&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Elon Musk admits X underpays creators, says YouTube does it better")
Elon Musk has admitted that X is underpaying creators and needs to improve how payments are allocated. Musk’s comment on X came after creators raised concerns about inconsistent and low payouts under the platform’s monetisation system.
Elon Musk said the main issue with X’s creator payout system is underpayment and inaccurate allocation of revenue.
He also added that YouTube handles creator payments much better.
Elon Musk responds to payout concerns
It began when Nikita Bier, the product head at X, said the X team was working on upgrades for power users. In response, creator Peter Duan commented ongoing problems with monetisation, saying he had been “consistently underpaid” compared to his peers.
“Please fix the monetisation. I have consistently compared my payouts with my peers and have been consistently underpaid,” Duan wrote.
Bier then replied, saying, “At this point, I think creator payouts do more harm than good and we need to off-ramp to a different system.”
Then Musk stepped in and commented, “No, the issue is that we are underpaying and not allocating payment accurately enough. YouTube does a much better job.”
Creators raise concerns over X payouts
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Several content creators on X have shared similar concerns in recent months. Many have said that earnings from the platform’s ad revenue-sharing model often fluctuate widely, even when engagement numbers remain stable.
According to reports from The Verge, some creators earning millions of impressions each month receive payouts of only a few hundred dollars. In contrast, YouTube’s Partner Programme, which takes a 45 per cent cut of ad revenue, offers more predictable and transparent payments.
X’s revenue-sharing programme
X launched its ad revenue-sharing programme in 2023 to encourage more creators to post on the platform. The system rewards users who subscribe to X Premium and meet certain engagement thresholds. However, many creators have said that the criteria and payout structure remain unclear.
