Instagram reportedly offers YouTubers up to $500,000 for Features
Meta says it's "too early to share a long-term monetization model", while Instagram has approached "select" YouTubers with offers up to $500,000.
If you make long videos, Instagram wants them now. Its new Features format has reportedly drawn offers of up to $500,000, yet Meta has no clear plan to pay long-form creators.
What Instagram actually launched
Features is a long-form, widescreen format announced on October 26. The Verge’s launch story says it’s a small test in the US, with some creators in Brazil.
The Verge’s follow-up says Features videos can run up to 90 minutes, which is far past the 20-minute cap on Reels.
That length seemingly suits the TV apps Instagram launched late last year, where Tessa Lyons says people watch Reels together in their living rooms.
Adam Mosseri has been against long video on Instagram.
He worried it would pull the app away from connecting friends.
Now the team says short and long video can work together, with clips pointing viewers back to your full upload.
The money is the open question
Tubefilter’s report, which cites Business Insider, says Instagram has approached select YouTubers with a floor of $50,000 and offers topping out at $500,000.
Meta confirmed it funds some Features content directly, but the deal terms are confidential. From outside, you can only guess whether the money is one-time fees or monthly pay.
Tubefilter says it would bet on one-time flat compensation.
Bonuses or an ad share could come on top if your videos perform well.
So does the $500,000 figure apply to you? Probably not. Business Insider says Instagram approached “select” YouTubers.
The reported condition is simple: post to Features the same day you upload to YouTube.
Still, Tubefilter reports that the deals aren’t asking creators for exclusivity.
Where the pay gap sits
But that’s the real complaint. Creators on Threads and Reddit say Features offers reach but an unclear payout, unlike the ad share you get on YouTube.
Mosseri replied on Threads with “We understand the economics matter a ton,” and said Meta is exploring multiple options to help creators like you get paid. That’s the gap.
Right now, Mosseri says, you get paid by:
- brands on Instagram
- fans, for some people
Meta retired its old Facebook ad revenue share in 2024.
Of course, Mosseri also said the small performance program costs Meta more than it earns back, so he doesn’t see much case for scaling it up.
Why it matters
My read: Features is a reach test for most of you, and there’s nothing more yet.
Should you post the same video on both platforms? Only if you can see what’s coming back to your channel or site.
Read the terms first.
Before you post, check two things:
- the deal terms, including whether the pay is one-time or monthly
- whether the same day you upload to YouTube applies to your channel
The Verge reports that Meta will use these videos to train its AI models, and that’s a trade you should weigh before you move a whole back catalogue onto the format.
Is that trade worth it for your work? If your videos are your product, I’d hold off until the deal terms are clearer.
Either way, on Instagram, Mosseri says creators are primarily paid by brands.
It’s too early for you to build on Features yet.
That said, if you already make long videos, a month of testing costs you little but time.
Whether Instagram will pay anyone outside these early deals is still open. I’d say so before I’d guess.
Common Questions
Can you get paid for posting a Features video right now?
Reports say Instagram funds some Features deals with select YouTubers. Mosseri says on Instagram, creators are primarily paid by brands, and some people are paid by fans. Meta says it’s too early to share a long-term monetization model for Features.
Do you have to leave YouTube to post on Features?
No. Reported deals ask creators to post on Features the same day they upload to YouTube, and they aren’t exclusive. None of the reports says what happens to your channel beyond that.
Should you test Features without a deal?
Yes, if your long videos already perform well on YouTube, and track whether Features sends viewers back to your channel or site. Don’t count on payouts until Meta publishes a monetization plan.
