YouTube Shorts vs Long Videos RPM

A lot of new creators start with Shorts because they’re easier to grow quickly.

But after getting thousands — or even millions — of views, many creators notice something surprising:

The revenue is often much lower than expected.

So what’s going on?

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Do Shorts Have Lower RPM?

In most cases, yes.

YouTube Shorts usually generate lower RPM compared to traditional long-form videos.

That doesn’t mean Shorts are useless, but the monetization model is very different.

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Why Shorts Earn Less

Shorts work inside a shared ad revenue pool.

Instead of placing ads directly on your individual video like normal YouTube videos, revenue gets distributed across many creators.

Because of this, Shorts RPM is often very low.

Some creators report:

• $0.02 RPM
• $0.05 RPM
• Sometimes under $0.01 RPM

Meanwhile, long-form videos might earn:

• $3 RPM
• $8 RPM
• $20+ RPM in finance niches

That’s a massive difference.

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Why Long Videos Usually Earn More

Long-form content allows:

• Mid-roll ads
• Better audience targeting
• Longer watch time
• Higher advertiser value

Advertisers generally prefer viewers who spend more time watching content.

That’s why educational and search-based videos often monetize better.

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Are Shorts Still Worth Making?

Yes — especially for growth.

Shorts can help:

• Gain subscribers
• Increase visibility
• Reach new audiences quickly

Many creators use Shorts to funnel viewers into their long-form content.

That strategy works much better financially.

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Best Strategy For New Creators

A balanced approach is usually best.

For example:

• Use Shorts for discovery
• Use long videos for monetization

This helps channels grow while still building stable income.

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One More Important Thing

Niche still matters.

A finance Shorts channel may still earn more than a meme channel with millions of views.

Audience quality always matters.

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Useful tools:

RPM Calculator

How Much Does YouTube Pay Per 1000 Views