Recommended Free Tools
There was no audited 2019 leaderboard of YouTuber net worth. The most defensible historical answer is Forbes’ ranking of the highest-paid YouTube stars, based on estimated pretax earnings from June 1, 2018, through June 1, 2019. Forbes published it on December 18, 2019, and estimated that the ten creators or creator businesses earned $162 million combined.
This ranking therefore uses “richest” as shorthand for highest estimated creator earnings, not personal net worth. The estimates include advertising, sponsorships, merchandise, licensing, tours and related businesses; agent, manager and lawyer fees were not deducted.
How this 2019 ranking was measured
Forbes’ estimates were assembled using data from Captiv8, SocialBlade, Pollstar, interviews with industry insiders and other reporting. They are not tax returns or audited accounts. The measurement window was June 1, 2018–June 1, 2019, rather than the January–December 2019 calendar year. Forbes’ methodology and ranking are documented in its December 2019 report.
- What is ranked: estimated pretax earnings credited to a creator, partnership or creator business.
- What is included: YouTube advertising plus sponsorships, merchandise, licensing, tours and connected ventures.
- What is excluded: representative fees were not subtracted, and the figures do not establish personal wealth after tax.
- Why the list is unusual: it includes groups, child-focused brands and businesses whose revenue cannot be cleanly separated from the on-camera creator.
The 10 richest YouTubers of 2019 by estimated earnings
| Rank | Creator or channel | Estimated earnings | Main revenue engine | Unit counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryan Kaji / Ryan’s World | $26 million | Children’s videos, toys, licensing and television | Child-focused creator brand |
| 2 | Dude Perfect | $20 million | Sports entertainment, sponsorships and television | Five-member group |
| 3 | Anastasia Radzinskaya / Like Nastya | $18 million | Multilingual children’s videos and brand deals | Family-operated creator brand |
| 4 | Rhett & Link / Good Mythical Morning | $17.5 million | Daily shows, podcasts, books and media businesses | Two-person partnership |
| 5 | Jeffree Star | $17 million | Beauty content and Jeffree Star Cosmetics | Individual creator plus company ecosystem |
| 6 | Preston Arsement / Preston | $14 million | Gaming videos, Minecraft servers and in-game purchases | Individual creator and gaming businesses |
| 7 | Markiplier / Mark Fischbach | $13 million | Gaming and entertainment content | Individual creator |
| 8 | DanTDM / Daniel Middleton | $12 million | Gaming content, merchandise and entertainment | Individual creator |
| 9 | Jacksepticeye / Seán McLoughlin | $11.5 million | Gaming, sponsorships and merchandise | Individual creator |
| 10 | VanossGaming / Evan Fong | $11.5 million | Gaming videos and production | Individual creator and producer |
Every dollar amount in the table is a Forbes estimate for the stated period. A group’s figure is not each member’s salary, and a company’s sales are not automatically the creator’s personal income.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstall#1 Best Overall
1. Ryan Kaji — $26 million
Ryan Kaji topped Forbes’ list through the Ryan’s World ecosystem, which began with toy-unboxing videos and expanded into science and educational entertainment. The business extended well beyond ad-supported uploads: Forbes described a product line of more than 100 toys and clothing items, along with arrangements involving Nickelodeon and Hulu. The $26 million figure is an estimated pretax amount attributed to that wider creator business, not a statement that Ryan personally controlled or retained all of it. Forbes’ contemporary explanation is also summarized here.
2. Dude Perfect — $20 million
Dude Perfect’s sports trick shots, stunts and competitive videos made it the highest-earning group on the list. Brand partnerships and television exposure complemented YouTube advertising. Because Dude Perfect is a five-member operation, Forbes’ $20 million estimate describes the group’s earnings pool or business performance; it cannot be read as $20 million for each member.
3. Anastasia Radzinskaya (Like Nastya) — $18 million
Like Nastya used family-run children’s entertainment distributed in seven languages to reach a global audience. Forbes credited the brand with an estimated $18 million and cited deals including Legoland and Dannon. The channel’s scale illustrates why children’s media can monetize through international sponsorships and licensing as well as advertising. Since adults operate the business around a child performer, the estimate should not be treated as the child’s unrestricted personal income.
4. Rhett & Link — $17.5 million
The Good Mythical Morning hosts built recurring daily programming across multiple channels and added books, podcasts, touring and acquisitions, including Smosh. Forbes estimated $17.5 million for the partnership. That number belongs to a two-person creator enterprise with staff and business costs, not to one individual’s take-home pay.
Rank #2
5. Jeffree Star — $17 million
Star combined beauty tutorials and personality-driven videos with Jeffree Star Cosmetics. Forbes estimated $17 million in pretax earnings and reported Star’s claim that the cosmetics line generated at least eight figures in revenue. That company-revenue statement was not an independent audit, and cosmetics sales, company value and Star’s personal wealth are different measurements. YouTube functioned as a marketing channel for a larger beauty business.
