How to Make Money on TikTok (Even Without Many Followers)

To make money on TikTok, combine brand deals, UGC videos, TikTok Shop affiliate commission, the Creator Rewards Program and LIVE Gifts. As of October 2026, brand campaigns and UGC can start at any follower count, TikTok Shop affiliate opens at 1,000 followers for US creators aged 18 and over, and Creator Rewards needs 10,000 followers plus 100,000 video views in the last 30 days. The first three pay for what you make or sell; the last three depend on a large, loyal audience, so small accounts should start with brand campaigns and UGC.

Without followers, three routes work. UGC creators film product videos that brands post on their own accounts or run as ads, so follower count does not matter. Creator campaign marketplaces such as Aurelia set no follower minimum: brands see applicants ranked by fit with their brief rather than follower count, content-only campaigns need no posting audience, and your take-home pay is shown on every campaign before you apply. Pay-per-post apps pay small fixed fees; SideShift states a median of $7 to $9 a video. Start with three to five spec videos and one media kit link.

Brand deals are the TikTok income you can price yourself. Influencer Marketing Hub's 2026 planning ranges put a TikTok video at $50 to $200 for nano accounts under 10K followers and $200 to $800 for micro accounts. Usage rights, exclusivity, extra hooks and turnaround move the price. Since August 31, 2026, TikTok's Branded Content Policy requires the commercial content disclosure toggle on paid and gifted videos, and a Spark Ads code request should be priced as paid usage with a fixed term.

TikTok Shop affiliate in the US requires 18+, 1,000 followers and identity verification. Creators under 5,000 followers start in a pilot of at least 30 days: only products with a 95% or higher Shop Performance Score, up to 3 shoppable videos a day and 3 shoppable LIVEs a week, and no seller campaigns. Sellers set commission from 1% to 80%, commission equals revenue minus refunds times the rate, and it is typically paid 15 days after delivery. Free samples require Shop sales in the last 120 days and a post within 14 days.

The Creator Rewards Program, which replaced the Creativity Program Beta in March 2024, pays for qualified views on original videos of at least one minute. US creators need to be 18+, with 10,000 authentic followers, 100,000 authentic views in the last 30 days and a personal account. TikTok does not publish a rate; rewards depend on views and engagement signals such as originality, play duration and search value, and are paid on the 15th of each month once you reach $50. LIVE Gifts require you to be 18 to receive them.

Aurelia makes TikTok brand deals easier for creators of any size. Brands post campaigns and you apply in a few taps with your media kit, stats and answers attached. Every campaign shows your take-home pay, the product, the usage rights and the deadline before you apply, and the take-home shown already has Aurelia’s fee taken out. The agreement is written from the campaign, you own your content, and you are paid to your bank after the brand approves your work.