What creators used to call the “Sponsor” button is now Channel Memberships — the “Join” button viewers see on eligible channels. The rename happened years ago, but the old term still circulates, which causes confusion when people search for setup instructions.
What Channel Memberships Are
Viewers pay a recurring monthly fee directly to you in exchange for perks you define. It’s YouTube’s built-in equivalent of Patreon, with the advantage that everything stays inside YouTube — members get their badge in comments and live chat automatically, with no separate platform or login.
Eligibility
You need the YouTube Partner Program’s entry tier: 500 subscribers and 3,000 watch hours in the past 12 months, or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days. You must also be 18 or older and in a country where memberships are available.
Note this is well below the 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours needed for ad revenue — memberships are often the first real income a channel unlocks.
How to Turn It On
- Go to YouTube Studio > Earn (or Monetization).
- Select Memberships and follow the setup flow.
- Define your tiers, pricing, and the perks each tier includes.
- Publish, and the Join button appears on your videos and channel page.
Perks You Can Offer
- Loyalty badges beside members’ names in comments and live chat, upgrading over time.
- Custom emoji members can use in comments and chat.
- Members-only videos, Community posts, and live streams.
- Early access to uploads before public release.
- Members-only Shorts and shoutouts.
What Actually Makes Memberships Work
The common failure is setting up tiers with vague perks and expecting sign-ups. What works in practice:
- Offer something genuinely recurring. A one-off perk gives no reason to stay subscribed month after month.
- Keep the tier count low. Two or three tiers convert better than six — too many choices stall the decision.
- Deliver consistently. Promising weekly members-only content and delivering monthly is the fastest way to lose members.
- Price for your audience’s region. Pricing that works in the US may be unaffordable to a largely international audience.
Important Pricing Constraint
Tier pricing can only be changed once every 12 months per tier, so get it right at setup rather than planning to adjust. YouTube also periodically recalculates recommended international prices based on exchange rates and applies them to new members by default unless you set custom prices.
How It Fits With Other Income
Memberships are entirely separate from ad revenue and from brand sponsorships — most established creators run all three at once, since they come from different sources. Membership income is also more stable than ad revenue, which fluctuates seasonally.
FAQ
Is the Sponsor button the same as Channel Memberships?
Yes — it’s the same feature, renamed to Channel Memberships. Old guides still use the Sponsor terminology.
What do I need to enable memberships?
500 subscribers and 3,000 watch hours in the past 12 months — well below the 1,000 and 4,000 needed for ad revenue.
How often can I change membership pricing?
Only once every 12 months per tier, so it’s worth setting carefully at launch rather than planning to adjust later.
How many membership tiers should I offer?
Two or three. More tiers than that tends to stall the decision rather than increase sign-ups.