3,000 | 40 |
3,200 | 41 |
3,400 | 42 |
3,600 | 43 |
3,800 | 44 |
4,000 | 45 |
4,200 | 46 |
4,400 | 47 |
4,600 | 48 |
4,800 | 49 |
5,000 | 54 |