YouTube star Jimmy “MrBeast” has weighed in on Elon Musk’s plan to increase creator payouts on X in an effort to compete with YouTube. The discussion picked up pace after a viral post claimed Musk had asked X to raise payments for creators. The idea quickly caught attention across social media.
MrBeast responded to the debate by sharing his own experience as one of the world’s biggest content creators. He suggested that matching YouTube’s earning potential would be extremely difficult.
MrBeast explains why YouTube is hard to beat for creators
Reacting to the viral post, MrBeast made it clear that YouTube sets a very high standard when it comes to creator earnings. He explained that YouTube has built the strongest revenue system ever for video creators. As an example, he revealed that a single one of his channels has already generated ad revenue in the nine-figure range. In his view, this shows why competing directly with YouTube on payouts is a huge challenge.
His response led to hundreds of reactions on X. Some users joked that MrBeast might change platforms if offered enough money. Others encouraged Musk not to give up, saying higher payouts would benefit creators who rely more on X. A few users also pointed out that X is not well suited for long videos filled with ads, unlike YouTube, which works well on TVs and supports longer viewing sessions.
The conversation did not stop there. A day earlier, another X user suggested that Musk should dramatically increase payouts, even beyond YouTube levels. The user argued that platforms willing to pay creators more would attract the most reliable and trusted content. They also claimed that as AI tools scrape more online material, platforms that reward creators properly would stand out.
Elon Musk later responded positively to that idea. He agreed to raise payouts but stressed the importance of strictly preventing abuse of the system. His reply signaled that changes could be coming, though details remain unclear.Meanwhile, Musk also made headlines for unrelated comments about video games. He recently explained why he does not enjoy playing Grand Theft Auto. He said he stopped playing when the game forced him to shoot at police officers to continue.
For now, MrBeast’s comments highlight a key reality. While X may improve creator payouts, YouTube still remains the top platform for long-form video creators looking to earn at the highest level.On January 1, 2026, Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson provided a stark "reality check" to Elon Musk’s vision for X (formerly Twitter) as a top-tier video platform.
Here is the breakdown of why MrBeast believes beating YouTube is "pretty hard."
1. The "Nine-Figure" Reality Check3
In a viral post, MrBeast revealed the sheer scale of YouTube's monetization machine:
The Stat: He stated that just one of his YouTube channels has already generated nine figures ($100M+) in ad revenue.
5 The Point: He argued that YouTube has built the "strongest revenue system ever to exist" for video creators, making it nearly impossible for a text-first platform like X to catch up through simple payout tweaks.
6
2. The "Facade" of X Payouts7
MrBeast pointed back to his own experiments on X to explain why high-profile payouts on the platform can be misleading:
Inflated Numbers: When MrBeast posted a video on X in 2024, it earned $263,655 in its first week.
9 However, he called this a "facade," explaining that advertisers likely targeted his video specifically because of the buzz, creating a CPM (cost per thousand views) that an average creator would never see.10 View Discrepancy: He noted that 157 million "impressions" on X do not equal 157 million "views" on YouTube.
11 On X, a view is counted if the post simply appears in a feed, whereas YouTube requires active engagement and longer watch times, which advertisers value much more highly.12
3. The "TV" and "Long-Form" Advantage
MrBeast broke down the structural reasons why YouTube remains the king of creator revenue:
User Behavior: YouTube is optimized for the "lean back" experience on large-screen TVs and long-form viewing sessions, where high-value ads (like unskippable mid-rolls) are more effective.
13 Predictability: YouTube’s AdSense system allows creators to plan massive production budgets—often in the millions—because the revenue is predictable.
14 X’s current model is still seen as too erratic for large-scale production.
Payout Comparison: YouTube vs. X (Estimates)
| Metric | YouTube (Long-form) | X (Average Creator) |
| Primary Revenue | Targeted Video Ads (AdSense) | Ads in Reply Threads |
| Typical CPM | $1.20 – $6.00+ | ~$0.01 – $0.05 (Estimated) |
| Revenue Model | 55% to Creator | 97% to Creator (up to $50k) |
| Platform Strength | Predictable, High-Value | Highly Viral, Lower Value/Ad |
Elon Musk’s Response: "Let's Do It"
Despite the reality check, Elon Musk remains undeterred. On December 30, 2025, he tagged X’s head of product, Nikita Bier, with a simple directive: "Ok, let’s do it," referring to a plan to "crank creator payouts way way way up" to attract original content.
Musk’s strategy appears to be a "burn-rate" approach—eating the cost of higher payouts now to win the war for "authoritative" human content before AI-generated media dominates the internet.
Would you like me to look up the current eligibility requirements for the X Ads Revenue Sharing program if you're thinking of starting a channel there?
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