Once and for All, Are Creators Really Earning More in 2025? Here’s the Data

In August this year, Digiday published an article claiming that creators are ‘doubling’ their rates as demand for them grows. Such a huge number seemed drastic, especially when the article was based on the thoughts of seven influencer marketers. Except, it didn't match what most creators were experiencing. The reality is far less uniform.

Behind the scenes, many mid-tier and long-time creators told me the opposite: rates are dropping, deals are thinner, and the market feels the most chaotic it’s ever been.

It made me wonder whether this really is the opinion of everybody across the board. Influencer marketing agencies, talent management, creators and brands will all have different expectations of influencer partnerships.

Our theme at CreatorFest this year was professionalisation, which was a reflection of how creators are increasingly running themselves like businesses. But whether those businesses are earning more in 2025 depends entirely on which corner of the industry you look at. 

Being your own boss in the creator economy comes with more financial responsibility, more brand partnerships, and, for many, converting their following into a full-time job. However, as Influencer reported in March this year, 88% of creators still only use their earnings as a side hustle.

What my research found is that creator pay isn’t universally rising or falling, but polarising. At one end, brands are funnelling more spend into proven, performance-driven creators, pushing their rates higher. At the other end, saturated categories, agency mark-ups and tightening budgets are driving down earnings for much of the middle tier. The result is a 2025 creator market defined less by growth than by volatility, which exposes just how uneven and unpredictable the business of influence has become.