Medium Partner Program lets writers earn money from articles they publish on Medium. Instead of charging readers yourself, you place eligible stories behind Medium’s paywall and earn from member activity.
The program rewards writers based on how paying Medium members interact with their stories. Reading time, listening time, claps, highlights, replies, and other forms of member engagement can affect earnings.
You do not get a fixed amount for every article or every view. A story can earn more when paying members spend more time reading it and engage with the content.
Medium also gives extra weight to some traffic sources. For example, qualifying reads that come from search engines or email notifications can earn at a higher rate than some other member reads.
There are some requirements before you can join. You need an active Medium membership, at least one published story, a complete profile, an eligible bank account and tax residence, and you must be at least 18.
After approval, you connect a Stripe account and submit your taxpayer information. Medium uses Stripe to send Partner Program payouts.
You can write about many subjects, but the content must meet Medium’s rules for originality, quality, and paywall eligibility. Medium also requires active Partner Program writers to publish at least one story every six months to maintain active status.
The payout threshold is $10. If you earn less than that during a month, the balance rolls over until you reach the threshold. Payouts are normally started by the 10th of the following month and can take another five to seven business days to reach your bank account.
Medium can be useful for writers who already enjoy publishing articles and want another way to earn from their work. The main challenge is that income depends on member engagement, so there is no fixed amount you can expect from each article.
Pay
Variable. Earnings depend on member reading time, engagement, traffic sources, and other factors used in Medium's current Partner Program calculation.
How You Make Money
You publish original articles on Medium and choose which eligible stories to place behind the paywall. You earn when Medium members read, listen to, and engage with those stories, with the amount depending on the activity your content receives.
Payment Method
Stripe (linked bank account or debit card)
Withdrawal Speed
Payouts are typically initiated by the 10th of each month and can take another five to seven business days to reach your bank account.
Skill Level
Beginner to Intermediate (writing skills required)
Pros
• You can earn from articles without creating your own website or payment system.
• You can write about many different subjects and build an audience around your interests.
• Earnings can continue from older stories while they keep receiving eligible member activity.
• Medium provides built in distribution that can help writers reach readers.
• Search and email traffic can receive additional earning treatment under the current model.
Cons
• There is no fixed payment rate for each article or view.
• Your earnings depend heavily on member activity and engagement.
• You need an active Medium membership before applying to the Partner Program.
• You must keep your payout and tax information properly set up.
• Medium can change its Partner Program rules and earning system over time.
• You need to remain active to keep your Partner Program status.
Best For
Writers, bloggers, and subject experts who enjoy publishing articles and want to earn from reader engagement without running their own publishing site.
Country Availability
Available in many countries, with eligibility based on supported bank accounts and tax residence.
