Instagram reportedly pays YouTubers up to $500,000 to cross-post long videos
By Rhea MalhotraDigital Life Writer, Peepals Yuva
Representative image: kbk8196 / Pixabay
Instagram is reportedly offering some creators $50,000 to $500,000 to post long videos on its new Features format; Meta confirms it is funding some creators.
What Happened
Instagram is reportedly paying some video creators between $50,000 and $500,000 to post long videos on Features, its new format for horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long, according to a Business Insider report published on 1 November 2026 that cited people familiar with the deals. The deals are said to be non-exclusive: Instagram wants creators to upload the same video to Features on the same day it goes up on YouTube. Meta, Instagram's parent company, confirmed that it is funding Features content with some creators but did not disclose the terms. Instagram began testing Features with selected creators in the United States from 26 October, after earlier trials in Brazil.
Key Facts
- Product: Features, Instagram's format for horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes.
- Reported payments: about $50,000 for some creators, and six-figure deals reaching $500,000 for others, according to Business Insider.
- Terms: non-exclusive; creators are asked to post on Instagram the same day as on YouTube, according to the report.
- Meta's position: it confirmed funding Features content with some creators, without giving figures.
- Ad revenue: Instagram has no plan yet to share ad revenue on Features, reports say; YouTube's Partner Program gives creators 55% of ad revenue on long videos.
- Instagram head Adam Mosseri said the company is "exploring multiple options to help long-form creators get paid".
- Rollout: tested in Brazil first, then with selected US creators from 26 October 2026.
Why It Matters
For a decade, Instagram has been the home of photos, Stories and short Reels, while YouTube has dominated long videos: tutorials, podcasts, vlogs, documentaries. Long videos keep viewers watching for longer and carry more advertising, which is why platforms compete for them. Instagram tried long-form once before with IGTV, which it shut down in 2022. Features is a second attempt, and paying well-known YouTubers is a way to fill it with content quickly.
For creators, the reported deals are an opportunity with strings attached. A guaranteed payment for posting a video they would make anyway is attractive, and cross-posting costs little extra effort. But without a share of ad revenue, there is no long-term income from Features beyond these deals. On YouTube, by contrast, a creator earns a cut of the advertising on every eligible view. That gap is why some creators are pushing back, and why Mosseri says the company is exploring how to pay long-form creators.
For young people who create content or hope to, the episode shows how platform money shapes the creator economy. One-off deals reward creators who already have large audiences; steady income depends on revenue-sharing rules that Instagram has not yet set out. For newer creators, the practical point is that an audience which follows them across platforms is worth more than any single platform's offer.
Indian creators, many of whom have large YouTube audiences, are not mentioned in the reports, and it is not known whether the programme will extend beyond the US and Brazil.
Peepals timeline: In 2022, Instagram shut down IGTV, its earlier long-form video service. In 2026, it began testing Features, horizontal videos up to 90 minutes, with creators in Brazil. From 26 October 2026, it opened the test to selected US creators. On 1 November 2026, Business Insider reported payments of $50,000 to $500,000 to some creators to cross-post long videos, and Meta confirmed it is funding some creators.
| Platform | Long-form creator pay |
|---|---|
| Instagram Features | Reported one-off deals of $50,000 to $500,000; no ad-revenue share yet |
| YouTube Partner Program | 55% of ad revenue on long videos |
Impact
Short-term: Selected creators, mainly YouTubers in the US, may earn large one-off payments for posting their videos on Instagram as well.
Long-term: Whether Features lasts will depend on whether Instagram offers creators steady income, such as ad-revenue sharing, rather than one-off deals.
Who is affected: Video creators and their audiences, YouTube, advertisers, and young people building careers in the creator economy.
Key Takeaway
Instagram is reportedly paying some YouTubers up to $500,000 to post long videos on its new Features format, but without ad-revenue sharing it is still a hard sell for creators.
Questions and Answers
How much is Instagram paying creators for long-form videos?
According to a Business Insider report, some creators have been offered about $50,000 and others six-figure deals of up to $500,000 to post on Features. Meta confirmed funding some creators but did not give figures.
What is Instagram Features?
It is Instagram's new format for horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes, tested first in Brazil and with selected US creators from 26 October 2026.
Do creators have to stop posting on YouTube?
No. The deals are reportedly non-exclusive; Instagram asks creators to post the same video on Features on the day it goes up on YouTube.
Does Instagram share ad revenue on Features?
Not yet, according to reports. YouTube's Partner Program gives creators 55% of ad revenue on long videos.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Rhea Malhotra, Digital Life WriterCovers Digital Life and more for Peepals Yuva. All stories by Rhea Malhotra
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Rhea Malhotra is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
