A few decades ago, one would never have imagined the possibilities brought about by modern-day social media. YouTube, in particular, has given rise to high-earning internet personalities. These people upload content to the social channel and make money through the diverse monetization methods provided by the video hosting giant. The richest YouTubers in 2019 vary in age, business niches, and geographic locations.
Most of the top ten richest YouTubers in 2019 upload content with consistency, thus making their channels attractive for viewers, fans, and followers. Some of the YouTubers earn from advert-related methods while others earn through affiliate marketing or the sale of merchandise through their channels. Regardless of the combination of tactics, these individuals’ YouTube endeavors have made their channels the highest-earning ones.
How much do YouTubers make? Here is a list of what the top 10 YouTubers made in the last twelve months.
10. Logan Paul: $14.5 Million
Logan Paul is a popular vlogger in the YouTube community. He earned approximately $14.5 million in the past year, making him the tenth highest YouTuber in 2019. However, the internet entrepreneur has been embroiled in several controversies that have even attracted the attention of YouTube’s management. On November 23, 2018, Paul was accused of objectifying women in his new music video titled No Handlebars.
Earlier in 2017, the internet personality caused a stir when he uploaded a video of a deceased person who had allegedly committed suicide near Mount Fuji. The YouTuber faced heavy criticism for the act from politicians and other celebrities, leading him to issue a public apology on Twitter. His recent income has mostly come from merchandise sales.
9. PewDiePie: $15.5 Million
Felix ‘PewDiePie’ Kjellberg’s YouTube channel raked in about $15.5 million in the last twelve months. The popular internet personality began his PewDiePie page in 2010 after dropping out of college. His first video involved a Minecraft playthrough depicting a zombie that had bred in Minecraft. These were followed by similar playthrough videos of games such as Dead Space 2, The Dark Descent, Amnesia, and Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Like several other popular YouTubers, PewDiePie has faced scandals. In the past, he has been accused of antisemitism and racism, among other things. However, his channel remains one of the most subscribed on YouTube.
8. Jacksepticeye (Sean McLoughlin): $16 Million
Sean McLoughlin is an Irish YouTube personality who runs the popular channel, Jacksepticeye. He is widely known for his comedy-related Let's Play series as well as his vlogs. By April 2019, his channel had received more than ten billion views and had millions of subscribers. Jacksepticeye ranks as Ireland’s most subscribed channel, and McLoughlin made approximately $16 million in the last year through his channel.
Sean created the channel in 2007 after being among the first individuals to become part of Disney’s Revelmode network. Although Disney eventually dropped Revelmode from its list of supported programs, Sean remained highly successful. The YouTuber has participated in numerous charity events that have helped raise millions of dollars for American charities.
7. VanossGaming (Evan Fong): $17 Million
VanossGaming is a YouTube channel run by Evan Fong, a famous Canadian video game commentator. The YouTuber posts montage-style videos of him and other content creators playing video games. He also produces music under the name Rynx. Besides uploading content, Evan has also worked as a voice actor for YouTube’s series, Paranormal Action Squad. In the last year, Fong made $17 million from his channel.
One unique feature of VanossGaming videos is that Evan is hardly seen. As his popularity rose, he started his clothing line to add to his income stream.
6. Markiplier (Mark Edward Fischbach): $17.5 Million
Mark Edward Fischbach created the Markiplier channel around five years ago in 2014. This makes it one of the relatively new channels to make the top ten earning list. Before starting his channel, Mark was laid off from his job and had to undergo surgery. He then moved to Los Angeles and began Markiplier. By mid-2018, the channel had received more than nine billion views and over twenty million subscribers. Mark Edward raked in $17.5 million through the channel in the last twelve months, which is impressive for a channel that is barely five years old.
In 2017, Fischbach did a tour known as You’re Welcome Tour from North America to Australia through Europe. He is well-known in social circles as a charitable figure, having helped raise $3 million for charity through different funding sources in 2017. In April 2018, the YouTuber raised more than $1.5 million for charity.
5. Jeffree Star (Jeffrey Lynn Steininger Jr): $18 Million
Jeffrey Lynn Steininger is an American internet celebrity, entrepreneur, model, makeup artist, and singer. He is the owner and founder of Jeffree Star Cosmetics. Jeffree’s channel has been around for quite a while, having started in 2006. Before venturing into YouTube, Steiniger was a famous personality on MySpace. Besides uploading videos on his channel, Jeffree also sells his makeup-related merchandise, which significantly contributes to his earnings.
In 2009, the YouTuber released his first album, Beauty Killer, which featured tracks such as Lollipop Luxury featuring Nicki Minaj. In 2010, Jeffree signed to Akon’s Konvict Muzik label. Plans to release his second album under the label were canceled after legal issues befell Akon between 2007 and 2010. In the last twelve months, Jeffree’s YouTube endeavors have earned him $18 million.
4. DanTDM (Daniel Middleton): $18.5 Million
Daniel Middleton is a British author, professional gamer, and YouTube personality. He posts gaming videos on his YouTube channel daily. The DanTDM channel has gained popularity over the years, with an income of $18.5 million this year, which exceeds last year’s by $2 million. Besides posting video content, Middleton was among the cast members for the film Ralph Breaks the Internet. He also owns a clothing line that increases his revenue streams.
Middleton’s channel currently has more than twenty million subscribers. As of June 2019, the channel had over fourteen billion views. The channel’s earnings make Daniel one of the highest-paid YouTubers in 2019.
3. Dude Perfect: $20 Million
Unlike most channels on the top ten list, Dude Perfect is made up of five people and identifies as an American sports entertainment group. The members include Tyler Toney, Cody Jones, Gary Hilbert, and twins, Coby Cotton and Cory Cotton. The group’s most popular content involves stunts and trick shots, with upbeat music playing in the background. The group’s members also compete against each other in various contests.
In 2018, the group launched Overtime, a talk show parody of their lighthearted videos. The Dude Perfect YouTube channel has earned $20 million in the past twelve months, making it the third-highest earning channel in that period. The group’s popularity has earned the members opportunities to collaborate with professional athletes such as Drew Brees and Odell Beckham Jr.
2. Jake Paul: $21.5 Million
Jake Paul seems to be doing fantastically as a YouTube entrepreneur. His channel earned him $21.5 million in the past twelve months, making him one of the richest YouTubers in 2019. Jake first ventured into internet business on the now-defunct Vine, where he had more than two billion views for his content before it shut down. Before his Vine success, Jake was a competitive wrestler.
Besides uploading content to YouTube, Jake is also a talented actor. He was cast to play one of the main characters in the comedy series Bizaardvark, making him the first YouTuber to be cast as a regular member on a Disney television show. Jake is also quite popular on other social media channels such as Instagram and Twitter, where he has numerous followers.
1. Ryan ToysReview: $22 Million
Eight-year-old Ryan Kaji is officially the highest-paid YouTuber of 2019. His channel is all about unboxing and reviewing toys, all done by Ryan. The channel was created in 2015 and is run by Ryan’s parents, Shion and Loann Kaji. In the past twelve months, Ryan ToysReview earned $22 million, making it the highest-earning YouTube channel within that period.
Ryan ToysReview is essentially a children’s
