**Short answer:** the top content creators of 2026, according to the Forbes Top Creators list, are MrBeast, Dhar Mann, Steven Bartlett, Markiplier, and Rhett & Link, in that order. Forbes estimates MrBeast earned $300 million between March 2025 and March 2026, and the 50 creators on the list earned $1.02 billion together, the first time the ranking has passed a billion dollars and a 20% rise from $853 million a year earlier. The habits behind those numbers are what a small business can borrow. These creators own what they build, and they publish on a schedule instead of posting when inspiration strikes. Velora Media brings that approach to local businesses with short-form social video, starting at $500 a video, and its New York City page covers all five boroughs.

Below are the names and the money, followed by what the list says about getting attention online when your budget is a few hundred dollars rather than a few million.

## Key takeaways

- Forbes estimates the 50 top creators earned a combined $1.02 billion between March 2025 and March 2026.
- Every creator in the top ten scored the maximum on Forbes' entrepreneurship scale, which rewards building brands and companies over pitching other people's products.
- Engagement rate and follower count measure different things. For a local business, a small audience that books can beat a large one that only scrolls.
- Batching videos and keeping a calendar make short video easier to sustain.

## The top 10 content creators of 2026

Forbes published its fifth annual Top Creators list on June 23, 2026. The top ten, with Forbes' estimates of gross earnings for the period from March 2025 to March 2026, are:

| Rank | Creator | Estimated earnings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MrBeast | $300 million |
| 2 | Dhar Mann | $65 million |
| 3 | Steven Bartlett | $52 million |
| 4 | Markiplier | $38 million |
| 5 | Rhett & Link | $37 million |
| 6 | Charli D'Amelio | $18 million |
| 7 | Druski | $20 million |
| 8 | I Show Speed | $30 million |
| 9 | Mark Rober | $30 million |
| 10 | Codie Sanchez | $31 million |

The order is not strictly by earnings. Forbes also gathers follower counts and engagement rates for each creator, and its published methodology describes those inputs without a weighting formula, so a creator can rank above someone who earned more. The full list of 50 is on the [Forbes Top Creators 2026 page](https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2026/06/23/forbes-top-creators-2026/).

## How Forbes measured the list

Forbes estimated each creator's gross earnings from March 2025 to March 2026, counting income rather than equity in companies. Its data partner Influential supplied follower counts across platforms and engagement rates, which are likes, comments, and shares divided by total followers. Forbes also scored each creator from 1 to 4 on entrepreneurship: someone who earns by pitching brands exclusively scores a 1, and someone who builds their own brands and companies scores a 4. Every creator in the top ten scored a 4.

## What the top creators do differently

### They own what they build

MrBeast's YouTube channels have more than 640 million subscribers, and his company, Beast Industries, manages a food business, an analytics tool called Viewstats, and toy and clothing licensing. Dhar Mann's team of 200 produces digital shows and, per Forbes, recently partnered with Fox on 40 vertical dramas. A local business can apply the same rule on a smaller scale: keep your accounts, client list, and videos in your own name so a platform change or a departing vendor can't take them with it.

### Engagement and reach are different numbers

Druski's Forbes engagement rate is 13.77% on 38.5 million followers, and Jake Shane's is 13.37% on 6 million, while Dhar Mann's is 0.09% on 171 million. A big audience isn't always an active one, and neither number on its own predicts income. We'd take a few thousand nearby followers who actually book over a huge audience that never walks in the door.

### They treat production as a system

Most creators on the list work from repeatable formats and a fixed publishing schedule, often with a team behind them. A small business doesn't need 200 people to copy the habit. Making videos in batches and planning topics a few weeks ahead does most of the work.

### Budget is not the limit

Forbes reports that Backrooms, a film adapted from Kane Parsons' web series, was made for $10 million and brought in more than $260 million, and that Curry Barker's Obsession had a $750,000 budget and has brought in more than $290 million. Those are outliers, and most small videos won't do anything like that. Still, they show that a modest budget doesn't cap how far a good idea can travel.

### They go where the audience already is

Pew Research Center's 2025 survey of 5,022 US adults found that 84% use YouTube, 71% use Facebook, 50% use Instagram, and 32% use TikTok. Your customers are almost certainly on at least one of these platforms. Whether they stop scrolling for your post is the harder part.

## Content creator or social video agency: which fits your business?

A freelance content creator films in their own style, which works well if you want a familiar face on camera and you're comfortable with their schedule and taste. A studio like Velora scripts and produces videos from what you already have, which suits a business that wants steady posting without booking a shoot. Rates for creators vary widely by person and location, so get several quotes and ask who owns the finished videos before you commit. If you use AI-produced video, read how platforms treat labeled synthetic content in [AI commercial cost for small business](/blog/ai-commercial-cost-for-small-business).

