Instagram Reels pays out when you meet the eligibility requirements and thresholds for the Reels Play Bonus program. The payouts are on a monthly basis through direct deposit.
Reels Play Bonus program eligibility
To be eligible for payouts from Instagram Reels, you must:
- Have an Instagram account that complies with the Instagram Terms of Use and Community Guidelines
- Post original Reels content that complies with Instagram’s policies
- Have at least 10,000 followers
- Have posted a minimum of 5 Reels in the last 30 days
- Have original Reels content that has generated at least 30,000 plays in the last 30 days
Business and creator accounts are eligible. Personal accounts are not eligible at this time.
Earning thresholds
Once your account meets the eligibility requirements, you can start earning from Reels. Instagram sets thresholds or minimums you must reach each month to get paid:
- You must have at least 100,000 plays on your qualifying Reels in the previous month
- Your total Reels engagement rate must be above a certain threshold set by Instagram
Instagram calculates your Reels engagement rate by dividing your total number of likes, comments, saves, and shares on qualifying Reels by your total number of plays.
How much does Instagram pay?
The exact Reels Play Bonus payout amount varies and Instagram does not disclose the precise formula. In general, more views and engagement on your Reels leads to higher payouts. Here are some estimates on Reels earnings:
- 100,000 to 250,000 plays per month = $80 – $250
- 250,000 to 750,000 plays per month = $250 – $900
- 750,000 to 5 million plays per month = $900 – $7,500
Top Instagram creators report earning anywhere from $1,000 to $20,000 per month from the Reels Play Bonus.
When do the payouts happen?
If you meet the thresholds for the month, you’ll receive your Reels Play Bonus payout around the 15th of the following month. For example, if you hit the thresholds in September, you’ll get paid in mid-October.
Payouts are done through direct deposit. Instagram sends your earnings directly to the bank account you associated with Meta Payments. If you don’t have a linked bank account, you’ll need to set one up to receive payments.
Metrics that help increase Reels earnings
While the algorithm ultimately decides, these metrics can help boost your Reels payouts:
- Views – Maximizing views should be the main goal. More views directly lead to higher payouts once you cross the thresholds.
- Engagement – Likes, comments, saves, and shares raise your engagement rate. Aim for 3-5% engagement minimum.
- Watch time – Keep viewers watching with entertaining Reels. Longer watch time improves your engagement rate.
- Sounds – Use popular sounds and music to increase discovery via sound pages.
- Effects – Leverage trending AR effects to boost views and engagement.
Tips to earn more money on Instagram Reels
Here are some tips creators use to maximize Reels earnings:
- Post at optimal times based on when your audience is most active.
- Use relevant and popular hashtags so your Reels surface on hashtag pages.
- Re-post top-performing Reels to your feed for more views.
- Create Reels series and encourage viewers to watch the entire series.
- Promote your Reels through Instagram Stories, feed posts, etc.
- Collaborate with other creators to tap into new audiences.
- Save Sounds from viral Reels and use them in your own Reels.
- Interact with your audience in comments and build community.
- Check Instagram Reels insights to assess performance and finetune strategy.
- Be consistent in posting Reels regularly.
Ways to get paid for Reels besides the Bonus program
Aside from the Reels Play Bonus, here are some other ways to monetize your Reels content:
- Reels ads – You can earn a 55% revenue share from ads displayed on your Reels. Reels must be 60 seconds or less.
- Branded content – Promote brands through sponsored Reels as part of influencer campaigns.
- Affiliate links – Insert affiliate links to products in your Reels captions and profile.
- Instagram shop – Tag products from your Instagram shop catalogue visible in your Reels.
- Gifting – Receive monetary gifts from fans during live streams via Stars.
- Tip Jar – Enable tipping so followers can send you payments.
Monetizing Reels takes time
Building a sustainable earning strategy on Reels requires consistency, high-quality content, audience understanding, and effective promotion. With the right approach, creative use of trends and features, and persistence, Instagram Reels can become a revenue stream for creators over time.
The key is to focus on the long game of creating content people want to watch, engage with, and share. The payouts will follow as you build your audience and dial in what resonates.