6. Preston Arsement — $14 million
Preston’s Minecraft-focused videos were supplemented by Minecraft servers and in-game purchases. Forbes estimated $14 million, showing how gaming creators can monetize digital products and communities outside advertising. Server revenue is business revenue; it is not necessarily identical to channel income or the creator’s personal earnings after expenses.
7. Markiplier (Mark Fischbach) — $13 million
Markiplier’s gaming and entertainment output placed him seventh at an estimated $13 million. The Forbes methodology combines advertising with sponsorships, merchandise, tours and related activity, so the figure should not be interpreted as a YouTube ad-revenue total or as net worth.
8. DanTDM (Daniel Middleton) — $12 million
DanTDM’s gaming brand generated an estimated $12 million during the measurement period. His income model represented the broader creator economy of 2019: a large gaming audience supporting advertising, commercial partnerships, merchandise and entertainment work rather than one transparent paycheck from YouTube.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →9. Jacksepticeye (Seán McLoughlin) — $11.5 million
Jacksepticeye ranked ninth with Forbes’ estimated $11.5 million. His energetic gaming and entertainment channel was supported by sponsorships and merchandise alongside platform advertising. The estimate is pretax and covers the full Forbes period, not calendar-year 2019 income.
10. VanossGaming (Evan Fong) — $11.5 million
VanossGaming creator Evan Fong rounded out the list at an estimated $11.5 million. Gaming videos and production work gave him revenue sources beyond ordinary ad sharing. As with the other entries, the published number is an estimate of creator-related earnings, not a verified balance sheet.
Why this is not a net-worth ranking
Net worth means assets minus liabilities accumulated over time. Annual earnings measure money generated during a defined period. They are not interchangeable. A creator may have a high-income year without the largest fortune, while a private company’s retained profits, debt, taxes, ownership percentages and family arrangements may be invisible.
- Business ownership: Jeffree Star Cosmetics, Ryan’s World licensing and Preston’s servers involve companies or commercial arrangements whose gross revenue is not personal wealth.
- Partnerships: Dude Perfect and Rhett & Link divide business proceeds among multiple people and operations.
- Private finances: debts, taxes, investments and retained earnings are generally unavailable to outside estimators.
- Category differences: advertising-only calculators omit sponsorships, products, tours, licensing, television and gaming businesses.
How the 2019 YouTube fortunes were built
Advertising
Large, consistent audiences generated platform advertising, but ad rates vary by geography, audience, format and season. Views alone therefore cannot determine income.
Rank #4
Sponsorships and brand deals
Direct deals let creators sell access to a trusted audience. Like Nastya’s Legoland and Dannon relationships are examples of sponsorships attached to a global children’s brand.
Merchandise and licensing
Ryan’s toys and clothing show how a channel can become a licensed consumer brand. Merchandise revenue still has manufacturing, distribution and retail costs before any personal profit.
Television, podcasts and live events
Good Mythical Morning, Dude Perfect and children’s channels expanded into television, podcasts, books or other media. These ventures help explain why the Forbes list is not an advertising leaderboard.
Gaming servers and digital products
Preston’s Minecraft servers demonstrate a particularly important gaming model: audiences can pay for access, items or experiences inside a connected digital business.
Why other “richest YouTubers” lists look different
Lists using the same title often measure different things. A Trend Central video listing associated with “10 Richest YouTubers of 2019” referenced Logan Paul, MrBeast, PewDiePie and David Dobrik, while a later Rich Life episode described a custom list including MrBeast, PewDiePie, CJ So Cool, Azzyland, Jeffree Star and David Dobrik. Those selections may use net-worth estimates, different dates or different inclusion rules rather than Forbes’ standardized earnings window. The examples are documented at YouTubers.me and Spreaker.
Child creators and commercial responsibility
Ryan Kaji and Anastasia Radzinskaya’s rankings also raise questions that a dollar table cannot answer: who manages the business, how a child’s privacy and consent are protected, whether sponsorships are clearly disclosed, and what safeguards preserve earnings for adulthood. Rules differ by jurisdiction, and the Forbes estimates do not establish how either family handled labor, guardianship or trust arrangements. The responsible conclusion is limited: a child appearing in content is not proof that the child personally controls the associated revenue.
Bottom line
The strongest historical answer to “Who were the richest YouTubers of 2019?” is Forbes’ highest-paid-stars ranking. Ryan Kaji led with an estimated $26 million for June 1, 2018–June 1, 2019, followed by Dude Perfect at $20 million and Like Nastya at $18 million. These are pretax creator-earnings estimates, not audited personal net-worth figures.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
