How to add a subscription option to your TikTok account

To add a subscription to your TikTok account, you need a Creator Fund account with at least 10,000 followers, and you must be at least 18 years old. Go to your profile, tap the three lines in the top right, select "Creator tools," then "Subscriptions." From there, you can set your subscription price (TikTok offers preset tiers), create subscriber-only content, and turn the feature on. Your followers will then see a "Subscribe" button on your profile instead of the standard "Follow" button.

The process takes about five minutes, but TikTok may take a few hours to activate the feature on your account after you set it up. During that time, the Subscribe button may not appear to your followers yet. If you don't see the Subscriptions option in Creator tools, your account doesn't meet the requirements or TikTok hasn't rolled the feature out to your region yet.

Key Takeaways

  • You must have at least 10,000 followers and be 18 or older to set up subscriptions on TikTok.
  • Subscription prices are set by TikTok in preset tiers, and you cannot choose a custom price.
  • Subscribers get access to subscriber-only videos, a special badge next to their name, and exclusive live streams you designate.
  • TikTok takes a percentage of subscription revenue, and you receive the remainder as a payout to your linked payment method.

Meeting the account requirements before you start

Your account must meet two hard requirements: 10,000 followers and an age of 18 or older. If your account is younger than this threshold, the Subscriptions option simply will not appear in Creator tools, no matter what else you do. There is no way to bypass this or request early access.

Your account also needs to be in good standing with TikTok's Community Guidelines. If you have had recent violations or strikes against your account, TikTok may not show you the Subscriptions feature even if you meet the follower and age requirements. Check your account status under "Account health" in Creator tools to see if there are any active violations.

Setting subscription prices and tiers

TikTok does not let you set a custom subscription price. Instead, you choose from preset tiers that TikTok controls. As of now, the available tiers are $0.99, $4.99, $9.99, and $19.99 per month, though TikTok may add or remove tiers over time. You can offer only one subscription tier per account—you cannot create multiple tiers at different price points.

Once you pick a price tier, that becomes your subscription cost for all new subscribers. If you later change the price, existing subscribers keep their old rate until their subscription renews. New subscribers will pay the new price. This means your subscriber base may have people paying different amounts depending on when they subscribed.

Creating subscriber-only content and perks

After you turn on subscriptions, you can mark individual videos as subscriber-only when you upload them. Tap "Who can watch this video" during upload and select "Subscribers only." Non-subscribers will see a locked icon on that video and won't be able to watch it. You can mix subscriber-only and public videos on your account—there is no requirement to make everything exclusive.

Subscribers also receive a special badge (usually a star or heart icon) next to their username in your comments and live streams, so they stand out from regular followers. You can host subscriber-only live streams by selecting that option before you go live. These perks are built into the subscription feature; you cannot add custom perks or rewards beyond these.

Understanding payouts and revenue split

TikTok takes a cut of every subscription payment, and you receive the remainder. TikTok's exact percentage varies by region and payment method, but creators typically receive between 50 and 70 percent of the subscription price. The rest goes to TikTok, payment processors, and taxes. You can see your exact payout rate in the Subscriptions settings under "Earnings."

Payouts are sent to the payment method you linked when you set up your Creator Fund account—usually a bank account or payment service like PayPal. TikTok pays out monthly, typically between the 21st and 25th of each month. You need a minimum balance (usually around $20) before TikTok will process a payout; below that threshold, your earnings roll over to the next month.

Troubleshooting when subscriptions don't appear

If you don't see the Subscriptions option in Creator tools, start by confirming you have 10,000 followers and are 18 or older. Check your account health for any Community Guidelines violations. If both of those are clear, the feature may not be available in your region yet—TikTok rolls out subscriptions gradually, and some countries don't have access.

If you meet all requirements and still don't see it, try logging out and back in, or uninstalling and reinstalling the TikTok app. Sometimes the feature takes 24 to 48 hours to appear after your account becomes may be able to access. If it still doesn't show after a few days, you can contact TikTok support through the app by going to Profile > Settings and privacy > Help > Report a problem.

Managing subscriptions after launch

Once subscriptions are live, you can pause or stop them at any time from the Subscriptions settings. If you pause subscriptions, no new people can subscribe, but existing subscribers keep their access until their renewal date. If you stop subscriptions entirely, existing subscribers lose access immediately and cannot renew.

You can also change which videos are subscriber-only by editing them after upload. Go to the video, tap the three dots, select "Edit," and toggle the subscriber-only setting. Keep in mind that changing a video from public to subscriber-only will hide it from non-subscribers immediately, which may affect your view count and engagement metrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I offer multiple subscription tiers at different prices?

No. TikTok allows only one subscription tier per account. You choose one price from the preset options, and all subscribers pay that amount. You cannot create tiered subscriptions with different perks at different price points.

What happens to my subscribers if I delete my account?

If you delete your account, all active subscriptions end immediately and subscribers lose access to your content. They are not refunded for the remainder of their subscription period. If you deactivate your account temporarily, subscriptions pause but do not cancel.

Can subscribers download subscriber-only videos?

No. Subscribers can only watch subscriber-only videos within the TikTok app. They cannot download, screenshot, or share them outside of TikTok. The videos remain locked to the platform.

How long does it take for TikTok to approve my subscription setup?

TikTok usually activates subscriptions within a few hours of you setting them up, but it can take up to 24 hours. During that time, the Subscribe button may not appear to your followers. You will see a notification in Creator tools when subscriptions are live.

Can I see who my subscribers are?

Yes. Go to Subscriptions in Creator tools and tap "Subscribers" to see a list of active subscribers. You can see their usernames and when they subscribed, but not their real names or payment information.