## Social video NYC: what Velora's landing page covers

Velora Media's [social video NYC page](https://socialvideonyc.veloramedia.cloud/) is built for small business owners in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island who need to post on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook but cannot film and edit every week. Each video is scripted, produced with AI, captioned, and cut for the platform it runs on, so nobody has to set up a camera.

The published prices are $500 for one video, $1,200 for a batch of 4 to 6, and $2,500 for a batch of 8 to 12. Each includes one revision round, and you own every finished video and your own accounts. Videos come in vertical 9:16, square 1:1, portrait 4:5, and widescreen 16:9.

The process has four steps: a brief about what you sell and what customers ask most, a hook-first script that you approve before production, production with burned-in captions, and posting on your schedule or running the best videos as ads. The page lists eight services:

| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| AI Social Media Videos | $500 to $3,500 |
| AI Commercials | $1,500 to $8,000 |
| Content & Media Systems (pillars and a 90-day calendar) | $1,000 to $4,000 |
| Social Profile Audit & Fix | $200 to $500 |
| Paid Media Management (ad spend billed separately) | $1,500 to $6,000 a month |
| Google Business Profile Management | $250 to $400 a month |
| Starter Web Presence | $400 to $900 |
| Ongoing Retainers | $500 to $6,000 a month |

It's aimed at restaurants and cafes, shops and product brands, salons and studios, and service businesses. For businesses outside New York, the same service is at [socialvideo.veloramedia.cloud](https://socialvideo.veloramedia.cloud/). To start small, the [AI Social Video Starter](/shop/ai-social-video-starter) is one video for $500. For more on keeping a feed active, see [treat your social media like your storefront](/blog/treat-social-media-like-your-storefront).

## Frequently asked questions

### Who are the top content creators of 2026?

According to the Forbes Top Creators 2026 list, the top five are MrBeast, Dhar Mann, Steven Bartlett, Markiplier, and Rhett & Link. The top ten also includes Charli D'Amelio, Druski, I Show Speed, Mark Rober, and Codie Sanchez.

### Who is the highest-paid content creator in 2026?

MrBeast, with estimated earnings of $300 million between March 2025 and March 2026, according to Forbes. Dhar Mann was second at an estimated $65 million.

### How much did the top creators earn in 2026?

Forbes estimates the 50 creators on its 2026 list earned a combined $1.02 billion, up 20% from $853 million the year before and up 80% from $570 million on the first list in 2022.

### How does Forbes rank top creators?

Forbes estimates gross earnings from March 2025 to March 2026, and uses follower counts and engagement rates from the data firm Influential. It also scores creators from 1 to 4 on entrepreneurship, where 4 means building your own brands and companies.

### Should a small business hire a content creator or an agency?

A creator suits a brand that wants a familiar face and a personal style. An agency suits a business that wants scripted, consistent videos without scheduling a shoot. Get several quotes and confirm you own the finished videos.

### How much does social video cost in NYC?

At Velora Media, one video costs $500, a batch of 4 to 6 costs $1,200, and a batch of 8 to 12 costs $2,500. Each is scripted, produced with AI, captioned, and cut for its platform, with one revision round.

### Do I need to film anything myself?

No. Velora's social videos are scripted and produced with AI from what you send, such as your logo and product photos. If you already have footage you like, you can mention it on the free consultation.

## Related reading

For the cost and performance evidence on AI-produced video, see [AI commercial cost for small business](/blog/ai-commercial-cost-for-small-business). For building a feed that works like a storefront, see [treat your social media like your storefront](/blog/treat-social-media-like-your-storefront). For planning content across a year, see [small business content development](/blog/small-business-content-development-marketing-near-me).

## Velora Media landing pages, by industry

Each site below carries the same six pages: an overview, the services built for that industry, a shop with published prices, the engine showing how the pieces connect, results, and the questions owners in that industry ask first.

### Social media video in New York City

[socialvideonyc.veloramedia.cloud](https://socialvideonyc.veloramedia.cloud/) · [Services](https://socialvideonyc.veloramedia.cloud/services.html) · [Shop](https://socialvideonyc.veloramedia.cloud/shop.html) · [Engine](https://socialvideonyc.veloramedia.cloud/engine.html) · [Results](https://socialvideonyc.veloramedia.cloud/results.html) · [FAQ](https://socialvideonyc.veloramedia.cloud/faq.html)

### Social media video for small business

[socialvideo.veloramedia.cloud](https://socialvideo.veloramedia.cloud/) · [Services](https://socialvideo.veloramedia.cloud/services.html) · [Shop](https://socialvideo.veloramedia.cloud/shop.html) · [Engine](https://socialvideo.veloramedia.cloud/engine.html) · [Results](https://socialvideo.veloramedia.cloud/results.html) · [FAQ](https://socialvideo.veloramedia.cloud/faq.html)

