It’s no secret that MrBeast – real name Jimmy Donaldson – is a pretty wealthy man. After all, he’s the most successful YouTuber of all time, so it’s safe to say that he’s got more than a couple of dollars to rub together.
But did you know that MrBeast reinvests a huge portion of his channel’s revenue? And that this is a huge contributor to his success on and offline? MrBeast is a fascinating case study, which is why we’re deep-diving into how MrBeast has made his millions and exactly what ‘reinvesting’ means to the creator extraordinaire.
How does MrBeast make his money?
In 2022, Forbes estimated the creator and entrepreneur was worth $500M, making him the highest-paid YouTube creator in the world. But how exactly did he amass this insane wealth?
Creators the size of MrBeast don’t tend to rely on just one stream of income. Rather than putting all their eggs in one basket (a move that can be disastrous if that revenue stream stops being profitable), they take advantage of every avenue available to them.
To put this into context, here are a few of the ways we know MrBeast makes money:
1) Brand deals and sponsorships
MrBeast has collaborated with countless brands in different capacities, from sponsored YouTube videos to paid endorsements, partnerships, and appearances. He’ll receive a lucrative payout for each sponsorship, charging around $2.5 million to $3 million for a shout-out in a video.
2) YouTube ad revenue
One of the easiest ways for YouTubers to make money is through the platform’s Partner Programme, which allows them to monetize their content, allowing creators to take home a portion of the revenue YouTube makes by running ads on their videos. As MrBeast’s videos have amassed billions of views across his multiple YouTube channels, we can assume he earns a lot of money through AdSense.
3) Merchandise sales
Merch is a win-win for creators and their fans. Fans get to rep their favorite creator, and the creator gets paid! MrBeast’s merch store is in a league of its own, with his loyal fan base driving significant sales and, therefore, revenue.
4) Viral philanthropy
While he donates 100% of the revenue made from his dedicated philanthropy channel, Beast Philanthropy, to charity, MrBeast is also well known for posting videos showing off his philanthropic efforts to his main channel, which draws in huge numbers of viewers (and enhances his earnings).
5) Investments and other ventures
MrBeast isn’t solely reliant on his YouTube channel for income. He’s also invested in several business ventures and startups, launched his own brand of chocolate bars called ‘Feastables,’ and, in March 2024, announced he was creating a new show with Amazon Studios.
“I’ve reinvested everything to the point of stupidity”
MrBeast famously said that he’s not rich. Considering he has over 300M YouTube subscribers and a net worth of $500M, you may think he’s talking nonsense. That’s because it’s a slightly misleading statement.
MrBeast earns a huge amount of money every year from his various business ventures — up to $700M a year, according to CNBC. But that money doesn’t go directly into his bank account. In fact, he doesn’t even have direct access to his business’s revenue streams (the responsibility for managing that income goes to his CFO and his mom).
Rather than spending his income on crazy mansions and trips to Dubai, MrBeast reinvests as much of what he earns back into his channel. That’s not to say he doesn’t have a luxury home and private chef (who wouldn’t, in his position), but he is a rare breed of creator who prioritizes the longevity of his career over short-term gains.
MrBeast’s goal is to grow his empire by spending no expense when planning and filming content. The logic is that the more he spends, the bigger and better the videos, the more views they draw in — and the cycle continues.
This is how, over time, MrBeast has managed to create grander and more ambitious videos, such as his iconic true-to-life recreation of Netflix’s hit show Squid Game, which reportedly cost $3M to produce while remaining profitable.
What matters most: what you earn or what you do with it?
There are too many cautionary tales out there of creators who failed to invest their income or innovate their content, assuming that they’d be able to pull in seven-figure viewing figures and brand deals for years to come.
We doubt MrBeast will be one of them. That’s why he’s a great source of inspiration for creators wanting to build sustainable and impactful careers in the creator economy.
If you learn anything from the King of YouTube, make it this: rather than shining bright and burning out fast, be clever with your money. Because it’s not how much you earn that’s important, but what you do with it.
