Channel memberships let viewers join your channel through monthly payments and get exclusive members-only perks in return like badges, emoji, and other goods.
To get started with memberships for your channel:
- Review the eligibility requirements, location availability, and policies and guidelines for channel memberships.
- Turn on memberships for your channel or for your network.
- Create perks and levels for your channel’s memberships program.
Availability and eligibility
To be eligible for channel memberships, make sure you first meet the minimum requirements for fan funding features. Then confirm 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, or 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).
Channel memberships are currently available to eligible creators in the following locations:
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Policies and guidelines for channel memberships
All channel membership perks — including badges, emoji, perks, videos, live chats, and other content — are subject to membership policies and guidelines.
You can include perks that make your members feel special. But, the following members-only perks 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:
- Contests
- 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 program
Cancellations, terminations, and refunds for channel memberships
- Termination by the channel
- Removal from the YouTube Partner Program
- Due to abuse or fraud
- Breach of our terms or policies
How paused mode impacts your channel
- Your channel has been terminated.
- Your channel is in violation of YouTube monetization policies.
- You lose monetization due to leaving or switching content owners.
- You set your channel as made for kids.
What happens when your channel is in paused mode
When your channel is in paused mode:
- Your members lose access to the perks from your channel, including perks like badges, emoji, and members-only posts.
- Your members’ monthly payments will pause.
- The "Join" button will disappear from your channel.
While paused mode doesn’t cancel your members, members may cancel their membership at any time, including while your channel is in paused mode.
How to exit paused mode
To exit paused mode, you must fix the issue that caused you to enter paused mode. Once resolved, you or your new MCN can exit paused mode and resume channel memberships:
- On a computer, go to studio.youtube.com/channel/UC/monetization/memberships
- In the channel memberships box, click Turn on.
Once you have resumed memberships, channel members will regain access to your membership perks. Unless they cancel, members are charged again at the start of their next billing cycle.
What happens to your members while you're in paused mode
Entering paused mode doesn’t automatically cancel your members, but members may choose to cancel at any time. However, after a certain amount of time has elapsed, we automatically cancel your members. The amount of time depends on how a member joined your channel:
- Members that join via YouTube.com: If 120 days pass and your channel is still in paused mode, their membership is automatically canceled.
- Members that join via the YouTube Android or iOS apps: If a member’s billing period ends while your channel is in paused mode their membership is automatically canceled.
Members may choose to voluntarily cancel their membership while your channel is in paused mode. Members can rejoin your channel when the membership program is resumed.
What happens if you’re in paused mode for more than 120 days
If your channel does not exit paused mode within 120 days, your channel membership program will be ended and you lose all of your members. Your members are automatically refunded their last month’s payment for membership on your channel. We’ll deduct the refunds for your members from your share of membership revenue in your AdSense for YouTube account.