Published by the Zolyp team ·
Who can turn on YouTube channel memberships?
Memberships are a Partner Program feature. You also need to:
- Be 18 or older and live in a country or region where memberships are offered, which includes the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, India, Japan and Brazil.
- Accept and follow YouTube's terms, including the Commerce Product Module (and your network too, if you have one).
- Not have the channel set as made for kids, or a significant number of ineligible videos, such as made for kids videos or videos with music claims.
- Not be a music channel under an SRAV contract.
Sources: YouTube Help: How to earn money on YouTube, checked 15 October 2026; YouTube Help: Get started with channel memberships on YouTube, checked 15 October 2026
How do you turn on channel memberships?
On a computer:
- Sign in to YouTube Studio at studio.youtube.com.
- In the left menu, click Earn.
- Click the Memberships tab. It only appears if your channel is eligible.
- Click Get started and follow the on-screen instructions.
- If it's your first time, sign the Commerce Product Module when prompted.
- After you join the Partner Program, the channel is reviewed against the eligibility criteria first, which can take up to 2 days.
- On a network, the network has to accept the Commerce Product Module under Settings, then Agreements, before its channels can turn memberships on.
Source: YouTube Help: Turn on or turn off channel memberships, checked 15 October 2026
How do you set up levels and perks?
Levels are the price points members choose from. To add them:
- In YouTube Studio, open Earn, then the Memberships tab.
- In the Step 1: Add levels and perks box, click Edit.
- Create your levels, each at a different price, and add 1 to 5 perks to each.
- Click Publish. YouTube reviews levels and perks against its policies, which takes about a day.
- You can have up to 6 levels. Higher-priced levels automatically include the perks of cheaper ones.
- Members in other countries pay amounts based on the price you choose.
- Deleting a level removes everyone on it straight away, and they're refunded their last month's payment.
- Loyalty badges: JPEG or PNG, under 1 MB, at least 32 x 32 pixels, set under Earn, then Memberships, then Loyalty Badges.
- Custom emoji: JPEG or PNG, under 1 MB, 48 x 48 pixels preferred and up to 480 x 480. You start with 4 emoji slots and unlock more as membership grows.
Source: YouTube Help: Create or manage your YouTube channel's memberships levels & perks, checked 15 October 2026
Which membership perks aren't allowed?
Allowed perks include badges, emoji, members-only videos, live chats, posts and other content. YouTube doesn't allow:
- Downloads of content that's available on YouTube, including music.
- In-person, one-on-one meetings.
- Perks given to only some members at random, such as contests, lotteries or sweepstakes.
- Perks aimed at children, or that may be inappropriate for them, or that encourage children to ask their parents to join.
Source: YouTube Help: Get started with channel memberships on YouTube, checked 15 October 2026
Why can't I use channel memberships?
Match what you see to the cause:
- To turn memberships off, open Earn, then Memberships, click More next to Your memberships offer and select Disable channel memberships. Your levels, members and perks aren't saved, and all monthly payments are cancelled.
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No Memberships tab under Earn | The channel isn't eligible | Check the requirements above |
| Memberships not active after joining the Partner Program | The eligibility review is still running | Allow up to 2 days |
| New levels or perks not showing | They're under review | Allow about a day |
| Paused mode | Termination, a monetisation policy breach, losing monetisation or setting the channel as made for kids | Fix the cause, then click Turn on in the memberships section of YouTube Studio |
| Members removed and refunded | The channel stayed in paused mode for 120 days | Turn memberships on again; viewers have to rejoin |
Sources: YouTube Help: Get started with channel memberships on YouTube, checked 15 October 2026; YouTube Help: Turn on or turn off channel memberships, checked 15 October 2026; YouTube Help: Create or manage your YouTube channel's memberships levels & perks, checked 15 October 2026
Where Zolyp fits
Members-only content needs a public channel that keeps giving people a reason to join. Zolyp, which publishes this guide, publishes to YouTube as one of 9 platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Business, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads). It creates video uploads and Shorts with titles and descriptions written for search, can set a custom thumbnail on a standard video, and schedules them with the posts on your other networks. You approve the week before anything goes live.
Common questions
How many membership levels can I have on YouTube?
Up to 6, each at a different price.
How many perks can each level have?
Between 1 and 5. Higher levels also get the perks of lower ones.
Do I need the YouTube Partner Program for memberships?
Yes. Monetisation features, memberships included, only become available once you're accepted into the Partner Program.
What happens if I turn off channel memberships?
Your levels, members and perks are deleted and monthly payments are cancelled. If you turn them on again, viewers have to join again.
Can I offer one-on-one meetings as a perk?
No. In-person, one-on-one meetings aren't allowed as membership perks.