- Instagram's own list of six
- What Gifts and Subscriptions ask of you
- Is your country on the Gifts or Subscriptions list
- Badges and Bonuses in plain words
- Brand deals: Creator Marketplace and partnership ads
- Content that can't earn on any of them
- How the payout reaches you
- Where I'd start
- Frequently asked questions
As of October 2026, Instagram lists six monetization tools: Subscriptions, Partnership Ads, Creator Marketplace, Gifts, Badges and Bonuses. Gifts start at 500 followers and Subscriptions at 10,000, and each of those two has its own country list, so check yours before you plan around either.
Instagram doesn't publish one country list for monetization. It publishes a list on the Gifts help page and another on the Subscriptions help page, and the other four tools don't print one at all. Here's what each tool asks, which countries are named, and how the payout reaches you.
Instagram's own list of six
This is the order Instagram for Creators uses in its tools menu, with the minimum each help page states.
| Tool | Minimum stated | Who can use it |
|---|---|---|
| Subscriptions | 10,000 followers | Professional accounts, 18 or older, in a listed country, meeting Instagram's monetization policies |
| Partnership Ads | No follower minimum on the page | Creators whose branded content a brand chooses to run as an ad, with the creator's permission |
| Creator Marketplace | No follower minimum on the page | Creators who want brands to find them for branded content deals |
| Gifts | 500 followers | Professional accounts, 18 or older, in a listed country, with a payout account set up |
| Badges | No follower minimum on the help page | Professional (creator or business) accounts with a payout account, during Live videos |
| Bonuses | Invite-only | Creators Instagram invites, for reels and photos, including carousels and single image posts |
What Gifts and Subscriptions ask of you
Gifts let followers and non-followers send virtual gifts on your reels, bought with Stars. To earn from them, Instagram says you need a professional account, to be 18 or older, to meet Partner Monetization Policies, to stay compliant with Community Standards and Content Monetization Policies, at least 500 followers, to agree to the Gifts creator terms and a payout account. Instagram pays one cent in US dollars for every Star received, monthly. Two details people miss: collaborative posts and accounts that mainly post content focused on children can't earn from Gifts, and your Facebook Stars balance can't be used to send gifts on Instagram. They're separate products. If you want the fan's view, here's how Instagram Gifts work from the sender's side.
If a fan sends you a gift before your payout account is set up, Instagram says you'll see who sent it but you won't receive the earnings. That's a good reason to set the payout account up first, not later.
Subscriptions need a professional account with at least 10,000 followers, age 18 or over, Partner Monetization Policies, compliance with Community Standards and Content Monetization Policies, and agreement to the Subscriptions terms. Accounts that mainly post content focused on children can't offer Subscriptions. To check, go to your profile, tap Professional dashboard, and if you're eligible you'll see an option to set up subscriptions. You set the price yourself, and you can change it later in the subscriptions settings.
Is your country on the Gifts or Subscriptions list
These are the countries readers ask me about most, checked against the two help pages as fetched in October 2026. "Not listed" means the page doesn't name the country. It doesn't mean Instagram has banned it, and lists change.
| Country | Gifts list | Subscriptions list |
|---|---|---|
| India | Listed | Listed |
| Indonesia | Listed | Listed |
| United Kingdom | Listed | Listed |
| United States | Listed | Listed |
| Canada | Listed | Listed |
| Australia | Listed | Listed |
| Pakistan | Not listed | Not listed |
| Nigeria | Not listed | Not listed |
| Bangladesh | Not listed | Not listed |
| Philippines | Not listed | Not listed |
| Kenya | Not listed | Not listed |
| Egypt | Not listed | Not listed |
A few African countries do appear on both lists: Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and South Africa. As fetched, the two lists name the same countries, but they're separate pages and Instagram can change one without the other, so check both. If you're in Nigeria, I've written up what Instagram pays in Nigeria separately.
Badges and Bonuses in plain words
Badges are for Live. Viewers buy badges while you're live and you see hearts next to their names. Instagram lists the increments as $0.99, $1.99 and $4.99, as of October 2026. You need a professional account and a payout account, and you switch badges on from the Live screen. Instagram warns that a video breaking its Content Monetization Policies can be flagged as ineligible, and individual violations can switch badges off for that video and for future lives.
Bonuses reward the performance of reels, carousels and single image posts. Instagram says they're "limited time and invite-only as we build toward a sustainable program", so there's nothing to apply for. Neither the Badges nor the Bonuses page prints a country list, so I can't tell you which countries they cover.
Brand deals: Creator Marketplace and partnership ads
These two are where brands pay you, not Instagram. Creator Marketplace is Instagram's way for brands to find creators for branded content, and you negotiate every deal yourself. Instagram suggests bringing data to that conversation: follower count, average likes, views, comments and shares, and how past branded posts performed.
Partnership ads happen when a brand puts ad spend behind your branded post, with your permission. A few rules apply whichever route you use: add the Paid Partnership label whenever you're paid in any form, gifted products and free trips included; some products, like drugs and weapons, can't be promoted at all, while others, like alcohol, come with restrictions; and you can't put pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll or banner ads inside your own videos.
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Content that can't earn on any of them
Instagram's Content Monetization Policies apply across the paid tools. The page says these formats can't be monetized: one static image with little or no motion, slideshows of still images, looping clips, images with overlaid text, posts that exist to bait reactions, and content that already includes embedded ads. Unoriginal content reposted without meaningful changes, like commentary, parody or creative editing, can't be monetized either. I've unpacked Instagram's Partner Monetization Policies in a separate guide if you want the full rulebook.
How the payout reaches you
Badges, Bonuses, Gifts and Subscriptions all pay into the same payout account. Instagram's payout page says you need to meet Partner Monetization Policies and Content Monetization Policies, set up a payout account and reach the minimum earnings threshold for each tool. Subscriptions pay around the 21st of the month after you earn, in line with the other fan-paid tools. You can see your status under Professional dashboard, Tools, Payouts.
Where I'd start
I'd start with Gifts at 500 followers if your country's on the list. It's the lowest bar, it works on reels you were going to post anyway, and it gets your payout account set up early. Skip Subscriptions until you've got 10,000 followers and a clear reason for fans to pay you every month, because subscribers expect exclusive content on a regular schedule.
If your country isn't on either list, don't spend energy hunting for a workaround. The brand routes, Creator Marketplace and partnership ads, don't depend on those lists in the way Gifts and Subscriptions do, so they're the place to put your effort while you wait. Meta changes these lists often, so it's worth checking your Professional dashboard every few months.
Frequently asked questions
What are Instagram's monetization tools in 2026?
Instagram lists six as of October 2026: Subscriptions, Partnership Ads, Creator Marketplace, Gifts, Badges and Bonuses.
How many followers do I need to monetize on Instagram?
Gifts need at least 500 followers and Subscriptions need at least 10,000. The Badges help page doesn't state a follower minimum, and Bonuses are invite-only.
Is Pakistan on the Instagram Gifts list?
Not as fetched in October 2026. Pakistan isn't named on the Gifts list or the Subscriptions list. That's what the pages show, and lists change, so check your Professional dashboard.
How much does Instagram pay per Star?
Instagram's Gifts help page says you receive one cent in US dollars for every Star received.
Can I use Facebook Stars to send Instagram gifts?
No. Instagram says Facebook Stars on Reels is a separate product, and a Facebook Stars balance can't be used to send gifts on Instagram.
