The creator economy was worth around $250 billion in 2023 and could approach $480 billion by 2027, according to Goldman Sachs, which also estimates roughly 50 million creators worldwide. That scale is why finance and marketing teams now treat creators as a serious spend category rather than a side experiment. Below is a cited roundup of the numbers that matter for 2026, each linked to the source that actually contains it.
Every figure here is drawn from a named, reputable source. Where a projection carries a base year, we state it, because a "2027" forecast was often published earlier.
How big is the creator economy in 2026?
Answer first: estimates cluster between a quarter of a trillion and half a trillion dollars, depending on what you count. Goldman Sachs put the total addressable creator economy at about $250 billion in 2023 and projected it could approach $480 billion by 2027, per Goldman Sachs.
The narrower influencer marketing slice is also at a record. The global influencer marketing market was estimated to reach approximately $33 billion in 2025, a figure the source says has "more than tripled since 2020," per Statista.
How many creators are there?
Answer first: around 50 million people create content worldwide, but only a small share earn serious money from it. Goldman Sachs estimates about 50 million creators globally and notes that roughly 4% are "deemed professionals," meaning they earn more than $100,000 a year, per Goldman Sachs.
That 4% figure is the key context for every other number on this page. The creator economy is large in aggregate and long-tailed in practice: a few professionals earn a lot, and a very large group earns modestly. The same analysis projects the total number of creators to grow at a 10 to 20% compound annual rate over five years.
How much are brands spending on creators?
Answer first: spend is rising at double-digit rates and most marketers plan to spend more. US influencer marketing spending reached $10.52 billion in 2025, up $1.37 billion year on year, and growth is expected to tick up to 15.7% in 2026, per eMarketer.
Sentiment backs that up. In the latest benchmark survey, 87.49% of marketers said they expect their influencer marketing budget to increase, per the Influencer Marketing Hub. For how brands justify that spend, see our guide to influencer marketing ROI and the wider set in our influencer marketing statistics for 2026.
| Metric | Figure | Source (year) |
|---|---|---|
| Creator economy size | ~$250 billion (2023) | Goldman Sachs (2023) |
| Projected creator economy by 2027 | ~$480 billion | Goldman Sachs (2023) |
| Global influencer marketing market | ~$33 billion (2025) | Statista (2025) |
| US influencer marketing spending | $10.52 billion (2025) | eMarketer (2025) |
| Creators worldwide | ~50 million | Goldman Sachs (2023) |
| Creators earning over $100k a year | ~4% | Goldman Sachs (2023) |
| Marketers expecting budget increase | 87.49% | Influencer Marketing Hub (2025) |
How do creators make money?
Answer first: brand deals dominate creator income. Goldman Sachs reports that brand deals account for roughly 70% of creator revenue, with ad revenue sharing, subscriptions, donations and other direct payments from followers making up the rest, per Goldman Sachs.
That concentration explains why payment terms and reliability matter so much to creators: a large part of their income arrives as negotiated brand payments rather than steady platform payouts. The economics also differ by tier, which is why many brands weigh reach against engagement. See our breakdown of micro vs macro influencers and ROI and the comparison in UGC vs influencer marketing.
What are creators' biggest payment pain points?
Answer first: speed and reliability top the list, and payment problems push creators off platforms. In a 2026 Trolley survey of 450 independent earners, 72% said two days or less is the longest acceptable wait after finishing work, and 41% named payment delays as a reason they would leave a platform, per Trolley's recipient report.
Two more figures from the same survey show how much speed is worth to recipients:
- Control over timing. 82% said they want control over when they receive or withdraw earnings.
- Willingness to trade. 93% said they would accept at least some reduction in pay in exchange for payment within 24 hours with a guaranteed payout date.
These are self-reported figures from a vendor survey of a limited sample, so treat them as directional. Still, the pattern is consistent: creators value fast, predictable payment, which ties directly to how much they charge. See our guide to how much influencers charge.
How Talentir helps teams pay creators
Numbers like these turn into an operational problem the moment a team pays more than a handful of creators. Talentir is infrastructure for paying creators and contributors at scale, across 180+ countries and 24+ currencies, plus 10 stablecoins including USDC and EURC. Each recipient chooses their own method and currency and enters their own payment details, so the business never collects or stores bank or wallet data. Bank transfers land in 1 to 2 business days, PayPal and Venmo are instant and stablecoin payouts settle in seconds, which answers the speed expectations the data shows.
Talentir is Merchant of Record for every payout, carrying the payout and tax responsibility for the money sent out, and generates a self-billing invoice automatically for every approved payout. Talentir is a Member of a self-regulatory organization under the Swiss Anti-Money Laundering Act.
For the marketing side of these numbers, read our influencer marketing statistics for 2026 and how to prove influencer marketing ROI.
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FAQ
How big is the creator economy in 2026?
Estimates range from about $250 billion to a projected $480 billion depending on scope and year. Goldman Sachs valued the total creator economy at around $250 billion in 2023 and projected it could approach $480 billion by 2027, per Goldman Sachs. The narrower influencer marketing market was estimated at approximately $33 billion in 2025, per Statista.
How many creators are there worldwide?
About 50 million, according to Goldman Sachs. Of those, roughly 4% are deemed professionals earning more than $100,000 a year, which is why aggregate market figures and individual creator earnings look so different.
How much do brands spend on influencer marketing?
US influencer marketing spending reached $10.52 billion in 2025, with growth expected to reach 15.7% in 2026, per eMarketer. Globally, the influencer marketing market was estimated at approximately $33 billion in 2025, per Statista.
Are creator marketing budgets growing?
Yes. In the latest benchmark survey, 87.49% of marketers said they expect their influencer marketing budget to increase, per the Influencer Marketing Hub. Rising US spend, up $1.37 billion in 2025 per eMarketer, points the same way.
What do creators care about most when getting paid?
Speed and reliability. In a 2026 Trolley survey, 72% of independent earners said two days or less is the longest acceptable wait after finishing work, and 93% said they would accept some pay reduction for payment within 24 hours with a guaranteed date, per Trolley. Payment delays were a top reason earners said they would leave a platform.
