YouTubers no longer rely on ad revenue — here’s how to diversify some

YouTube has become the biggest platform ever available, offering plenty of opportunities for content creators to earn a living. Last June, the company reported that its creative ecosystem added more than $55 billion to the U.S. GDP and created more than 490,000 full-time jobs.

However, many YouTubers have reduced their reliance on advertising revenue and brand deals. There are several reasons for this shift. First, advertising revenue can be unpredictable. With YouTube constantly updating its policies, some creators are finding it difficult to secure ads for their videos, which can negatively impact their earnings. They also realized that income from these streams could disappear unexpectedly.

As platform-based revenue fluctuates, many YouTubers are no longer just content creators. They are vertically integrated media companies with parallel businesses, including production lines, brick-and-mortar projects and consumer brands that can withstand algorithm changes and policy shifts.

In some cases, these side hustles grow faster and more sustainably than their YouTube channels.

MrBeast

Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, who has 442 million subscribers, isn’t just one of the platform’s biggest creators — he’s its most aggressive entrepreneur.

In November 2025, for example, The Times reported that the YouTuber was set to open a theme park in Saudi Arabia, with rides inspired by his video content. Among other features, there is supposed to be a game in which six players stand on trap doors and must press a button when it lights up or falls down.

MrBeast is also venturing into the field of communications. He plans to create a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), which would involve partnering with one of the major operators, such as AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon.

Additionally, the YouTuber was spotted filing a trademark application for a mobile app that offers banking, financial advisory, and cryptocurrency exchange services. In February 2026, MrBeast announced the acquisition of Step, a banking app targeting Gen Z users.

But there is a lot. What started with a merchandise store in 2018 – ShopMrBeast – has evolved into an extensive business portfolio, including his now three-year-old snack brand, Feastables.

Feastables’ initial product was the “MrBeast Bar”, a chocolate bar that generated over $10 million in sales within the first 72 hours, and sold over a million bars upon launch. As of today, Feastables is more profitable than its YouTube content and even its competition series “Beast Games” on Prime Video. In 2024, Feastables had nearly $250 million in revenue and more than $20 million in profits, while his media company lost nearly $80 million.

Other projects include his packaged food brand Lunchly (which he co-founded with YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI), toy line MrBeast Lab, MrBeast Burger, and analytics platform Viewstats. He even tried to buy TikTok’s US operations by joining the Consortium of American Investors, a group of investors led by Employer.com founder Jesse Tinsley.

Emma Chamberlain

Emma Chamberlain, who shot to fame as a teen vlogger in 2016, now has over 12 million subscribers and has found success in the drinks industry.

It launched its own coffee brand, Chamberlain Coffee, in 2019, which offers a variety of products, including cold brew, coffee capsules, ground and whole bean options, as well as tea and matcha. It’s worth noting that other YouTubers have followed suit, such as Jacksepticeye with his Top of the Mornin’ Coffee brand and Philip DeFranco with Wake & Make Coffee.

In 2023, Chamberlain Coffee had a big year, introducing ready-to-drink canned lattes and generating revenue of about $20 million, according to Forbes. The brand has recently seen even greater growth, opening its first brick-and-mortar location in January. Previously, it only had an online and retail presence at places like Target, Sprouts, and Walmart.

Although Chamberlain Coffee faced some challenges in 2024 due to supplier issues, it is expected to rebound, with revenue expected to grow more than 50% by 2025, to more than $33 million, according to Business Insider. The brand also aims to achieve profitability by 2026.

Logan Paul

Logan Paul (23.6 million subscribers) is now best known for his wrestling career but was previously known for several controversies, such as an infamous 2017 video and the alleged scam NFT project CryptoZoo.

He also gained attention with his energy drink brand Prime, which became an instant viral hit in 2022. The brand, which was co-founded by YouTuber KSI, topped $1.2 billion in sales in 2023, a number that far exceeds what most creators earn from views, ads, and brand deals. However, it has since faced declining sales, regulatory scrutiny due to its high caffeine content, and lawsuits from business partners. Sales have particularly slowed in the UK, where revenues fell by about 70% from 2023 to 2024.

Another of his projects, Maverick Apparel, grossed between $30 million and $40 million in 2020.

His brother, Jake Paul, is also involved in several projects, including co-founding the Anti Fund, which has touted previous investments in OpenAI, Anduril, Ramp, Cognition, and others. The younger Paul also owns a personal care line called W, and a mobile betting platform called Betr.

Ryan’s world

Ryan’s World, hosted by 13-year-old Ryan Kaji, is another prominent YouTuber with an impressive following. Ryan rose to fame with his toy reviews and unboxing videos, which attracted nearly 40 million young viewers.

In addition to his success on YouTube, Kaji has expanded his brand with a line of toys and apparel sold in major retail chains that reportedly generated more than $250 million in revenue in 2020. Since then, Kaji and his family have diversified their ventures, including launching a TV show and an app that provides educational content designed for children.

Rosanna Pansino

Rosanna Pansino is a popular YouTube baker known for her baking tutorials and themed desserts. With 14.8 million subscribers, she has gained fame for her recipes inspired by pop culture, gaming, and movies.

Aside from YouTube, Pansino has released several well-received cookbooks, expanding her Nerdy Nummies brand. They also sell baking tools at many retailers, such as Amazon.

Other YouTubers have ventured into making cookware and food products as additional sources of income. Notable examples include chef and author Andrew Rea, known by the pseudonym Babish, who launched his brand Babish Cookware in 2021, as well as comedy duo Rhett & Link, who sell MishMash cereal.

Michelle Fan

Michelle Phan gained fame in 2007 with her makeup tutorials, becoming one of the first beauty influencers to actively monetize her content. In addition to her successful YouTube career, she co-founded the beauty subscription service Ipsy, which has become hugely popular. Phan also has her own makeup line, EM Cosmetics.

Huda Kattan

Huda Kattan founded globally recognized beauty brand Huda Beauty in 2013. She sold a minority stake to private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners in 2017, but bought it back in June after investor pressure to bring in senior leadership clashed with her vision for the fast-moving brand, which is said to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in sales each year.

Many influencers have created their own makeup brands. Other popular makeup brands launched by YouTube influencers include Jeffree Star Cosmetics and Tati Beauty.