YouTube’s fan-funding tools include Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks. They let viewers make voluntary payments to support creators and receive highlighted interactions, but the revenue model is different from normal ad revenue.
Creator revenue share
YouTube currently pays creators 70% of confirmed Supers revenue under the Commerce Product Module. The 70% is calculated after applicable local sales tax and, on iOS, App Store fees are deducted.
YouTube currently covers transaction costs such as credit-card processing fees.
Super Chat and Super Stickers
Super Chat and Super Stickers are designed for live streams and Premieres where live chat is available. Viewers can pay to highlight a message or send an animated sticker during the event.
Super Thanks
Super Thanks is available on eligible long-form videos and Shorts. Buyers receive a one-time animation and can leave a highlighted comment.
Where creators see Supers revenue
In YouTube Analytics, creators can open the Revenue section and use the How you make money area to review Supers revenue.
This lets creators separate fan-funding income from advertising, memberships and other revenue sources.
Are Supers refundable?
YouTube says Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks are voluntary and generally non-refundable. Unauthorized charges can still be reported through the appropriate Google or platform billing process.
Moderation still applies
Paying for a Super does not exempt a viewer from Community Guidelines. Super Chat and Super Sticker messages can still be moderated like normal live-chat messages.
If a purchase-related message is removed for policy violations, YouTube’s current documentation explains how its portion of the revenue is handled under the fan-funding rules.
Do not describe Supers as donations
YouTube explicitly says Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks are not crowdfunding or donation tools. Creators are responsible for understanding how these payments are treated under the laws and tax rules that apply to them.
Super Chat vs Channel Memberships
Supers are one-time payments. Channel Memberships are recurring monthly payments with ongoing perks. The two can work together, but they solve different monetization goals.
For membership structure, see our YouTube Channel Membership Pricing guide.
Super Thanks and Shorts
Super Thanks gives creators a fan-funding option on Shorts without requiring a live stream. This can be useful for channels with strong Shorts engagement but limited live-stream activity.
Creator workflow
- Accept the Commerce Product Module if required.
- Enable the relevant Supers features in YouTube Studio.
- Moderate paid messages under the same community standards as normal messages.
- Review Supers revenue separately in Analytics.
- Track which content formats generate the strongest fan-funding response.
- Do not promise refunds for voluntary payments that YouTube treats as non-refundable.
For eligibility and setup, see our YouTube Channel Memberships & Supers guide.
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