Top Richest YouTubers Who Turned Their Passion Into a Source of Income

Your content didn't yield the expected results, so is there any reason to continue your efforts? The stories of the richest YouTubers show why it is worthwhile.

Nancy J. Hassler
16 May 2025

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The Top Richest YouTubers

Since the advent of YouTube in the lives of billions of people, many changes have occurred. What was once primarily a treasure trove of videos categorized by genres, formats, messages, and locations has now evolved into a bridge connecting talented individuals with endless opportunities across various fields. The desire to invest time and effort into creating engaging content pays off, provided there is diligent work, experimentation, and occasional adjustments based on tracking algorithm performance and current trends.

A bright and motivating example of success is the richest YouTubers, who demonstrate how to combine passion with income generation. Their net worth often encompasses much more than just publishing engaging videos, as they integrate various activities and continuously expand the boundaries of how to make money on YouTube.

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Jeffree Star

When it comes to provocation, Jeffree Star, born Jeffrey Lynn Steininger Jr., is one of the first names that comes to mind. Initially gaining public attention as a musician on MySpace and other platforms, this vibrant persona skillfully fused pop and electronic genres into memorable songs that resonated with his audience. While honing his craft as a makeup artist, Jeffrey simultaneously developed a substantial foundation in both techniques and social interaction, enriching his pivotal transition to YouTube nearly twenty years ago.

Renowned for his natural artistry, versatile personality, innovative approach to makeup, and exceptional storytelling skills, Jeffree burst onto the beauty scene. While his activities beyond social media continued to expand, the peak moment came in 2014 when fan-favorite officially launched his brand, Jeffree Star Cosmetics. Nevertheless, YouTube still played a central role in the star's marketing strategies, becoming a platform for promoting various lines of his vegan and cruelty-free products through engaging reviews and tutorials. Beyond cosmetics, Jeffrey's content covers:

  • Vlogs offering a glimpse into his personal life, travels, and experiences beyond the niche.
  • Controversial topics that shed light on the influencer's perspective on various events and phenomena.
  • Behind-the-scenes secrets of his brand are among the favorite highlights that audiences hunt for.
  • Unique posts arising from frequent collaborations with other figures in the beauty scene.

As of today, Jeffree Star has 15.7 million subscribers. His unconventional persona and presentation have paid off, turning his passion into impressive figures. One of the most fruitful sources of Jeffree Star net worth is his YouTube channel, noted for recording profits of $18 million in 2018 due to a successful combo of advertising, sponsorships, and brand deals.

However, the core venture is undoubtedly his cosmetics brand, generating over $100 million in annual revenue, thanks to high quality, vibrant colors, and extensive, creative promotion.

Jeffree Star Cosmetics is not the only surprise in the influencer's brand. Subscribers can also explore a range of merchandise, including clothing and accessories. Other components of his wealth include investments in real estate and various businesses. This luxury diversified portfolio includes ownership of a car collection, a mansion in California, and a ranch in Wyoming. This month's estimated net worth totals $200 million, and given Jeffree's vibrancy and versatility, this is far from the limit.

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MrBeast

James Stephen Donaldson's YouTube journey began within the familiar confines of the entertainment niche. In 2012, he launched his channel, MrBeast6000, based on gaming and commentary about other influencers. But starting in 2017, James significantly expanded the scope of his content, with a pivotal moment being a viral video in which he counted to 100,000. From then on, his channel grew rapidly through large-scale and sometimes extremely charitable formats, earning him the title of the biggest philanthropist on YouTube.

The three pillars of Mr. Beast's content — originality, creativity, and sometimes even absurdity — continue to astonish with each new video. His meticulous preparation across multiple stages, ever-changing impressive locations, and audience-focused approaches have established him as one of the most-watched content creators on the platform, boasting over 386 million subscribers. Although the chosen format is not new, other vloggers have not achieved the same level of engagement or funding, indicating that a high benchmark for how to create content for social media has been set. Other notable features of MrBeast's activities include the following:

  • Collaborations with numerous stars from various fields, including Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez and football legend Cristiano Ronaldo.
  • Thorough preliminary research of platform algorithms, followed by content adaptation, has been key to his immense popularity.
  • Well-deserved awards, including the Creator of the Year title at the Streamy Awards for four consecutive years.
  • A diverse approach that combines entertainment, gaming, educational content, and social experiments.

Immense popularity is not the only benefit Jimmy's channel has brought him. Approximately one billion dollars of MrBeast net worth stems from his YouTube channel, large-scale donations, brand partnerships, and "Beast Games" — a highly engaging reality show on Amazon. His company, Beast Industries, generated $473 million last year, with expectations to double that this year. Despite these impressive figures, Jimmy claims he reinvests his earnings into developing his content and business ventures. Today's progress not only delights the audience with engaging content but also enriches it with unexpected twists and expansive locations. Most importantly, it brings substantial benefits. The recently launched Loca App is another prime example of advanced opportunities designed to boost your piggy bank while you enjoy gatherings and hone your creative skills.

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Jake Paul

The founder of one of the most viewed channels on YouTube exemplifies intriguing types of social media influencers who, in addition to creating content, are also masters of another craft. In Jake Paul's case, this is about boxing. The starting point of his popularity was 2013 on the now-defunct platform Vine, where Jake amassed an audience of 5.3 million subscribers and 2 million views. In May of the following year, he transitioned to YouTube, where he has since reached nearly 21 million subscribers and 7.7 billion views.

