How to Sell a YouTube Channel in 2026: Price, Ownership Transfer and the 2027 Partner Program Change
YouTube channels made up 9.5% of new online business listings so far in 2026, against 6.7% for content sites, on one of the largest online business marketplaces (data pulled October 8, 2026).
That is 20 new YouTube listings to 14 content sites, with two listings counted in both. Flippa saw the same turn: its H1 2026 report says YouTube sales rose 23% on the previous half "and overtook content in volume for the first time in our data." In 2025, Flippa's YouTube transactions grew 155% (Flippa).
Alphabet reported $40.4 billion of YouTube ad revenue in 2025, up from $36.1 billion in 2024 (Alphabet 10-K). In January 2026, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan wrote that the platform had paid "over $100 billion to creators, artists, and media companies" in four years (YouTube).
What is a YouTube channel worth in 2026?
The 49 YouTube listings in our data, all posted from 2024 to 2026, asked a median 2.08 times a year's profit. That works out to 25 times monthly profit. Profit here means seller's discretionary earnings (SDE), the earnings before the owner pays themselves. Flippa's H1 2026 report puts the average profit multiple for sold YouTube deals at 1.57x, with the top quarter at 2.65x. Flippa's sell page frames channel prices as 12 to 36 times monthly profit, and lists only channels monetized for six months or more with at least 5,000 subscribers (Flippa). Our median of 25 times monthly profit sits inside that range.
| YouTube listings, 2024 to 2026 | Listings | Median asking multiple |
|---|---|---|
| All | 49 | 2.08x |
| Listed in 2024 | 9 | 2.67x |
| Listed in 2025 | 20 | 1.92x |
| Listed in 2026 to October 8 | 20 | 1.96x |
| Under 1 year of earnings when listed | 12 | 1.62x |
| 1 to 2 years | 20 | 2.00x |
| 2 years or more | 17 | 2.25x |
| Tagged with YouTube income only | 37 | 1.92x |
| YouTube plus other income, such as affiliate links or a website with ads | 12 | 2.25x |
The median asking price was $99,133 and the median SDE $55,198. The median owner worked 8 hours a week, and the median channel had earned money for 1.3 years before it was listed. Of the 49, 34 had sold by October 8, after a median 47 days.
These are asking prices, and the rows are small, so treat any single row as a direction, not a rule. 
Our YouTube channel valuation guide covers how buyers calculate a channel's monthly profit and what moves the multiple.
How YouTube pays a channel
YouTube splits ad money before it reaches the creator. On long-form videos the creator keeps 55% of net ad revenue; on Shorts, 45% of the revenue allocated to them from the Shorts Creator Pool (YouTube Partner Program terms). YouTube Studio shows the result as RPM, which YouTube defines as "how much money you've earned per 1,000 video views" after its share (YouTube).
AIR Media-Tech, a creator services firm, measured median RPM across 300 channels between May 2025 and May 2026 (AIR Media-Tech).
| Channel topic | Median RPM, May 2025 to May 2026 |
|---|---|
| Education and science | $10.22 |
| Lifestyle | $2.98 |
| Entertainment | $2.43 |
| Gadgets and tech | $2.33 |
| Gaming | $2.05 |
| Health and sport | $1.23 |
| Kids and teens | $0.33 |
A gaming channel at $6 per 1,000 views would be nearly three times the gaming median. A buyer will want to know why, and a high share of US viewers is one possible answer.
YouTube finalizes each month's earnings between the 7th and 12th of the next month and pays between the 21st and 26th, once a balance in US dollars reaches $100 (YouTube; AdSense). Earnings for a seller's final month therefore land after the handover, and the purchase agreement should say who keeps them.
Sponsors
Brand deals are often the second income line on a channel, and the market for them is growing. The IAB projected US creator ad spend of $37 billion for 2025, up 26% from $29.5 billion in 2024 (IAB). EMARKETER forecast US influencer marketing spend of $10.52 billion in 2025, and expected that, for the first time, more than half of US marketers would use influencer marketing on YouTube (EMARKETER).
Of the 49 YouTube listings in our data, 21 mentioned sponsors, most of them as an untapped opportunity; about six reported sponsor income. A sponsor signs with the channel's owner, so a buyer values sponsor income by whether the sponsors will sign again with someone new.
