To set up monetization on Instagram, you need a Professional account (either Creator or Business), and you must be at least 18 years old and located in an eligible country. From there, the specific features you can unlock depend on your follower count and content type. Instagram offers several monetization tools, each with its own threshold, and some require an invitation. Here’s how to get everything set up.
Switch to a Professional Account
Every monetization feature on Instagram requires a Professional account. You have two options: Creator (designed for content creators and public figures) or Business (designed for brands, retailers, and service providers). Either one unlocks monetization tools, but Creator accounts tend to offer more granular analytics about follower growth and content performance.
To switch, go to Settings, tap Account, then select “Switch to Professional Account.” Pick the category that best describes what you do, choose Creator or Business, and confirm. The switch is free and takes about 30 seconds. You won’t lose any followers or content.
Check Your Eligibility
Instagram doesn’t treat monetization as a single on/off switch. Each tool has its own requirements, and you may qualify for some but not others. The universal requirements across all monetization features are a Professional account, age 18 or older, residency in an eligible country, and compliance with Instagram’s Partner Monetization Policies and Community Guidelines.
To check where you stand, open the Instagram app, go to your Professional Dashboard (visible at the top of your profile), and look for any monetization options listed there. You can also go to Settings, then Account, then Account Status to see if any policy violations are blocking your eligibility.
Monetization Features and Their Thresholds
Subscriptions
Instagram Subscriptions let your followers pay a monthly fee for exclusive content like subscriber-only Stories, Lives, posts, and Reels. To qualify, you need at least 10,000 followers. You set your own price, and subscribers see a purple badge next to their name so you can recognize them in comments and DMs.
Gifts on Reels
Gifts allow viewers to send you virtual “stars” on your Reels, which convert to real earnings. The barrier to entry is lower here: you need just 500 followers. Once you’re eligible, viewers can purchase stars through Instagram and send them to Reels they enjoy. This is one of the most accessible monetization tools for smaller creators.
Live Badges
When you go live, viewers can purchase badges (small icons that appear next to their name in the chat) to support you directly. Live Badges require at least 10,000 followers. Availability has been limited primarily to creators in the United States or those who have received a specific invitation from Instagram.
Bonus Programs
Meta periodically runs bonus programs that pay creators based on Reels performance, typically measured by views and engagement. These programs are invite-only. You can’t apply for them directly. If you’re eligible, you’ll see a notification in your Professional Dashboard or receive an in-app invitation. Payouts vary based on how well your Reels perform during the bonus period.
Ads on Reels
Instagram can place short ads within your Reels, and you earn a share of the ad revenue. This feature requires a professional account and consistent content output, though Instagram hasn’t published a specific follower threshold. Creators who post Reels regularly and maintain strong engagement are most likely to see this option appear in their dashboard.
Set Up Your Payout Account
Before you can receive any money, you need to connect a payout method through Meta’s payment settings. Instagram processes payments through PayPal, so you’ll need a PayPal account linked to a valid bank account. Use the email address associated with your PayPal account when setting up payouts in the app.
One important timing detail: connect your bank account to PayPal at least 10 days before you expect your first payment. After a payout is processed on Meta’s end, it can take up to an additional week for the funds to appear in your bank account. You’ll also need to provide tax information during setup, which for U.S. creators typically means your Social Security number or Employer Identification Number.
To configure all of this, go to your Professional Dashboard, look for the Payouts section, and follow the prompts to enter your PayPal email and tax details.
Join the Creator Marketplace for Brand Deals
Beyond Instagram’s built-in monetization tools, the Creator Marketplace connects you directly with brands looking to pay for sponsored content. This is where a significant portion of creator income comes from, especially for accounts that haven’t yet hit the 10,000-follower mark for Subscriptions or Badges.
To join, open the Instagram app and go to your Professional Dashboard. Scroll down to Branded Content Tools and tap “Join Creator Marketplace” if it’s available in your region. From there, you’ll set up a profile that brands can browse. Add your niche tags (you can select up to 10 interests from categories like beauty, fitness, gaming, food, or parenting), write a short bio about what you do, and highlight any previous brand work you’ve done.
You can also mark specific brands as favorites, which signals to those companies that you’re interested in working with them. Brands searching the marketplace can filter by niche, audience size, and engagement rate, so a well-filled-out profile makes a real difference in getting discovered. Once a brand reaches out, you’ll negotiate terms directly and use Instagram’s branded content tag on sponsored posts to stay compliant with both Instagram’s policies and advertising disclosure rules.
What to Do While You’re Building
If you’re below the follower thresholds for most features, focus on the tools available to you right now. Gifts on Reels only require 500 followers, and the Creator Marketplace is open to creators of various sizes. Posting Reels consistently is the fastest way to grow, since Instagram’s algorithm tends to surface short-form video to non-followers more aggressively than static posts or Stories.
Keep your account in good standing by following Community Guidelines closely. Even a temporary policy violation can delay or disqualify you from monetization features. Check your Account Status page periodically to catch any issues early. As your follower count grows, new monetization options will appear in your Professional Dashboard automatically, and for invite-only programs like bonuses, consistent Reels performance is the clearest signal that gets Meta’s attention.