Channel memberships eligibility, policies and guidelines

We're making a few changes to how we collect and use data on children's content on YouTube. As a result, some of the instructions in this article may have changed. Learn more.

Channel memberships allow viewers to join your channel through monthly payments and get members-only perks like badges, emoji and other goods. If you're eligible, these policies and guidelines will help you steer clear of trouble.

Channel Memberships

Eligibility

To be eligible for channel memberships, make sure that you first meet the minimum requirements for fan funding features. Then confirm that you fit the other criteria outlined below for memberships:

• You live in one of the available locations.
• Your channel is not set as Made for Kids and doesn't have a significant number of videos set as Made for Kids.
• Your channel does not have a significant number of ineligible videos.
  • Videos set as Made for Kids and videos with music claims are considered ineligible.
• You (and your MCN) have accepted and are complying with our terms and policies (including the relevant Commerce Product Module).

Some music channels may not be eligible for channel memberships. For example, music channels under SRAV contract are not eligible at the moment.

• If you have access, the Memberships tab will surface in the Earn section of YouTube Studio.

Availability

Channel memberships are currently available to eligible creators in the following locations:

Algeria American Samoa Argentina Aruba Australia Austria Bahrain Belarus Belgium Bermuda Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Brazil Bulgaria Canada Cayman Islands Chile Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Cyprus Czechia Denmark The Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Estonia Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Germany Greece Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Ireland Israel Italy Japan Jordan Kenya Kuwait Latvia

Lebanon Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malaysia Malta Mexico Morocco The Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Nigeria North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru The Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russia Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Singapore Slovakia Slovenia South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Thailand Turkey Turks and Caicos Islands US Virgin Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom The United States Uruguay Vietnam

Channel memberships policies and guidelines

Channel memberships policies

Channel memberships is a fan funding feature. Therefore, participating creators (and their MCNs) are subject to all policies that apply to YouTube fan funding features.

It's important that your channel follows our channel membership content and perk guidelines. All perks or benefits offered to your members are subject to these policies, whether listed in your offer window or offered by other means. We may update these policies from time to time.

Channel membership content and perk guidelines

All channel membership benefits that you offer – including badges, emoji, perks, videos, live chats and other content – are subject to membership policies and guidelines.

While you can offer benefits that make your members feel special, the following members-only benefits are not allowed under our policies and terms:

• Downloads of content (including music) available on YouTube
• In-person 1:1 meetings
• Anything that one or some (but not all) of your members are chosen to get at random including, but not limited to:
  • Competitions
  • Lotteries
  • Sweepstakes
• Perks that are marketed, directed or targeted to children, or that may be attractive to, or inappropriate for, children
• Perks encouraging children to ask their parents to join your channel membership

Policy and guideline violations

Paused mode

Memberships on your channel will enter 'paused mode' if:

• Your channel has been terminated or found to be in violation of YouTube monetisation policies.
• You lose monetisation due to leaving or switching content owners.
• You set your channel as Made for Kids.

What happens when your channel is in paused mode

In paused mode, your members will lose access to membership offerings from your channel (including badge, emoji and members-only Community posts), and their payments will pause. In addition, the 'Join' button will disappear from your channel.

Note that members may cancel their membership at any time, including while your channel is in paused mode.

Exit paused mode

To exit paused mode and resume channel memberships, you (or your new MCN) must go to studio.youtube.com/channel/UC/monetization/memberships and click Turn on in the channel memberships box. You can only turn on memberships if you (or your new MCN), agree to and are complying with our terms and policies (including the Commerce Product Module).

Once you have resumed memberships, your members will regain access to membership offerings by your channel. They'll be charged again at the start of their next billing cycle unless they cancel.

What happens to your members while you're in paused mode

You might lose some of your members while your channel is in paused mode.

For members who have signed up on youtube.com, we will not cancel your members for 120 days while your channel is in paused mode. Members can choose to cancel their membership during this time.

If a member signed up on the YouTube Android or iOS apps and their billing period ends while your channel is in paused mode, they may lose membership to your channel.

What happens if you're in paused mode for more than 120 days

If channel membership is not resumed within 120 days, membership on your channel will be ended and you'll lose all members on your channel. Your members at the time of termination will automatically be refunded for their last month's payment for membership on your channel. If we need to refund your members, your share will be deducted from your AdSense account.