Before you list
| Step | What to do | On the car-history channel |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue records | Export 24 months of YouTube Studio revenue reports and match them to AdSense payments | Priya exported monthly revenue by video and by source |
| Contractor agreements | Check that editors, writers and voice actors signed agreements that assign their work | Her voice actor's contract had to be amended to allow assignment |
| Music and footage | List every license and whether it transfers with the channel | The music library license was in Priya's name and needed a new account |
| Processes | Write down how videos are researched, scripted, edited and scheduled | A 12-page production guide went to the buyer |
| Channel permissions | Give a serious buyer Viewer access in YouTube Studio during due diligence, then remove it before the transfer starts | The buyer had Viewer access for 10 days |
Of the 49 listings in our data, 15 listed SOPs or other written processes among the assets for sale, and 12 listed contractors or introductions to them.
Faceless channels
Of the 49 listings, 22 described themselves as faceless, run on voiceovers, stock footage or animation. Those asked a median 2.00x, against 2.08x for the other 27. Their owners reported a median of 6 hours a week, against 10 for the others.
Flippa's buyer guide tells buyers to apply 24 to 36 times average monthly net revenue for faceless channels, against 12 to 24 times for personality-led ones (Flippa). Our asking data shows no such premium. Buyers do ask a faceless seller one extra question, about the July 15, 2025 policy change that renamed "repetitious content" to "inauthentic content" (YouTube).
YouTube's monetization page now groups this under "Generic or Repetitive Content," and lists "AI-generated content made with generic or unoriginal templates giving the impression of mass production without adding the creator's original, authentic insights or perspective." A channel built that way can lose monetization across every video, not just one. Disclosing AI use is a separate rule. YouTube asks creators to label realistic altered or synthetic content, and says the label "alone won't limit a video's audience or impact its eligibility to earn money" (YouTube).
The February 2027 Partner Program change
YouTube's help page sets new entry thresholds from February 1, 2027 (YouTube). A channel already in the program keeps its status.
| Partner Program rule | Today | From February 1, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Ad revenue tier, long-form route | 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in 12 months | 1,000 subscribers and 8,000 watch hours in 365 days |
| Ad revenue tier, Shorts route | 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views in 90 days | 1,000 subscribers and 20 million Shorts views in 90 days |
| Earning from the Shorts Creator Pool | Partner channels that accepted the Shorts module | Only channels holding 10 million Shorts views over 90 days |
| Fan funding tier | 500 subscribers plus watch hours or Shorts views | Unchanged |
| New terms | Must be accepted by January 31, 2027 |
YouTube also set an activity rule. A channel stays active with 1,000 watch hours in 365 days, 1 million Shorts views in 90 days, or 2 long-form videos or 5 Shorts every 90 days.
Our reading, not YouTube's, is that a channel already in the program becomes harder to replace from scratch after February 2027. A seller can point to that. A seller of a Shorts channel under 10 million views every 90 days should expect the buyer to discount its Shorts Creator Pool income, which stops for such channels from February 2027.
Can you legally sell a YouTube channel?
YouTube's Terms of Service, its spam policy and its monetization policies contain no express ban on selling a channel. The ownership-related sale YouTube's policies name outright is of handles: its handle policy lists "The sale and transfer of handles" under what it doesn't allow (YouTube). YouTube doesn't say how that rule applies when a whole channel changes hands, so don't price or advertise the handle separately.
Two rules shape how the sale works. The AdSense terms say "You may not assign or transfer any of your rights under the AdSense Terms" (AdSense terms), so the buyer links their own AdSense account. And a person whose channel was terminated is barred from channels "you create or acquire," so a buyer with a past termination can't use a purchase to come back (YouTube).
