Instagram has grown to around 3 billion monthly active users as of September 2025. Meta’s CEO confirmed this milestone in earnings and media briefings, which makes Instagram one of the biggest attention platforms in the world.
If you are trying to qualify for Instagram monetization in 2026, you already know it is definitely not the old “just post Reels and money will fall from the sky” situation.
And because millions of creators are posting every day, Meta is not paying anyone who simply uploads a video. You need to meet a few strict requirements, and they fall into a couple of clear categories:
- Your account type
- Your age and location
- Your policy history and content
- Your follower base and basic activity
- Feature specific thresholds for tools like Subscriptions, Gifts and Badges
This guide puts every requirement in one clear place so you actually know what Instagram expects from you and how to become eligible in the next 3 to 6 months.
If you want the bigger picture of every earning feature available, you can also read my detailed breakdown of Instagram monetization requirements for 2026.
1. Understanding what Instagram monetization actually is
Before you can qualify, you need to be clear what Instagram monetization means. Instagram uses that word for specific tools that pay you through Meta, not for every way you might earn because of your account.
Built-in monetization tools
These are the official features that run through Meta’s payout system and monetization policies:
- Instagram Subscriptions
Paid monthly access to exclusive content for your subscribers. Eligibility includes having a professional account, being at least 18 and having at least 10,000 followers in a supported country while complying with policies. - Instagram Gifts (Stars)
Fans buy Stars and send them as Gifts on eligible Reels or Lives. Official docs say you must have a professional account, be 18 or older and meet Partner Monetization Policies and other rules.
Creator focused guides also mention follower thresholds that are relatively low for Gifts, often starting around 500 to 1000 followers depending on region. - Badges and live monetization
In some regions, viewers can buy Badges during Lives. Several up to date breakdowns note you typically need a professional account, at least 10,000 followers, active live history and full policy compliance. - Reels ad revenue share / in stream ads
Ads run on or between your Reels and you receive a share if you qualify. This is guided by the same high level monetization policies and often requires a professional account, an eligible country and consistent original content. - Shopping and shops
If you sell products and your business passes Instagram’s commerce checks, you can earn directly through tagged products and shops. Requirements include a professional account, eligible markets and compliance with commerce and monetization rules.
These are the tools people usually mean when they talk about Instagram monetization requirements.
Off-platform monetization that still depends on your account health
You can earn money without ever touching Gifts or Subscriptions, for example:
- Brand deals and sponsored posts
- UGC work where you create content for brands
- Affiliate marketing and link based offers
- Driving people to your own site, products or services
Here Instagram does not pay you directly, but your reach still depends on whether your account is healthy, safe and compliant. The more your account meets Instagram monetization requirements, the safer your visibility is for these income streams too.
2. Your main checklist: The baseline Instagram monetization requirements
No matter which monetization feature you want, everything starts with Meta’s core Partner Monetization Policies and Content Monetization Policies. If your account does not pass these basic rules, Instagram will not unlock any earning option for you.
- You must have a professional account
Instagram requires a professional account, either Creator or Business, for all official monetization tools.
You can switch inside the app:
- Go to your profile
- Open settings
- Choose “Account type” and switch to Creator or Business
- Then open the Professional dashboard at the top of your profile to access monetization and insights
If you are still on a personal account, you are blocked at step one.
- You must be at least 18
Most monetization tools state 18 years or older as a requirement. This is explicit for Subscriptions and Gifts and is repeated by multiple official and partner documentation.
This is non-negotiable. Age is tied to contracts, payouts and legal responsibilities.
- You must live in a supported country
Meta’s Partner Monetization Policies clearly state that to monetize, you must reside in a country where that product is available. They also warn that if you move to an ineligible country, you may lose the ability to monetize.
Each tool has its own availability:
- Subscriptions have their own country list
- Gifts have a separate list
- Shops and Reels ads depend on commerce and ads availability
These lists change over time, so you need to check the official help pages for each product you care about.
If a feature is not available in your country, no hack or app can unlock it. You will need to focus on off platform monetization until rollout reaches you.
- You must comply with Partner Monetization Policies
Partner Monetization Policies look at your account as a whole. They check:
- Whether your content and behaviour are authentic
- Whether you rely on fake or misleading engagement
- Whether you follow community rules over time
The policy documents are explicit that you must avoid fake engagement, clickbait and untrustworthy behaviour and must not repeatedly violate Community Standards if you want to monetize.
This means:
- Do not buy followers or likes
- Avoid engagement pods where people spam comments just to boost numbers
- Do not mass repost content that you did not create
- Take any policy warnings seriously and fix them quickly
Even if your account looks clean from the outside, Partner Monetization Policies can quietly block you in the background if your old behaviour was messy.
- You must comply with Content Monetization Policies
Content Monetization Policies control what kind of content can be monetized. They focus on subject matter, safety and rights.
