How much Instagram pay for 1 million followers: Social media has become integral to our daily lives. While platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube were once the most popular, Instagram has emerged as the new force, especially among millennials and Gen Z. With over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide, Instagram offers a unique experience of sharing visual content and stories. While originally meant to share personal photos and moments, Instagram has become a powerful marketing tool for businesses, influencers, and celebrities.
1 Million Followers Income
One of the key aspects of gaining visibility and engagement on Instagram is the number of followers a profile has. As the follower count increases, so does the reach and perceived credibility. However, organically gaining followers takes a lot of consistent effort. Many choose to boost their profile by purchasing Instagram followers. But how much does Instagram pay for followers in 2025? Let’s dive deep into this topic.
How Much Money Do Instagram Influencers Make Based on Followers?
Less than 10,000 followers:
Influencers under 10,000 followers have relatively low earning potential as they are still building their credibility and reputation on the platform. They can usually charge around $50-$150 per promotional Instagram post.
10,000-50,000 followers:
Once they cross the 10k threshold, options start opening up. Brands may pay $150-500 per post typically for micro-influencers in this range. They can also boost earnings by running affiliation/referral marketing campaigns.
50,000-100,000 followers:
Mid-tier or low macro influencers within this following count earn around $500-800 per post on average. Premium brand partnerships might pay $1000-1500 per post due to their mid-sized yet engaged audience.
100,000-500,000 followers:
Top-tier macro or macro-influencers within this following strength usually earn at least $1500-3000 per promoted post. Many luxury and big brands sponsor such profiles for wider reach. Ambassadorship roles may pay upwards of $5000-10000 per month.
500,000-1 million followers:
Instagram superstar profiles with over 500k followers earn at least $3000-5000 per post but can charge even $10,000 or more from mega-brands. Some have evolved into entrepreneurs running their brands/programs alongside endorsements.
Over 1 million followers:
Celebrity influencers with a follower base of over 1 million can charge upwards of $10,000 per post as they offer unmatched visibility for sponsors. From co-creating larger campaigns, top profiles earn as much as $50,000-100,000 per post.
How Much Does an Instagram Influencer With 10K Followers Make?
Having 10k followers on Instagram is often considered the benchmark of being a micro-influencer. While the earning potential has increased significantly in recent years, influencers at this following level are still considered fairly new in the business. They have gained a dedicated following by posting consistently great-looking imagery around their niche interest, which resonates with their perfect audience. However, 10k followers are still viewed as an emerging profile by major brands, where the influencer is working on establishing stronger credibility within their sector.
Influencers at the 10k mark can charge brands anywhere from $50 to $150 per individual Instagram post where they mention and tag the brand. This lower end of rates is standard for new profiles looking to break into the influencer game. Where they strategically collaborate with complementary brands within their audience’s interests, they may be able to negotiate closer to the $150 point.
They can also run affiliate marketing campaigns for products and services, where they can earn a commission on sales/leads generated from their promotion. This allows them to expand their revenue streams. Micro-influencers at this stage are best advised to track engagement rates and understand their strong-performing niche to prove their engagement potential to partners.
Once they cross the 15k-20k threshold, opportunities and rates start increasing significantly. However, for a 10k profile, $500 to $1000 per month is a reasonable average earning to expect through multiple endorsed posts and affiliations per week or month on Instagram.
How Much Does an Instagram Influencer With 100K Followers Make?
Reaching 100k followers on Instagram is a major milestone for any influencer. It signifies that their content has truly resonated with a dedicated target audience and that they have become a force to be reckoned with in their industry or niche. Brands are now more confident in delivering measurable results at strength and engagement levels. Influencers at the 100k mark are considered top-tier micro-influencers or low macro-influencers. They can influence purchase decisions among loyal followers and drive real ROI for the right partners.
With that proven engaging reach, influencers with 100k followers can now comfortably charge an average of $1500 to $3000 per individual sponsored Instagram post. However, bigger premium brands or campaigns may pay anywhere from $2000 to $5000 or more for a highly relevant profile, especially if they also take on an ambassadorship role. They can pull in passive income through their affinity links and codes, newsletters, and other social pages.
Several top-performing influencers at this level make between $6000 and $ 10,000 per month, primarily from branded Instagram endorsements, sometimes even more so if they take on marketing roles beyond social media. Big campaigns or collaborative projects with high engagement levels have the potential to yield $10,000 plus paydays at this scale too. Being a 100k IG influencer opens up a full-time lucrative career opportunity when strategically leveraged with the right partnerships.
How Much Do Instagram Influencers With 1 million Instagram followers Income Make
Attaining a follower count of 1 million on Instagram is no mean feat. It takes dedicated effort over many years of engaging content curation to build an audience of that scale. Brands recognize influencers with such reach as prominent celebrities in their industry or space. Having 1 million followers proves the influencer’s content is incredibly appealing and resonates with their target followers. It allows them to influence thousands of purchase decisions with every post.
