Short answer: Instagram has no single follower number that unlocks money. Each tool has its own rules, but the basics are the same: a professional account, being at least 18, living in a country where the feature is offered and following Instagram’s Partner Monetization Policies and Community Guidelines. On top of that, subscriptions are widely reported to need 10,000 followers, gifts need far fewer, and bonuses are invite-only.
Instagram’s monetisation tools have been added one by one over several years, and their requirements have never been gathered in one public list. Below we set out what each tool asks for, where Instagram itself is vague, and how to check what your own account can use. If you want to estimate what an account might earn rather than whether it qualifies, our Instagram money calculator covers that separately.
What do all Instagram monetisation tools require?
Whatever feature you want, expect these baseline conditions:
- A professional account: a creator or business account, which you can switch to for free in settings.
- Age 18 or over: the paid fan features are restricted to adult account holders.
- An eligible country: availability is set country by country and changes over time.
- Policy compliance: Instagram says creators must follow its Partner Monetization Policies, and content you earn from is still subject to the Community Guidelines and can be removed if it breaks them.
- A payout account: you need to add bank or payment details before any earnings can be paid out.
Originality matters too. In April 2026 Instagram extended its originality rules from reels to photos and carousels: accounts that mostly repost other people’s material are no longer recommended to non-followers. That doesn’t remove monetisation by itself, but it cuts the reach that earnings depend on.
Instagram subscriptions: requirements
Subscriptions let followers pay a monthly fee, which you set, for exclusive reels, stories, posts, Live broadcasts and chats. Subscribers get a badge next to their name and exclusive content is marked with a purple ring. Instagram pays subscription earnings on the 21st of the following month.
According to Instagram’s help centre, subscriptions are available in a list of more than 40 countries that includes the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia and most of the EU. Accounts that mainly post content focused on children are not eligible. Instagram’s help page doesn’t display a follower minimum, but creator guides from Buffer and Later, both updated in 2026, put it at 10,000 followers alongside the age-18 rule.
Gifts and badges: requirements
Gifts on reels
Gifts let viewers buy Stars inside the app and send them on reels they enjoy, and you are paid for the Stars you receive. Gifts have a much lower follower bar than subscriptions: recent creator guides report a minimum of 500 followers, though Later notes the threshold can vary by region.
Badges in Live
Badges are bought by viewers during a Live broadcast, in three price tiers, and a heart appears next to their name. Instagram says payouts start once you pass a minimum balance and that app store fees from Apple and Google come off purchases first. Instagram’s creator page doesn’t state a follower minimum for badges; some guides cite 10,000 followers, so treat your own dashboard as the final word, and expect availability to vary by country.
Bonuses, Creator Marketplace and shopping
Bonuses pay you for the performance of reels and photos, including carousels. Instagram describes them as limited-time and invite-only, so you can’t apply; you can only accept an invitation if Instagram offers one.
Creator Marketplace is where brands find creators for paid partnerships. It launched for US brands in 2022 and expanded to the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India and Brazil in February 2024. You negotiate your own fee, and any paid deal, including free products or trips, needs Instagram’s Paid Partnership label. UK creators should also follow the advertising rules in our guide to #ad rules in the UK.
Shoppable reels arrived in March 2026: eligible creators can tag up to 30 products in a reel, including affiliate links, and earn commission on sales. At launch it was rolling out in the US, Brazil, India, Indonesia and Thailand, with other commerce markets promised later; the UK was not named.
Don’t confuse these with Meta One creator plans, launched in September 2026. Those are paid subscriptions that give creators extra tools such as a link page, scheduling and deeper insights; they are a cost, not a way of earning.
Instagram monetisation tools at a glance
| Tool | How you earn | Follower requirement | Key condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subscriptions | Monthly fee from subscribers | Reported as 10,000 | 18+, eligible country (UK included), not child-focused |
| Gifts | Stars sent on reels | Reported as about 500, varies by region | 18+, eligible country |
| Badges | Viewer purchases during Live | Not published by Instagram | 18+, availability varies by country |
| Bonuses | Performance of reels and photos | None published | Invite-only |
| Creator Marketplace | Brand partnerships | None published | Paid Partnership label required |
| Shoppable reels | Affiliate commission | None published | Not yet launched in the UK at announcement |
How do you check your own eligibility?
The quickest way is to look inside the app rather than rely on any list, including this one:
- Open your profile and tap Professional dashboard.
- Look for the monetisation or earning tools section. If you qualify for subscriptions, Instagram shows an option to set them up.
- Check your account status for any policy problems, which can block monetisation even if you meet the follower bar.
If a tool is missing, the usual reasons are your country, your age, your follower count or a recent policy strike. Instagram doesn’t always explain which one applies.
Is it worth chasing a follower threshold?
Thresholds are the entry ticket, not the business model. A subscription offer only works if enough followers care about your content to pay, and gifts depend on reels that people actually watch to the end. Our overview of follower milestones on every platform shows how Instagram compares with other networks.
Inflating numbers to clear a threshold faster is a gamble: Instagram’s rules don’t allow artificial engagement, and monetisation tools come with their own policy checks on top of the Community Guidelines. If you are weighing that route, read our honest guide on whether it is safe to buy Instagram followers first, and remember that bought followers don’t subscribe, send gifts or buy products.
Frequently asked questions
Does Instagram pay for views on reels?
Not directly for most creators. There is no open programme that pays a fixed rate per view; performance payments come through invite-only bonuses, and other income comes from fans or brands.
Can you monetise a personal Instagram account?
Not with Instagram’s own tools. Subscriptions, gifts, badges and bonuses all require a creator or business account. You can switch for free, and your followers and posts stay the same.
Are Instagram monetisation tools available in the UK?
Subscriptions are officially listed as available in the United Kingdom, and UK brands can use Creator Marketplace. Other tools are rolled out country by country, so check your professional dashboard to see what your account can use.
Can under-18s earn money on Instagram?
Instagram’s fan-funded tools such as subscriptions, gifts and badges are reported to require account holders to be 18 or over. Younger creators are limited to other routes, such as brand work arranged with a parent or guardian.
Sources: Instagram Help Centre: subscriptions eligibility, Instagram for Creators: subscriptions, Instagram for Creators: badges, Instagram for Creators: bonuses