Transferring ownership
Ownership can only change through a Brand Account. YouTube's help page says that if a channel isn't connected to one, "you can change channel managers, but not owners" (YouTube). Channels using YouTube's newer channel permissions have to opt out first, because the Owner role there "Can't transfer ownership to other users."
| Step | What happens | Waiting time |
|---|---|---|
| Brand Account | Seller moves the channel into a Brand Account if it isn't in one, after removing everyone from channel permissions (YouTube) | Same day |
| Invite | Seller invites the buyer's Google Account as an owner of the Brand Account | Same day |
| Primary owner | Seller makes the buyer primary owner; Google requires the seller to have been an owner for 7 days and the buyer an owner or manager for 7 days (Google) | 7 days |
| AdSense | Buyer links their own AdSense account; YouTube allows one change every 32 days (YouTube) | Minutes for an existing account; several days, sometimes 2 to 3 weeks, for a new one |
| Seller removed | Buyer removes the seller as owner | After the buyer has been an owner for 7 days |
One warning on YouTube's Brand Account help page deserves a sentence of its own: "If you delete the primary owner account linked to your channel, the channel will also be deleted." Never delete the seller's old Google Account as part of the handover.
The buyer takes over the same channel, so its videos, playlists, subscribers and handle stay as they are. Brand Accounts created since August 4, 2021 can only be linked to YouTube (Google). An older Brand Account may still hold other Google services, so check what it is linked to before the handover. A personal Gmail account is never part of a Brand Account.
Changing the channel name removes a verification badge, and the channel has to reapply. Changing the handle does not (YouTube).
Buyer checks
| Check | What the buyer looks at | The car-history channel's answer |
|---|---|---|
| Strikes | Copyright strikes, which expire after 90 days only if the owner completes Copyright School, and Community Guidelines strikes (YouTube) | No active strikes; one expired copyright strike from 2024 |
| Content ID claims | Claims on individual videos, which can block a video or send its ad revenue to the claimant, but don't cause a strike | 3 claims on stock music, all on videos from 2023 |
| Revenue split | YouTube Studio revenue, sponsor invoices and affiliate statements | AdSense 62%, sponsors 31%, affiliate links 7% |
| Audience | Countries, age groups, returning viewers | 58% of watch time from the US |
| Views history | Monthly views over two years; YouTube began counting views "the moment a video begins to play" in August 2026 (YouTube) | Buyer compared months before and after the change separately |
| Who appears on screen | Whose face and voice are in the back catalog, and what contracts cover them | A hired voice actor, under a contract that lets the channel's owner keep using the recordings |
| Rights to the videos | A signed copyright assignment for the library, music licenses and editors' work-for-hire terms | Editor's and voice actor's agreements both assignable |
Copyright moves only in writing. US law says a transfer "is not valid unless an instrument of conveyance, or a note or memorandum of the transfer, is in writing and signed by the owner of the rights conveyed" (17 U.S.C. § 204). Moving the Brand Account doesn't do that on its own. Our due diligence checklist lists what else a buyer will ask for.
A channel with your face on it
When the seller appears on camera, the buyer should get written permission to keep using that face and voice. Several states protect a person's name, voice and likeness. California's statute covers knowingly using them on merchandise or in advertising without consent, with damages of at least $750 plus profits (Cal. Civ. Code § 3344). Tennessee's ELVIS Act extended its law to cover simulated voices from July 1, 2024.
The purchase agreement should set the scope of that license. It names the existing videos it covers, says whether ads and merchandise are included, and sets how long it lasts.
The car-history channel (composite)
Priya and her 140,000-subscriber channel are a composite we built for this guide, not a real sale.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| AdSense revenue, 12 months to August 2026 | $52,000 |
| Sponsors, two per month | $26,000 |
| Affiliate links to car parts | $6,000 |
| Video editor | $12,000 |
| Voice actor | $9,600 |
| Music library | $600 |
| SDE | $61,800 |
Priya asked $142,000, or 2.3 times SDE. The buyer, who ran two other history channels, offered $120,000 after finding that four of the five most-watched videos were over two years old. They agreed on $130,000, about 2.1 times SDE or 25 times monthly profit.
The buyer paid $115,000 on September 1, 2026, when Priya invited the buyer as an owner of the Brand Account and the buyer accepted the same day. On September 8 she made the buyer primary owner, and the buyer linked their AdSense account the same day. The last $15,000 was released after both sponsors signed new agreements with the buyer and the first AdSense payment reached the buyer's account. Revenue earned before September 1 stayed with Priya, and she passed the buyer the AdSense earnings from September 1 to 7 when they were paid.
