THE STATE OF
CREATOR COMMERCE
The creator economy was built on creators, not for them. While social platforms have cashed in on the talent, time, and influence of creators, the real value has always come from the people behind the content. Now, the power dynamic is shifting. Creators are stepping into their full potential—not just as influencers, but as entrepreneurs. They’re owning their audience, their products, and most importantly, their revenue. This is the rise of Creator Commerce—a movement where creators call the shots and keep 100% of what they earn.
Creators mean business.
In 2025, creators aren't just going viral—they're becoming CEOs and building thriving businesses. They're turning content into companies, followers into customers, and platforms into launchpads. We call them Entrepreneurial Creators—the ones owning their revenue streams and scaling with intention. Creators still relying solely on social platform revenue are Social-First Creators—still playing by someone else's rules.
Entrepreneurial Creators
Build audiences on social media, but don’t rely on it for income.
Invest in their own products like courses, coaching programs, and memberships.
Own and control their revenue streams rather than depending
on social platforms.
Social-First Creators
- Rely almost exclusively on social media for income.
- Generate income mainly through platform payouts
and brand partnerships.
- Have limited revenue control due to dependency on social platforms.
The more social platform instability, the more creator anxiety.
The algorithms can change anytime, anywhere, or can be completely shut down (we see you, TikTok ban). And creators have zero control over any of it. As anxiety around platform dependency grows, more creators are turning to entrepreneurship.
Creators are choosing principles over paychecks.
As creators build their own businesses and diversify their income streams, they can afford to say ‘no’ to misaligned brand partnerships.
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creators are taking control of their Revenue channels.
As creators shift away from relying on social platforms, platform payouts, affiliate marketing, brand deals, and living at the whim of an algorithm, they’re driving toward channels and revenue streams that they manage and own.
Entrepreneurship is becoming less and less of a choice, and more of a necessity for creators. In the last year creators have seen:
Creators reported increases in revenue channels outside of social media from over the last year.
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Own your business, 
YOUr paycheck, and your wellness.
Entrepreneurial Creators are experiencing big improvements across both their personal and professional lives. Owning a business has perks beyond making more money.
The entrepreneurial edge.
Wealthier and emotionally healthier.

Social-First Creators:
ºÚ°µ±¬ÁÏÍø Entrepreneurial Creators experience:
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How creators build their own sustainable businesses.
Creators are taking control of their income streams by investing in owned channels and products that they can fully manage and monetize. And by finding the right mix of offers, they’re unlocking new ways to maximize revenue growth.
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Direct access is directly related to success.
Entrepreneurial Creators cite direct audience access, through email lists or private communities, as their top business advantage. Owning these off-platform relationships creates stronger connections and more stable revenue. It's not just a benefit, it's a business multiplier.
The perfect place to start and grow your business.
Jumping from social content maker to business owner? An online community is the perfect launch pad. You’ve already built your audience. They love what you’re about. Now turn them into your first customers through subscriptions and memberships.
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Specialize to monetize.
The more that creators specialize, the more they stand out, the more people will pay for their expertise, products, and services.
And when you own your revenue channels and your audience, you not only have complete control over who sees and receives your niche messaging, but you also control how you’re paid for your expertise, too.
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Smart pricing can fuel growth.
After analyzing 15 years of ºÚ°µ±¬ÁÏÍø data from creators who’ve generated over $9B in revenue, one thing is clear: top creators don’t price based on hours of content—
Selling individual products lets you charge more for focused value. Subscriptions, though lower in price, enable recurring revenue and keep customers sticking around.
(one-time payment):
(subscription payment):
Bundled offers, like courses paired with coaching or a community, help you increase value and charge higher prices.
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Own your future.
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No longer creating content with algorithmic roulette, they're building business empires powered by ownership, on their own terms.
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Now it’s your turn.
METHODOLOGY
ºÚ°µ±¬ÁÏÍø, in partnership with Qualtrics, conducted this comprehensive online survey between Dec 16, 2024 - Jan 16, 2025 with a total sample population of 1,717 respondents. The sample includes both full-time and part-time creators and digital entrepreneurs.
- Total study population: 1,717 respondents
- ºÚ°µ±¬ÁÏÍø customer sample: 526 respondents
- Market sample of creators: 1,191 respondents
- All margin of error calculations assume a 95% confidence level