What are Instagram and TikTok Creator Subscriptions?

Instagram and TikTok Creator Subscriptions are an exciting way to monetize content. But what are they, and who can use creator subscriptions?

Using Instagram

Instagram and TikTok creator subscriptions are an exciting, fan-friendly way to monetize content. But what are they, and who can use creator subscriptions?

What are creator subscriptions?

If the concept sounds familiar, it’s probably because you have heard it before. Platforms like Twitch, Facebook, and YouTube already have paid-for, members-only content. That’s what a creator subscription is: viewers pay a certain amount of money per month, receiving anything from bonus content to chat perks, merch discounts, and more in return. It’s a fan club, basically!

YouTube introduced this in 2018, with Facebook following two years later. It was a successful, handy way for users to support their favorite content creators. But now, with Instagram and TikTok creator subscriptions, the idea’s been revitalized.

What are Instagram Subscriptions?

Instagram Subscriptions are available to creators with more than 10,000 followers, giving fans the chance to financially support their favorites. They can do this with:

  • Subscriber Lives, which are exclusive Live broadcasts for paying fans. It means viewers can interact with creators on a small-scale, intimate level.
  • Subscriber Stories, which lets subscribers watch exclusive Stories, with cool interactive Story Stickers thrown in too.
  • Subscriber Badges, which sit next to viewers’ profiles. The Badge is purple, so it’s kind of hard to miss, giving subscribers more visibility in content creators’ comments and DMs.
Taking a selfie

Can you make money with Instagram Subscriptions?

The tiers are priced in eight individual brackets: $0.99, $1.99, $2.99, $4.99, $9.99, $19.99, $49.99, and $99.99 per month. Depending on what kind of content’s available and how large the fanbase is, creator subscriptions can make Insta stars a pretty penny – especially given that Instagram itself doesn’t take a commission.

If you want to make money on Instagram, you’ll need to tighten your purse-strings and cut out the stuff you don’t need. When it comes to soundtracking your content, individual licenses for tracks can get expensive; if you use music without obtaining the rights, you could run into legal trouble.

So, let us handle it. Our catalog of more than 50,000 tracks and 200,000 unique sound effects and variations has got you covered.

What are TikTok Subscriptions?

For years, TikTok Subscriptions weren’t as clear-cut as Instagram Subscriptions. While Insta was handing out subscription tiers like Oprah giving cars away, TikTok spent a while tweaking things behind the scenes. They rolled out paid-for subscription options for a small number of users a while back, but that’s all changed now. 

From September 2024, TikTok Subscriptions are available in selected regions, including the UK, Italy, South Korea, France, and the US. Creators with more than 10,000 followers and 100,000 video viewers in the past month are eligible to use this feature. Once you’re in, you can offer three priced tiers for followers to choose from, offering perks like shout-outs, behind-the-scenes content, performance requests, and more.

Subscriptions aren’t the only way to top up the ol’ bank balance, though. If you want to know how to make money on TikTok, click here.

Filming for TikTok

What are TikTok LIVE Subscriptions?

TikTok LIVE Subscriptions are available for creators with more than 1,000 followers. Like rival service Twitch, TikTok LIVE subscriptions allow fans to pay for access every month.

In exchange, they receive several perks on TikTok LIVE, like a subscriber-only chat, custom emotes, badges, and more. Creators can personalize their LIVE rooms, and subscribers’ badges update the longer they’re signed up, giving them a ‘true fan’-type status.

Who can use creator subscriptions?

As long as you have enough followers and/or views to unlock the appropriate subscription tool, you should be good to go. The only stumbling block would be any restrictions or bans hanging over your account — hopefully you don’t have any! You must also be at least 18 years of age, and can’t offer subscription-based content if your output is designed for children.

Shooting Insta content

Should you use creator subscriptions?

While it’s not been around for ages, the idea of creator subscriptions is something content creators should get used to. Twitch popularized its subscription model in the mid-2010s, and with massive names like Facebook and YouTube joining in, it was only a matter of time before Instagram and TikTok got involved.

The idea of paying for content is becoming normalized. People pay for video and audio streaming services, so why shouldn’t they pay for behind-the-scenes access or bonus videos from their nearest-and-dearest creators?

Familiarizing yourself with creator subscriptions gives you the chance to future-proof your channel and monetize in a way that suits you and your fans.

Getting to grips with music licensing is a vital piece of this puzzle, too. We’ve got you covered.

Our catalog is high-quality, affordable, and safe. An Epidemic Sound subscription goes beyond royalty-free music, removing the headache of licensing and freeing you up to do what you do best. You can enjoy the safety of our license hand-in-hand with our massive catalog of 50,000 tracks, covering just about every genre you can think of. You’ll also gain unlimited access to our advanced search functions — finding the right sound’s never been easier. 

It’s better than royalty-free. It’s worry-free. Get started with Epidemic Sound below.

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