### Home services: plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and appliance repair

[homeservices.veloramedia.cloud](https://homeservices.veloramedia.cloud/) · [Services](https://homeservices.veloramedia.cloud/services.html) · [Shop](https://homeservices.veloramedia.cloud/shop.html) · [Engine](https://homeservices.veloramedia.cloud/engine.html) · [Results](https://homeservices.veloramedia.cloud/results.html) · [FAQ](https://homeservices.veloramedia.cloud/faq.html)

### AI receptionist, for any industry

[aireceptionist.veloramedia.cloud](https://aireceptionist.veloramedia.cloud/) · [Services](https://aireceptionist.veloramedia.cloud/services.html) · [Shop](https://aireceptionist.veloramedia.cloud/shop.html) · [Engine](https://aireceptionist.veloramedia.cloud/engine.html) · [Results](https://aireceptionist.veloramedia.cloud/results.html) · [FAQ](https://aireceptionist.veloramedia.cloud/faq.html)

### Real estate agents

[realestateagents.veloramedia.cloud](https://realestateagents.veloramedia.cloud/) · [Services](https://realestateagents.veloramedia.cloud/services.html) · [Shop](https://realestateagents.veloramedia.cloud/shop.html) · [Engine](https://realestateagents.veloramedia.cloud/engine.html) · [Results](https://realestateagents.veloramedia.cloud/results.html) · [FAQ](https://realestateagents.veloramedia.cloud/faq.html)

### Real estate wholesalers

[wholesale.veloramedia.cloud](https://wholesale.veloramedia.cloud/) · [Services](https://wholesale.veloramedia.cloud/services.html) · [Shop](https://wholesale.veloramedia.cloud/shop.html) · [Engine](https://wholesale.veloramedia.cloud/engine.html) · [Results](https://wholesale.veloramedia.cloud/results.html) · [FAQ](https://wholesale.veloramedia.cloud/faq.html)

### Med spas and aesthetic clinics

[medspaaesthetics.veloramedia.cloud](https://medspaaesthetics.veloramedia.cloud/) · [Services](https://medspaaesthetics.veloramedia.cloud/services.html) · [Shop](https://medspaaesthetics.veloramedia.cloud/shop.html) · [Engine](https://medspaaesthetics.veloramedia.cloud/engine.html) · [Results](https://medspaaesthetics.veloramedia.cloud/results.html) · [FAQ](https://medspaaesthetics.veloramedia.cloud/faq.html)

### Physicians and medical practices

[physicians.veloramedia.cloud](https://physicians.veloramedia.cloud/) · [Services](https://physicians.veloramedia.cloud/services.html) · [Shop](https://physicians.veloramedia.cloud/shop.html) · [Engine](https://physicians.veloramedia.cloud/engine.html) · [Results](https://physicians.veloramedia.cloud/results.html) · [FAQ](https://physicians.veloramedia.cloud/faq.html)

### Auto body and collision repair

[autobody.veloramedia.cloud](https://autobody.veloramedia.cloud/) · [Services](https://autobody.veloramedia.cloud/services.html) · [Shop](https://autobody.veloramedia.cloud/shop.html) · [Engine](https://autobody.veloramedia.cloud/engine.html) · [Results](https://autobody.veloramedia.cloud/results.html) · [FAQ](https://autobody.veloramedia.cloud/faq.html)

### Law firms and attorneys

[lawfirms.veloramedia.cloud](https://lawfirms.veloramedia.cloud/) · [Services](https://lawfirms.veloramedia.cloud/services.html) · [Shop](https://lawfirms.veloramedia.cloud/shop.html) · [Engine](https://lawfirms.veloramedia.cloud/engine.html) · [Results](https://lawfirms.veloramedia.cloud/results.html) · [FAQ](https://lawfirms.veloramedia.cloud/faq.html)

### Florists and flower shops

[florist.veloramedia.cloud](https://florist.veloramedia.cloud/) · [Services](https://florist.veloramedia.cloud/services.html) · [Shop](https://florist.veloramedia.cloud/shop.html) · [Engine](https://florist.veloramedia.cloud/engine.html) · [Results](https://florist.veloramedia.cloud/results.html) · [FAQ](https://florist.veloramedia.cloud/faq.html)

## Sources

- Forbes, "Forbes Top Creators 2026," edited by Steven Bertoni, June 23, 2026 (updated August 6, 2026). [forbes.com](https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2026/06/23/forbes-top-creators-2026/)
- Pew Research Center, "Social Media Fact Sheet," 2025 survey of 5,022 US adults. [pewresearch.org](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/)
- Velora Media, "Social Media Video Production NYC." [socialvideonyc.veloramedia.cloud](https://socialvideonyc.veloramedia.cloud/)
- Velora Media, "Social Media Video Production for Small Business." [socialvideo.veloramedia.cloud](https://socialvideo.veloramedia.cloud/)