- Is India on Medium's list of supported countries?
- Enrolling takes minutes, not weeks
- Stripe is the payout route, and India is labelled Preview
- Stripe Standard or Stripe Express, and what they need
- The W-8BEN for writers in India
- Minimum payout and payout dates
- The two clocks that can cost you stories and money
- If you also want a Patreon route, or another way to receive money
- Frequently asked questions
Writers in India can join the Medium Partner Program: India is on Medium's own list of supported countries, which needs a bank account and tax residence there. Payouts go through Stripe to a bank account, with a 10 US dollar minimum and a W-8BEN. The catch is that Stripe's global page labels India as Preview, so check Stripe's sign-up screen before relying on it.
People in India ask me about Medium more often than almost any other writing platform, and the question is always the same: can I really be paid, and how? Medium publishes a fairly clear set of help pages, so I've read them and kept to what they say. I'll flag where the pages stop and your own checking has to start.
Is India on Medium's list of supported countries?
Yes. Medium's eligibility page says enrollment is currently available to writers with a bank account and tax residence in a list of countries, and India is on that list. Medium adds that outlying territories of supported countries aren't eligible. So an Indian bank account and Indian tax residence are the starting point.
The same page sets the other requirements. You need an active Medium membership, at least 1 published story, a complete profile, a bank in an eligible country, and to be 18 years of age or older. You also agree to the Partner Program Terms and the paywall content policy.
Enrolling takes minutes, not weeks
Medium says there's no application review. If you meet every requirement, you're enrolled right away after clicking Enroll now on the Partner Program page. After that you're taken to a payout checklist. You can put stories behind the paywall before payouts are set up, but there's a deadline to watch, covered further down.
Stripe is the payout route, and India is labelled Preview
To be paid, you need a connected Stripe account and verified taxpayer information. Medium describes Stripe as its third-party payout processor and says Stripe account setup is available in all countries supported by the Partner Program. That would include India on Medium's side.
Stripe's own global page tells a more careful story. It lists India with the label Preview, and doesn't explain what the label means on that page. I read that as a reason to go through Medium's payout checklist yourself and see whether Stripe lets you finish the sign-up. If it stalls, Stripe's support is the place to ask, and Medium says it can't change the details of your Stripe account for you.
Stripe Standard or Stripe Express, and what they need
Medium says that depending on your country you'll be assigned either a Stripe Standard or a Stripe Express account. Standard accounts can be used with several services; Express accounts work only with Medium. Both only pay out to a bank account, and debit cards are not supported.
Stripe also needs your legal name, even if you write under a pen name on Medium, and it requires two-factor authentication by SMS or the Google Authenticator app. Medium notes that a mismatch is often caused by entering a company name where your personal name should go.
The W-8BEN for writers in India
Medium collects taxpayer information through Tipalti. Nonresident aliens complete a W-8BEN, or a W-8BEN-E for an organisation, and the form asks for the foreign tax identifying number issued by your country of residence. Medium says a valid taxpayer number is needed to finish enrollment, and its help page points to the IRS list of income tax treaties if you want to check whether your country qualifies for treaty benefits.
Medium states plainly that it can't give tax advice. Whether and how your earnings are taxed in India is a question for a local accountant.
Minimum payout and payout dates
Medium says your total earnings must reach a minimum of 10 US dollars before a payout is sent to your Stripe account, and some countries may have extra minimums enforced by Stripe. Anything below that carries over to the following payout. Payouts are typically initiated by the 10th of each month for the previous month's earnings, and Medium says they may take another 5-7 business days to reach your bank.
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The two clocks that can cost you stories and money
There are two deadlines worth writing down. Medium says that if your balance reaches 10 US dollars and your payout settings stay incomplete for 30 consecutive days, your enrollment becomes inactive and your stories come out from behind the paywall. Separately, if your status is inactive for 180 consecutive days, the entire balance is forfeited.
Both are easy to avoid by finishing the Stripe and tax steps early. They matter more for people in India if Stripe's Preview status causes any delay.
When a payout fails, Medium says the payout history tab shows the status. A failed payout is retried at the next payout event, and a payout that is on hold means your Stripe or taxpayer details need updating. Keep your Stripe contact details up to date, because Medium says it can't edit your Stripe account for you.
| What I checked | What Medium and Stripe say for India |
|---|---|
| On Medium's supported list | Yes, bank account and tax residence needed |
| Application review | None, you enroll right away |
| Stripe's global page | India labelled Preview |
| Payout route | Stripe, to a bank account only |
| Minimum payout | 10 US dollars, rolls over if lower |
| Tax form | W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E via Tipalti |
If you also want a Patreon route, or another way to receive money
Some Indian writers pair Medium with other income. My page on Patreon in India explains the rupee payout route there, and Wise in India covers a receiving account you might use alongside it. The wider picture of the program is in how the Medium Partner Program pays and who can join. As always, this isn't financial or tax advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can I join the Medium Partner Program from India?
Yes. Medium's eligibility page lists India among the countries where writers with a bank account and tax residence can enroll.
Does Medium approve Partner Program applications?
Medium says there is no application review. If you meet all eligibility requirements, you're enrolled right away.
How do Indian writers get paid by Medium?
Through a Stripe account connected to your Medium account, paid to a bank account. Medium also needs verified taxpayer information.
What is the minimum Medium payout?
Medium says you need at least 10 US dollars in earnings before a payout is sent to Stripe, and lower balances roll over to the following month.
What happens if I don't finish payout setup?
Medium says that if your balance is 10 US dollars or more and your settings stay incomplete for 30 consecutive days, enrollment becomes inactive and stories leave the paywall.