This means:
- You must own the rights to the content or have clear permission
- Content involving graphic violence, explicit sexual material or glorifying harm usually cannot be monetized
- Certain sensitive topics such as dangerous stunts, hate, harassment or misleading health and finance claims can disqualify your content even if it is not deleted
If you are in a sensitive niche, be careful about how you frame content. A responsible, educational angle is safer than shock driven content even if both get views.
- Your account cannot be primarily for children
Meta’s rules for Subscriptions and Gifts explicitly say that accounts that are primarily directed at children are not eligible for these tools.
This is especially relevant if you create kids content, family vlogs or toy content. You might be fine for reach, but blocked from official monetization.
- You need a payout setup
To actually receive money you also need:
- A payout account in Meta’s payout system or connected financial partner
- Correct tax information for your country
Most credible monetization guides mention that you must have bank or PayPal details configured for payouts as part of the baseline Instagram monetization requirements.
Instagram will show payout setup inside your Professional dashboard once a feature is active or available.
3. Feature-specific requirements you should plan for
This checklist tells you whether your account is even eligible to earn in the first place. After that, each monetization feature has its own rules that decide which earning tools show up for you.
Here is what you need to qualify for Instagram’s main monetization features.
- Subscriptions: recurring income from your top followers
Official Subscriptions eligibility is quite clear. Meta’s help pages and multiple 2025 monetization resources agree on this structure.
To qualify for Instagram Subscriptions you need:
- A professional Creator or Business account
- At least 10,000 followers
- To be at least 18 years old
- To live in a country where Subscriptions are available
- To comply with Partner Monetization Policies and Community Guidelines
- To not be an account primarily focused on children
Follower minimums can always change, but 10,000 remains a widely repeated number across Meta aligned resources for Subscriptions and for some live monetization tools.
If you are at 3000 followers and hoping to turn on Subscriptions, your focus should be:
- Hitting 10k with ethical growth
- Building a content format that people would actually pay to access
- Keeping your account extremely clean in terms of policy and community compliance
When you are ready, you can go into the Professional dashboard and look for a Subscriptions setup tile, or check monetization status to see if it is available.
You might later want to read a deeper breakdown of Instagram Subscriptions strategy and pricing.
- Gifts: micro payments from fans who love your content
Instagram Gifts are layered on top of Meta’s Stars system. Official documentation gives a clear eligibility baseline.
To qualify for Instagram Gifts you need:
- A professional account
- To be 18 or older
- To meet Partner Monetization Policies
- To comply with Community Guidelines and Content Monetization Policies
- To be in a country where Gifts are available
Creator side guides indicate that you often need a minimum follower count, but the exact number can vary:
- Some guides mention 500 followers as a minimum in the United States and around 1000 in other regions
- Other recent articles talk about needing at least a small but established audience and a history of original content rather than a precise follower number
On the earnings side, Stars usually pay around 0.01 US dollars per Star, which is also echoed by several creator education sites.
That makes Gifts a nice extra rather than your entire business model. They work best if you run live sessions or publish a lot of Reels with strong emotional resonance where fans actually feel like giving something back.
You may later want to read how Instagram Gifts work and how to increase the number of Stars you receive.
- Badges and live monetization
Badges in Lives are similar in spirit to Gifts. Viewers can buy badges while you are live and you earn based on those purchases.
Several credible monetization breakdowns list:
- Professional account
- At least 10,000 followers
- 18 plus
- Compliance with monetization policies
- Active live history
as the common practical requirements to qualify.
Badges are not available in every country. Some sources specifically call out availability primarily in the United States and a limited set of other markets at this time.
If you already go live often and have a mid sized audience, you can treat Badges as a potential extra. If you rarely go live, this is not the first tool you should chase.
- Reels revenue share and other ad based monetization
Meta has been moving away from broad experiment based bonuses and focusing more on sustainable models like revenue share formats. Recent creator guides point out that to get paid from Reels ads you typically need:
- A professional account
- To be at least 18
- To follow Partner Monetization Policies and Content Monetization Policies
- To post original, brand safe content
- To be in a country where Reels monetization has rolled out
Unlike Subscriptions, there is not one official public follower number that unlocks Reels ads. Instead there are performance and content quality expectations. Some 2025 breakdowns suggest that accounts with at least 1000 to 10,000 followers, consistent Reels posting and stable views are more likely to see monetization options surface in their dashboard.
To qualify here in a practical sense you want:
- A Reels schedule where you post at least several times per week
- High retention content that people watch, not just scroll past
- No heavy reliance on reused or watermarked content
You can back this up with a future article on how much Instagram pays for Reels in 2026 and realistic earning models.
- Shops and commerce tools
Eligibility for Instagram Shops and commerce features sits on top of both monetization policies and commerce policies.
Common requirements include:
- A professional account
- A supported country and compliant business model
- A connected product catalog or approved commerce partner
- Full compliance with monetization and commerce policies
There is no fixed follower minimum here, but Instagram still expects an authentic presence and policy clean history.
