About this tool
How the monetization check works
When a video page loads, YouTube sends its ad settings along with the video: whether ads are switched on for this view, how many ad placements there are and where mid-roll breaks sit on the timeline. We read those settings from the public page, the same data your browser receives, without signing in.
For a channel, we sample its most recent public uploads and add up their ad signals. We also look for features that only Partner Program members can turn on, such as channel memberships (the Join button). Each signal has a weight, and together they set the verdict and its confidence.
Three possible results
- Likely monetized: ad signals are present, and for channels at least one Partner Program feature is visible. Confidence is highest when both agree.
- Probably not monetized: we looked and found no ad signals on recent videos. We never show this in red, because it isn't a problem or a penalty.
- Can't tell: the video is private, age-restricted, members-only, blocked in our region or a live stream in progress, so YouTube didn't send the data we need.
The confidence meter shows how strongly the evidence points one way. Every signal in the list is labeled with its source, so you can see what was read from YouTube and what we calculated.
Pre-rolls, mid-rolls and ad breaks
For a single video we also show the ads YouTube planned for that view: a pre-roll before the video, mid-roll breaks during it and a post-roll at the end. Videos that are 8 minutes or longer can have mid-roll breaks, placed by the creator or chosen automatically by YouTube. The timeline marks each break so you can see how ads are spread across the video.
These are the settings YouTube sent at the time and from the region shown on the result. A viewer in another country, on another device or with different consent choices may see a different number of ads.
Why ads don't always mean monetized
YouTube can run ads on videos from channels that aren't in the Partner Program, and in that case the creator isn't paid. Some videos also carry ads because of a copyright claim, with the revenue going to the rights holder. That's why we report a likelihood with a confidence level instead of a plain yes or no. Only YouTube can confirm a channel's status officially.