Naturally, influencers with over 1 million followers earn top dollar from their Instagram activities. They can easily charge brands $10,000 or more for a single sponsored post where they tag and mention the partner. Some top celebrities and personalities with mega followings even negotiate fees of $50,000 to $100,000 per campaign because of the unparalleled exposure it brings.
They work more with luxury brands and household names looking to make a serious splash. Beyond endorsements, million-plus influencers may have their product lines, business ventures, digital courses, or mobile apps to boost incomes. Some have created business empires through various revenue streams while continuing to strengthen on Instagram.
On average, full-time influencer entrepreneurs with a million followers likely earn at least $150,000 monthly after accounting for all their social engagements and ventures. Their success has transformed the total earnings potential on Instagram.
How Do Instagram Influencers Make Money?
Instagram has created new opportunities for earning income online. Influencers with engaged followings have developed business models to profit from their platforms. While results vary widely, those who approach influencing strategically can generate stable revenue streams. Here are some of the primary methods influencers employ.
1. Sponsored Posts | Instagram pay for Followers
One of the most common ways influencers make money on Instagram is through sponsored content, also called branded posts. For a fee, influencers advertise or endorse brands to their followers organically within their regularly posted content. Before agreeing to a sponsorship, influencers negotiate details like posting guidelines, hashtags, story placement, and pay rate upfront to protect their credibility.
They provide sponsors with metrics like engagement and follower demographics to showcase the promotional value. Sponsored posts are a staple income source for many influencers due to their accessibility, even for those with small followings. Successful collaborations depend on a good brand/influencer fit.
2. Selling Courses and Digital Products | Instagram pays for Followers
Influencers have parlayed their fashion, beauty, health, and wellness expertise into online courses or exclusive group coaching programs sold on their websites. Digital products like presets, printables, and ebooks related to that niche are also income streams. This requires influencers to understand their followers’ needs and curate premium content to fill them at a price point followers find valuable.
They promote new products on Instagram while providing top customer service. If done correctly, selling digital content can build long-term recurring revenue from loyal followers looking to learn directly from influencers they respect and admire.
Also Read: How to delete Instagram account permanently? | Ultimate Guide
3. Reselling Clothing
Fashion and outfit influencers earn income by acting as a personal stylist and reselling pieces from their closets that they no longer wear. This allows the influencer and follower to enjoy trendy items at a discount. Followers appreciate the influencer’s curated selection of quality pre-owned pieces they’ve styled themselves, while influencers earn extra cash from clothing they’d otherwise donate or go unworn.
Platforms like Depop and Poshmark provide easy e-commerce solutions for influencers to list, process and ship sales. This supports influencers’ ability to constantly refresh their wardrobes cost-effectively, fueling even more content and income potential.
4. Affiliate Marketing and Dropshipping
Through affiliate marketing programs, influencers leverage their audience to promote and earn commissions from other companies’ products and services. They provide unique product links to fans interested in specific items they recommend from brands like Amazon or Nordstrom. If a follower purchases through that influencer’s customized affiliate link, the influencer receives a percentage of the sale as a commission without holding any product inventory.
With drop shipping, influencers advertise products on behalf of an e-commerce platform that directly fulfills and ships orders to followers, giving influencers profit without warehousing, packing or shipping costs. Both expand influencers’ income potential through endorsements versus strictly modeling for ads alone.
Also Read: How to find Instagram Influencers? A Guide for Brands 2025
5. Advertising Websites
Beyond Instagram, influencers operate professional blogs and YouTube channels dedicated to their topics of expertise that attract monthly viewership and followers. They generate recurring ad revenue through Google AdSense and other networks by granting ad placement slots on their high-traffic websites and videos.
Advertisers pay to feature their brands and promotions alongside relevant and engaged influencer content. Larger or more established influencers with six-figure monthly page views on their websites or subscriber counts into the millions can directly contract brand sponsorships and promotions for five—or six-figure payouts.
6. Partnerships with Brands
Top influencers capable of moving large product volumes for companies through their content and endorsements sign multifaceted partnership deals that provide income from various touchpoints. They receive retainers or monthly salaries simply to represent the brand through obligations like providing a minimum number of sponsored posts and stories per month.
Additional performance-based bonuses are included if their promotions exceed sales or follower growth targets. Larger brand deals open doors to sponsored brand trips, campaigns attending industry events, and even potential equity stakes in the companies promoting them over time as the partnerships evolve and grow.
Also Read: How to Become an Instagram Influencer | Tips to Grow Fast
7. Donations and Tips
While less common for influencers with smaller fan bases, those with engaged followings into the hundreds of thousands or millions can earn supplementary income through direct fan donations on platforms like Patreon and Kickstarter. Followers contribute small monthly sums to support creators they feel add value to their lives. Larger donations may be encouraged in live streams by directly thanking top supporters.
Tips allow followers to express gratitude directly and immediately for free advice or entertainment. Top stars offer dedicated fan community perks or exclusive behind-the-scenes content for higher donation tiers. YouTube personalities pioneered this business model, which some Instagram stars now replicate as a perk for super fans.