Due to his status as one of the most frequently discussed figures, Jake Paul's channel has become a vibrant treasure trove of music, pranks, and entertaining content. In 2018, he entered the boxing arena, starting his career with a victory against Deji Olatunji. Some notable aspects of his sports career include:

  • Jake Paul's debut professional boxing match took place in 2020 versus AnEsonGib, where he won by TKO in the first round.
  • He has an impressive record of 11 wins and one loss, which features several notable fights.
  • In 2021, he founded Most Valuable Promotions, a company aimed at promoting events and fighters in the boxing industry.

YouTube and boxing have become two of the most significant sources of Jake Paul net worth, estimated at around $100 million. He has given us memorable fights, including a highly publicized match against Mike Tyson last November, which reportedly earned him around $40 million. From 2016 to 2018, he earned $44 million, making him one of the highest-paid YouTubers.

Among the brands that the charismatic boxer and creator has collaborated with are Experian, Celsius, and DraftKings. In addition to MVP, Jake Paul is associated with the micro-betting resource Betr, valued at $150 million, and the men’s care brand W, which generates $11 million in funding.

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PewDiePie

Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, better known as PewDiePie, has rightfully claimed the title of platform pioneer, particularly in the realm of the Let's Play genre. After losing interest in studying industrial engineering and management, which he was pursuing, Felix decided to focus entirely on his YouTube activities and left Chalmers University of Technology in 2011. And it turned out to be worth it! The rapidly growing channel became the most subscribed in just two years. As it developed, the content naturally evolved into various formats, including comedic shorts, music videos, and vlogs, successfully adapting to social media trends and even introducing new ones.

According to the latest 2023 data, PewDiePie net worth ranges from $45 million to $54 million. The lion's share of his income comes from YouTube, where he earns from ads, brand deals, and sponsorships, totaling around $58.2 million. The influencer's earnings are steadily increasing, reaching $90 million by 2024, and show no signs of slowing down. In addition to their primary activities on YouTube and related income streams, PewDiePie's revenue comes from merchandise sales, video game development, and book publishing, including This Book Loves You.

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Markiplier

Next up is another successful YouTuber from the Let's Play genre, known for his captivating videos — especially playthroughs of horror games — which have attracted a massive audience. However, this is not the only similarity in his career with the influencer above. After dropping out of his biomedical engineering studies, Mark Edward Fischbach dedicated himself entirely to YouTube, developing his channel, which he created in 2012. Although he initially focused on comedic sketches, his content later shifted to the gaming niche, allowing Markiplier to entertain his audience with let's plays of Amnesia and FNAF, which garnered significant attention.

Currently, the native Hawaiian has an audience of 35.7 million subscribers. In addition to engaging let’s plays, various interactive projects emerged, such as In Space with Markiplier, where the creator showcased his creativity and storytelling skills as a gamer. Moreover, the influencer ventured into filmmaking and acting; he appears in the series The Edge of Sleep, and under his guidance, the horror project Iron Lung was born. As of last year, Markiplier net worth is approximately $45 million, most attributed to his YouTube career. Other components of his wealth include:

  • Outside of YouTube: These extend to films, podcasts, and interactive media.
  • Cloak brand : Co-founded by Markiplier.
  • Real estate investments: A notable property is a home in La Cañada Flintridge.

Markiplier's audience continues to increase as the influencer explores new formats and areas. This growth contributes to his immense popularity, resulting in a predictable income stream.

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DanTDM

Another representative of the gaming niche is a British native who began his YouTube career in 2010. Initially named TheDiamondMinecraft, his channel was launched in 2012 and later renamed to the well-known DanTDM in 2016. While he initially focused on Minecraft, his repertoire expanded to include Roblox and Pokémon. In addition to his YouTube activities, DanTDM introduced the world to his bestselling graphic novel, Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal.

Currently, Daniel Robert's channel has 29.2 million subscribers. The widespread appeal of his content to various audiences and the variety of engaging formats have helped DanTDM rank among the richest YouTubers, with a net worth estimated by different sources to be between $35 million and $45.5 million. The monthly earnings also do not have clear, consistent figures across all sources, varying around $19,000. His income comes from various activities, including merchandise sales and a range of business projects, in addition to his popular videos.

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Ryan's World

Children are the colors of life! Among the many diverse channels dedicated to family content, one that stands out is Ryan's World, initially launched in 2015 as Ryan ToysReview. Created by a boy named Ryan Kaji, the channel features him, his parents, and his twin sisters. Now known as Ryan's World, it takes the form of a personal vlog that combines engaging narratives with educational elements, offering delightful, family-friendly videos almost daily.

A significant emphasis is placed on toy reviews, unboxings, and various interactive engagements. Today, the family’s YouTube channel boasts 39.1 million subscribers, while the brand's activities are also widely distributed and include: The full-length film Ryan's World: The Movie - Titan Universe Adventure, released last year.

Video games divided by genres: interactive, puzzle, challenge, and action-packed. The adventure series Ryan's Mystery Playdate and the educational series Elemon as examples of TV shows. The variety of formats and areas of influence has made the young boy one of the richest YouTubers, with a net worth of around $100 million. His income sources include not only YouTube videos but also merchandise sales, advertising, and sponsorships.

The digital world has forever changed the way we earn money, with YouTube serving as a cornerstone for many years, allowing talented creators to transcend their hobbies and dreams, ultimately transforming their lives. Beyond being a platform for income, it also helps you forge connections and make a name for yourself, expanding your business far beyond YouTube. Therefore, there’s no need to limit yourself to specific content formats; you can draw parallels with how to earn money from Instagram and other popular media platforms while simultaneously building a strong overall community.

However, existing formats for making content creation a profitable endeavor continue to evolve, becoming increasingly convenient. Loca App turns every visit to your favorite hotspot into an opportunity to grow your income. Check it out!

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