Creators remain reliant on brand deals despite growth in mid-range incomes, survey finds

Creators are still heavily reliant on brand deals even as more move into mid-range income brackets, according to new data from influencer marketplace #Paid.

The company’s 2026 Creator Signals Report found that 81% of creators earn from brand partnerships, far outpacing other income sources. Affiliate marketing accounted for 8% of income, while platform payouts made up 3%. Physical and digital products contributed just 2% each.

The data suggests that while the creator economy is growing – and projected to approach $480 billion by 2027 – alternative income streams remain limited.

Even so, earnings are beginning to cluster in the middle. The largest share of respondents, 24%, reported annual income between $50,000 and $100,000, while 22% earned between $10,000 and $50,000. A further 17% fell within the $100,000 to $200,000 range. Sixteen per cent earned under $10,000, and just 6.6% exceeded $200,000 annually.

The figures point to a growing base of mid-earning creators who remain dependent on brand budgets rather than a broader mix of income sources.

The income distribution differs from findings by The Influencer Marketing Factory, which surveyed 1,000 US creators and found nearly half earning below $10,000 a year – a gap that may reflect differences in how each dataset is composed.

#Paid did not disclose the size or composition of its dataset.