7. Instagram Subscription for Recurring Revenue
Instagram Subscriptions is a relatively newer monetization feature for top creators which allows fans to pay monthly access fees through the app in exchange for exclusive subscriber stories and live streams. Similar to the logic of Patreon, followers subscribe if they place significant value on direct interactions with influencers in a commercial-free forum.
This provides a welcome opportunity for influencers with massive followings on Instagram’s diverse topics to turn percentages of engaged audiences into dedicated, paying fan communities. Influencers set subscription rates within tiers, like $4.99/month for basic or $9.99 for extra perks. Some report making low five figures monthly from these opt-in membership programs.
Instagram Subscription for Recurring Revenue
A relatively newer monetization feature, Instagram Subscriptions provide influencers with steady income by turning engaged followers into paying subscribers. Here’s a deeper look:
1. Instagram Account of a Travel Blogger
Katherine (@explore.w.kate), a solo female traveler with 750k followers, saw success offering $4.99/month subscriptions. Subscribers gain access to exclusive daily stories of her global adventures before regular posts. They help fund her trips in exchange for a sense of community, inspiration, and insider experience. Subscribers report feeling more connected to Kate through her spontaneous live Q&As from destinations like Bali and Peru, where she shares candid experiences beyond curated social feeds.
Also Read: Top 15 Tips to How To Increase Instagram Followers
2. Food Influencer
For food bloggers like Jonathan (@foodielife), subscriptions open direct communication channels with eager fans. His $7.99 tier gifts recipes weekly via subscriber stories and live cooking tutorials not elsewhere shared. This builds intimacy and trust cultivated over years of drool-worthy dishes. These paying ‘foodie friends’ support the costs and time required to produce such high-quality content. While non-subscribers still see beautiful posts, only subscribers learn Jon’s secrets in a low-pressure forum.
3. Fashion Influencer
Fashionista Marielle (@outfitfinds) generates over $15k monthly from 1,500 loyal subscribers. She shares first looks at trending pieces from hauls, try-ons unavailable publicly, and styling tips. Customers appreciate her same-day shipping service for any seen items. Meanwhile, brands sponsor Marielle, knowing she precisely targets their products directly to her prime demographic via these private channels. Subscribers feel like they are part of an exclusive community, influencing their future buying decisions alongside Marielle.
4. Beauty Influencer
Having tested countless products, beauty guru Lauren (@makeupbylaureng_) decided to launch professional makeup tutorials exclusively for $9.99 subscribers. These step-by-step live lessons allow in-depth questions, building her skills and brand. Customers feel they’re learning directly from an expert, deepening the relationship beyond glimpses into her glamorous world. Thanks to this reliable recurring revenue, Lauren gains the flexibility to balance influence with other ventures like makeup artistry, podcasts, and branded work.
5. Fitness Influencer
With 1.5 million followers, trainer Jimmy (@fitnesswithjim) faced pressure to demonstrate continual growth. His subscribers support authentic motivation through private daily workouts, meal plans and accountability check-ins. Subscribers appreciate Jimmy’s perseverance in leading by example even during injuries with alternative routines. This community facilitates camaraderie that spurs individuals toward their healthiest selves, which benefits all parties long-term.
Who Is the Highest-Paid Instagram Influencer 2025
Cristiano Ronaldo
Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was the highest-paid Instagram influencer in 2024. With an incredible 632 million followers on his @cristiano account, the Portuguese athlete commanded a staggering $3.23 million per sponsored post.
Now, playing for Manchester United after years with Juventus and Real Madrid, Ronaldo’s profile and fame have reached new heights. Off the pitch, the 37-year-old phenom parlayed his status as arguably the greatest soccer player of all time into a lucrative side career, influencing fans all over the globe. Brands across numerous industries were willing to pay top dollar to associate with his ultra-successful personal brand.
While his playing days may be winding down, Ronaldo had firmly cemented his place at the top of the Instagram money league thanks to carefully cultivated partnerships with companies in telecoms, consumer goods, food and beverage, fashion, and more. His expert use of the platform to give followers behind-the-scenes access to his glamorous lifestyle and dedication to peak physical fitness kept engagement rates sky-high. At nearly $3.5 billion in estimated career earnings, Ronaldo had truly mastered monetizing his fame and talent both on and off the pitch.
Conclusion | How much Instagram pay for 1 million followers
Instagram has become a key global marketing and connection platform. However, the pressure to have higher follower counts for credibility pushes many to take shortcuts. While buying a small number of followers initially to test engagement is acceptable, relying solely on fake metrics becomes counterproductive in the long run. Building authentic engagement with quality visuals and original stories aligned with your goals is still ideal.
With strategic consistency, even small profiles can grow organically into influencers. You can consider follower packages judiciously as a supplement but the foundation must be great real-world content. In 2024, Instagram isn’t just paying for numbers – it is investing in creators who deliver genuine value to their community daily.
