Who the platform pays, and for what

The word “monetization” reads as “I will get paid”. That is not true everywhere: on some platforms the money goes to the app developer, not to the author of the content, and on some there is no direct payout at all — the platform brings an audience and stops there.

Below is what the platforms' own documentation says, with a link на документ.

They pay the author of the content

Dzen. stated: «run your channel and earn income»; thresholds and conditions are not given in the general help source, checked 2026-07-27

RUTUBE. as a general rule creators do NOT receive remuneration; the exception is "Partner" status under a separate agreement source, checked 2026-07-27

Instagram. the ways of earning on the platform: Badges in live broadcasts, Gifts, Subscriptions, branded content, Creator Marketplace, Partnership Ads and bonuses source, checked 2026-07-28

Reddit. there are payout programmes (Earnings Programs): selected authors receive money for particular kinds of activity provided the conditions are met. Policy revision of 24 September 2024 source, checked 2026-07-28

Boosty. subscriptions with tiers, one-off donations, paid messages, bundles of posts, trial periods and subscription discounts, bulk mailing to the audience source, checked 2026-07-28

Telegram. 50% of the income from Telegram Ads goes to the owners of the channels where the ad was shown source, checked 2026-07-27

VKontakte. paid community subscriptions («VK Donut») are available through the API: you can find out whether a user is subscribed, get the subscription price, its state and the next payment date, and publish paid posts. The platform calls a subscriber a «don» source, checked 2026-07-28

They pay the app developer, not the author

Discord. monetization covers bots and "activities" (embedded applications), but not ordinary user accounts source, checked 2026-07-28

Odnoklassniki. for game developers there is rewarded in-game advertising: for watching a clip the user receives in-game currency or bonuses, and the developer a reward for the impression. This is monetization of the APPLICATION, not its promotion on the platform source, checked 2026-07-28

Twitch. for extensions the platform names two ways to earn: requesting Bits from a viewer and microtransactions; the documentation gives them a separate “Monetization” section source, checked 2026-07-28

No direct payout — they bring an audience

Twitch. the broadcaster's revenue from Drops is described by the platform as INDIRECT: growth in the number of channel subscribers and, through that, of gross revenue; there is no direct payout for taking part in a campaign source, checked 2026-07-28

What it takes to get paid

RUTUBE. "A partner can be a resident of the Russian Federation (a legal entity, sole trader or self-employed person) with more than 20,000 views on the channel"; per the monetization section: a minimum of 2 videos with "For everyone" access, 20,000 views (cumulative since 1 January 2021), age from 14, "Monetization is not available to individuals". An application is reviewed within up to 30 days source, checked 2026-08-04

YouTube. no tax status is required — you need an AdSense account and residence in a supported country source, checked 2026-07-27

YouTube. 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours over the last 12 months, OR 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views over 90 days source, checked 2026-07-27

Discord. paid application features are available ONLY to developers in the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom; for other countries the platform promises to open them later source, checked 2026-07-28

Discord. For app monetization: "Once your app has made its first $100 it will become eligible for payout" — the first threshold is 100 USD source, checked 2026-08-04

Odnoklassniki. ad impressions ARE NOT COUNTED until a contract has been concluded, and no reward at all is paid for impressions made before it was concluded. The contract is concluded via a link for residents of the Russian Federation; non-residents are invited to apply through the game's moderation ticket source, checked 2026-07-28

Instagram. the payout threshold for badges is $100: «Once you've earned at least $100, you'll get paid» source, checked 2026-07-28

RUTUBE. the minimum payout is 3000 RUB (sole traders and legal entities, to a bank account); for the self-employed, through the Wallet source, checked 2026-07-27

When a payout can be taken away

Reddit. if eligibility is lost, payouts are suspended or stopped, and this can affect amounts ALREADY ACCRUED but not yet paid out source, checked 2026-07-28

Reddit. certain TOPICS are excluded from payouts even where such content is allowed on the platform: «certain topics are ineligible from receiving monetary payouts even if the content is otherwise allowed» source, checked 2026-07-28

Dzen. A TIER'S PRICE CANNOT BE CHANGED after it is created source, checked 2026-07-27

Instagram. bonuses are not available to everyone: «Bonuses are limited time and invite-only as we build toward a sustainable program» — the programme is time-limited and invite-only source, checked 2026-07-28

What to do

1. First find out who gets paid. If you are an author and the platform pays app developers, no amount of content quality will change that.
2. Check the legal-status requirements before you start. At RUTUBE payouts go only to residents of Russia registered as self-employed, a sole trader or a company; at Discord paid features are available only in the USA, the EU and the UK.
3. Find out what happens if you stop qualifying. At Reddit payouts are suspended, and certain topics are excluded from the programme even if such content is allowed on the platform.
4. Do not put off the paperwork. At Odnoklassniki ad impressions are not counted until the contract is signed, and anything earned before that is not paid out at all.

For what you are charged for, see the page what you are charged for.