Two numbers for the same month
During the month, YouTube Analytics shows estimated revenue, updated as views come in. A few days after the month closes YouTube finalises it, and the finalised figure is what is actually paid. The two are usually close, but rarely identical.
Why the figure moves
- Invalid traffic: views and ad clicks that YouTube's systems judge to be automated or artificial are removed, along with the revenue they produced.
- Advertiser adjustments: some campaigns are reconciled after delivery, which can raise or lower the final amount.
- Claims: revenue from videos under an active Content ID claim may be redirected or held.
- Timing: late data from some ad formats arrives after the estimate was shown.
What reaches your account
The finalised revenue is not yet the amount you receive. US tax may be withheld on earnings from viewers in the United States, depending on the tax information on file and any treaty. In a network, the network's share is deducted according to your contract, and the payout method may involve a fee or a currency conversion.
Reading a network report
A good report keeps these layers separate: estimated revenue, finalised revenue, withholding, the network share, adjustments and the net payout. Glactro reports put each layer on its own line and show the previous month beside every figure, so a change is easy to trace back to its cause.