4. Step by step: How to check your monetization status in the app
You do not have to guess whether Instagram thinks you qualify. There is a dedicated status page.
Official documentation explains how to access it:
- Open Instagram and go to your profile
- Tap the menu icon
- Tap “Creator tools and controls” or “Business tools and controls”
- Tap “Monetization status”
Here you will see whether you are:
- Eligible
- At risk
- Not eligible
- Or simply not in a region where the feature is available
When you open the details section, Instagram usually tells you if there are any issues or restrictions blocking monetization. Think of these as red flags you need to clear first, because nothing else will move until these are fixed.
5. An eligibility checklist you can actually work through
Now let me pull everything together into a simple sequence you can act on.
1. Fix account basics
- Switch to a Creator or Business account
- Check that your profile is public, has a clear niche and looks like a real person or brand, not a repost page
This sounds obvious, but there are still creators trying to monetize from private profiles or faceless compilation pages.
2. Confirm age and country reality
- You must be 18 or older
- You must be honest about where you live
If your region is not eligible for a specific feature, no amount of tweaking will unlock it right now. Focus on what you can control instead, such as brand deals or affiliate.
3. Clean your content history
Go through your grid and Reels and look for:
- Reposted clips with watermarks from other platforms
- Content that leans into graphic violence or shock for engagement
- Old Lives or posts that might violate health, finance or safety rules
- Any posts that got previous warnings
Archive or delete content that is likely to cause issues under Content Monetization Policies. This helps clear your record for future monetization checks.
4. Stop using fake engagement tactics
If you have:
- Bought followers or likes
- Participated in comment or follower exchange groups
- Used cheap growth services
you are probably flagged under Partner Monetization Policies even if your follower count looks good.
From now on:
- Stop all artificial growth strategies
- Focus on content that earns comments and saves because it is actually useful or entertaining
- Accept that your visible numbers may plateau while your account gets healthier
5. Build to the right follower thresholds
Match your goals to the realistic numbers:
- To qualify for Instagram Subscriptions, aim for 10,000 followers on a professional account with strong engagement and policy compliance
- To qualify for Gifts, aim for at least 1000 followers as a safe minimum, more in some regions, and regular Reels or Lives output
- To make shops and affiliate efforts worth it, focus on having a clearly defined audience that actually buys, instead of chasing any views
Follower counts alone are not enough, but they are still part of Instagram monetization requirements for some features.
6. Set up payouts and tax details
Once you see any monetization tool become available in the Professional dashboard:
- Open the setup flow
- Add your bank or supported payout provider details
- Complete tax information as requested
Several monetization and commerce guides highlight that incomplete payouts setup can delay or block earnings even when you qualify in every other way.
7. Design your first paid offer ahead of time
If you are working toward Subscriptions or Gifts, do not wait until the toggle appears to think about what you will sell.
- For Subscriptions, sketch your monthly content promise, pricing tiers and launch sequence now
- For Gifts and Badges, design recurring live formats where it feels natural for people to support you
This makes you much more likely to turn eligibility into actual income instead of just a switch you turn on and then ignore.
6. Common reasons creators do not qualify even when their numbers look good
A lot of accounts look like they should be earning, but get stuck. Usually it is because of one of these.
- Their content or account focuses on kids
Monetization policies are sensitive around children, so kids content often fails eligibility even if it thrives on reach. - They built their follower count with shortcuts
Bought followers, fake giveaways and spammy tactics might have worked to inflate numbers, but Meta’s systems are tuned to penalise inauthentic growth and restrict monetization. - They ignore warnings in monetization status
Instagram actually surfaces some issues in Monetization status, but many creators never check that page or treat it like a suggestion instead of a hard block. - They broke branded content rules
Doing sponsored posts without the Paid partnership label or using misleading claims can violate monetization rules even if the content is still live on your feed.
If your eligibility looks wrong, your first move should always be to go through Monetization status, resolve everything you see there, then wait and keep your content clean for a while before assuming it is a bug.
7. Build for eligibility and resilience, not just quick payouts
Learning how to qualify for Instagram monetization in 2026 is about building an account that Instagram trusts enough to pay and that your audience trusts enough to support.
If you want a roadmap that goes beyond this eligibility checklist, read my main guide on Instagram monetization requirements for 2026 and what has changed over the years. It breaks down which features are likely to last and which ones you should treat as bonuses.
From there, you can go deeper into tactics with content like my breakdown of how much Instagram pays for Reels in 2026 and realistic earning scenarios.
The short version looks like this:
- Clean up your account so you pass Partner Monetization Policies and Content Monetization Policies
- Hit the right follower and engagement thresholds with ethical growth
- Make sure your country and payout details line up
- Design paid offers and live formats that your existing audience would genuinely pay for
If you follow these steps consistently, you end up with an Instagram account that is actually ready to monetize and tap into new income options as Meta keeps rolling out more tools through 2026 and after.
