According to Forbes, MrBeast, the YouTube mastermind behind scores of outrageous stunts and big-money giveaways, earned an estimated $82 million in the last year — more than twice the earnings of any other online creative.
MrBeast’s figure, Jimmy Donaldson, is on the Forbes 2023 Top Creators List, which is the magazine’s second annual list of the 50 highest-earning and most influential artists across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, and other social platforms. Forbes calculated each creator’s gross revenue from June 2022 to June 2023.
MrBeast, the most-followed individual YouTube producer, has 186 million subscribers and counting. He not only creates massively popular videos, but he also has several commercial ventures and regularly supports humanitarian causes. According to Forbes’ profile on MrBeast, he is poised to become a board member of the firm after the projected sale of an 82% interest to auto-technology entrepreneur Austin Russell is completed, valuing Forbes at roughly $800 million.
Olajide Olatunji, popularly known as KSI, is the controversial English influencer who comes after him. Olatunji earned USD 24 million via his music, boxing promotional firm Misfits Boxing, and as the face of sports drink Prime Hydration, as well as as the official for football clubs FC Barcelona and Arsenal, and mixed martial arts promotion Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He has 112 million followers and an entrepreneurship score of 4.
American professional boxer Jake Paul rounded out the top three. His USD 34 million earnings and 66 million followers come from his partnership with the energy drink Celsius, sports betting app Betr, which he established, and an MMA contract to compete in a new pay-per-view division. Paul rose to prominence as Dirk Mann on Bizaardvark, a Disney sitcom starring Olivia Rodrigo. However, he is best renowned for the pranks he performed for his YouTube fans.
Here are the top 18 creators of 2023 as per Forbes:
1. Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast)
Earnings: USD 82 million
Total Followers: 312 million
2. Olajide Olatunji (KSI)
Earnings: USD 24 million
Total Followers: 112 million
3. Jake Paul
Earnings: USD 34 million
Total Followers: 66 million
4. Rhett & Link
Earnings: USD 35 million
Total Followers: 51 million
5. Charli D’Amelio
Earnings: USD 23 million
Total Followers: 213 million
6. Logan Paul
Earnings: USD 21 million
Total Followers: 74 million
7. Emma Chamberlain
Earnings: USD 20 million
Total Followers: 28 million
8. Matt Rife
Earnings: USD 25 million
Total Followers: 22 million
9. Brent Rivera
Earnings: USD 17.5 million
Total Followers: 96 million
10. Khabane (Khaby) Lame
Earnings: USD 16.5 million
Total Followers: 244 million
11. Alexandra Cooper
Earnings: USD 20 million
Total Followers: 5 million
12. Mark Edward Fischbach (Markiplier)
Earnings: USD 30 million
Total Followers: 68 million
13. Sean McLoughlin (Jacksepticeye)
Earnings: USD 27 million
Total Followers: 26 million
14. Preston Arsement (PrestonPlayz)
Earnings: USD 35 million
Total Followers: 26 million
15. Ryan Kaji
Earnings: USD 35 million
Total Followers: 36 million
16. Dixie D’Amelio
Earnings: USD 11.5 million
Total Followers: 91 million
17. Zach King
Earnings: USD 13 million
Total Followers: 125 million
18. Drew Desbordes (Druski)
Earnings: USD 10 million
Total Followers: 12 million