Facebook Reels Monetization Earnings 2026: What Creators Actually Make

Facebook Reels monetization in 2026 operates through two mechanisms: (1) Overlay ads — semi-transparent ads that appear on top of Reels, with revenue shared between Meta and the creator. (2) Meta Creator Bonus programs — invitation-based performance bonuses paid to creators who hit specific view milestones. Overlay ad eligibility requires: 5,000 Facebook followers, 60,000 total minutes viewed in the past 60 days (approximately 1,000 minutes/day), and at least 5 active videos. The Creator Bonus program is invite-only and available in select countries — the US is the primary market. In many regions, Facebook Reels has limited or no direct monetization available.

Facebook Reels overlay ads generate approximately $0.01-$0.05 per 1,000 views in the US market. This is lower than YouTube Shorts' $0.03-$0.08 and dramatically lower than YouTube long-form RPM. Creator Bonus payments vary widely — they are structured as milestone bonuses (e.g., earn $X for reaching Y views in a 30-day period) rather than per-view rates. Bonus amounts range from $100 to $35,000 per month depending on channel size and content category, but they are inconsistently available and have been scaled back significantly from their peak in 2022-2023 when Meta was subsidizing creator adoption.

For most creators in 2026, Facebook Reels is not a primary income source — it is a supplemental distribution channel. The reasons: overlay ad RPM is very low, Creator Bonuses have been reduced and are now invite-only, and Facebook organic reach has declined significantly for creator content compared to 2020-2022. That said, cross-posting Reels content from Instagram or TikTok to Facebook takes almost zero additional effort and can add incremental revenue. If you are already creating short-form video content, there is no reason not to post it on Facebook Reels as well — just do not build a business model around Facebook Reels earnings alone.

To maximize Facebook Reels earnings: meet the overlay ad eligibility threshold (5,000 followers, 60,000 minutes viewed in 60 days) by cross-posting your existing short-form content to Facebook. Enable Stars monetization (Facebook's tipping feature) for additional revenue from engaged fans. Check Meta Business Suite regularly for Creator Bonus offers — these appear as limited-time invitations and can add significant income if you qualify. Use FluxNote to produce short-form content at scale (1-2 videos per day) and cross-post to Facebook, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikTok from a single production workflow to maximize earnings across all platforms.