Taxes
A channel is sold as a bundle of assets, and both sides report how the price splits on IRS Form 8594. The split matters more for a creator than for most sellers. Under 26 U.S.C. § 1221(a)(3), a copyright or artistic work held by "a taxpayer whose personal efforts created such property" is not a capital asset (law.cornell.edu). A creator selling videos they made may owe ordinary income tax on the part of the price allocated to the library, while goodwill can get capital gains treatment. Whether videos made with hired editors count as the creator's personal efforts is itself a question for a tax adviser, so ask one before signing. Our guide to taxes when selling an online business covers the rest.
Questions sellers ask
How much is a YouTube channel with 100,000 subscribers worth?
In our composite example, Priya's channel had 140,000 subscribers and sold for $130,000, a price set at about 2.1 times its $61,800 of SDE. Subscribers matter to a buyer only through the profit they bring. Our listings asked a median 2.08 times annual SDE.
How do buyers check my YouTube earnings?
YouTube Studio's Viewer role shows analytics and revenue, and a Viewer can't change anything on the channel (YouTube). In our composite example, Priya granted it for 10 days. Her buyer set the figures beside her AdSense payment history. She removed the role before the Brand Account transfer started.
Will monetization survive the transfer?
YouTube pauses monetization when no active AdSense account is linked, so the buyer links theirs on the day they become primary owner (YouTube).
Can I sell a channel with a copyright strike?
A channel with one strike can be sold, but buyers price it in, since three strikes in 90 days can end a channel. A strike expires after 90 days only if the owner completes Copyright School. Flippa won't list channels with more than one strike (Flippa).
Do I lose the verification badge when I sell?
YouTube's help page says renaming a channel removes its badge, and the channel has to reapply with at least 100,000 subscribers. Changing the handle doesn't remove it.
How long does it take to sell a YouTube channel?
YouTube listings in our data that sold took a median 47 days from listing. The ownership transfer itself takes at least 7 days, because of Google's waiting period for the primary owner role.
What happens to sponsorship contracts?
Sponsor contracts are with the seller, not with YouTube, so each one needs to be assigned or signed again. In our composite example, Priya's buyer held back $15,000 until both sponsors signed.
Can I sell an AI or faceless channel?
Faceless listings asked about the same median multiple as the rest in our data, 2.00x against 2.08x. AI-made channels face the extra risk of YouTube's generic or repetitive content rule, so buyers check how each video is made before they offer.
Should I sell before February 2027?
In our composite example, Priya's channel earned mainly from long-form videos, so February 1, 2027 changed little for its sale. A channel already in the Partner Program keeps its place after that date. A Shorts channel under 10 million views every 90 days loses its Shorts pool earnings then, and a buyer will take that into account.
Selling through Exit Spring
Run your channel's numbers through the free valuation tool, then see how selling works. Buyers looking for channels browse our YouTube channels for sale, and our guide to online business multiples by type compares YouTube with every other model.
Sources
- YouTube Help: Brand Account owners; Move a channel; Linked AdSense account; Partner Program changes, February 2027; Monetization policies; AI disclosure; Copyright strikes; Handles; Channel terminations; Verification badges; Monetization paused; Policy updates
- YouTube Help: Partner Program terms; RPM and CPM; Payment timing; AdSense payment thresholds; Channel permissions
- Google Account Help: Change who manages your Brand Account; Brand Accounts
- Google: AdSense Online Terms of Service
- YouTube Blog: Neal Mohan's 2026 letter
- Alphabet: Form 10-K filings, fiscal 2025
- AIR Media-Tech: YouTube RPM in 2026; IAB: Creator economy ad spend 2025; EMARKETER: US influencer marketing spending 2025
- Flippa: H1 2026 Digital M&A Insights; 2025 M&A Insights; Buy a YouTube channel; Sell a YouTube channel
- US law: 17 U.S.C. § 204; 26 U.S.C. § 1221; Cal. Civ. Code § 3344; IRS Form 8594
- Listings data: Empire Flippers public listings, 2,855 listings pulled October 8, 2026; asking prices, not sale prices
General information as of October 28, 2026, not legal or tax advice. YouTube's policies change often; check each help page before you start a transfer.
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