How to Make Money on Pinterest: 5 Ways That Pay in 2026
Pinterest doesn't pay creators for views. The money comes from affiliate links, product tags, Amazon Storefront links, brand deals and visits to your site.
Pinterest doesn't pay you for views, saves or followers. The money comes from somewhere else, through the links and deals you put on your Pins. Its own creator blog lists the ways: links that send people to your site, affiliate links, product tags and brand deals. In June 2026 it added Amazon Storefront links, which tag your links for you. And there's no follower minimum. Shopify's June 2026 guide says "There is no set follower count needed to make money on Pinterest."
We read Pinterest's creator blog, AIEH's October 2026 guide and SocialDay's report through our server on October 23, 2026.
Does Pinterest pay you?
No, not directly. AIEH's October 2026 guide puts it plainly: "Pinterest does not pay creators for views, saves, followers or pins, and it has no ad revenue sharing program like YouTube's." Pinterest did have a paid program once, and it's closed.
| Program | Status in October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Creator Rewards | Ended November 30, 2022 |
| Creator Fund (2021) | Became the Pinterest Inclusion Fund |
| Pinterest Inclusion Fund | Runs by application in limited countries |
| Ad revenue share | Has never existed on Pinterest |
AIEH (October 8, 2026), read October 23, 2026, and Business Insider (December 5, 2022) as Google showed it.
Business Insider reported in December 2022 that Pinterest was "ending its invitation-only beta rewards program," after announcing in 2021 "it would invest $20 million in the program." A Pinterest community post from December 1, 2022 said "Creator Rewards has ended as of November 30th," AIEH notes.
What are the ways to make money on Pinterest?
- Affiliate links. Pinterest says "Adding affiliate links to your Pins lets you earn commission when people on Pinterest click on the product links in your Pins and make purchases." Join a program, then add a unique link to each Pin.
- Product tags. Tags put products in the "Shop the Look" section under a Pin. Pinterest says pairing tags with affiliate links can bring "more affiliate revenue per Pin," too.
- Amazon Storefront linking. Pinterest launched it on June 10, 2026, SocialDay reports. Once you connect your Storefront, it "automatically applies the creator's Amazon affiliate information" when you tag Amazon products.
- Brand deals. A brand pays you to feature its product. The paid partnership tool needs "a (free) business profile," and it's in the advanced settings when you make a Pin.
- Visits to your own site. If your blog or shop already makes money, the advice is that "all of your Pins include links" to a page you choose.
"Pinterest affiliate marketing" gets about 40,500 searches a month, as many as "how to make money on pinterest" itself.
How do you set up affiliate links on Pinterest?
- Switch to a free business profile. It's needed for brand deals and shows you stats.
- Join an affiliate program. Pick one that fits what you pin, like a store's program or Amazon's.
- Make a Pin per product. Add the product's link as the Pin's link.
- Tag the products too. Product tags add more places for people to click.
- Label it. Shopify's July 2026 guide says Pinterest's "Paid partnerships" tag "helps maintain FTC compliance," and SocialDay says Pins with Amazon links get a label on their own.
How many followers do you need to make money on Pinterest?
None. Shopify says "There is no set follower count needed to make money on Pinterest," and that content "that drives people toward" your links matters more. A Reddit user put it this way in April 2026: "the real money comes from using pinterest to drive traffic somewhere else."
Followers still help your Pins get seen. Hclout sells Pinterest followers, likes and saves, so weigh that the way you'd weigh any seller. Our guide to buying Pinterest followers covers the risks. For other platforms, our guides to how much YouTube pays and monetizing TikTok cover the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Does Pinterest pay creators?
No. Pinterest doesn't pay for views, saves or followers. Creator Rewards ended on November 30, 2022.
How do people make money on Pinterest?
Through affiliate links, product tags, brand deals and visits to their own sites.
Can you do affiliate marketing on Pinterest?
Yes. Pinterest says affiliate links let you "earn commission when people on Pinterest click" and buy.
What is Pinterest's Amazon Storefront linking?
A tool from June 10, 2026 that adds your Amazon affiliate details when you tag Amazon products.
Do you need followers to make money on Pinterest?
No. Shopify's guide says there's no set follower count.
Sources
- Pinterest Create, "How to make money on Pinterest," July 28, 2025, read through our server on October 23, 2026
- AIEH, "Does Pinterest Pay You?," October 8, 2026, and SocialDay, July 21, 2026, read through our server on October 23, 2026
- Shopify, June 12 and July 7, 2026; Business Insider, December 5, 2022; and Reddit, April 17, 2026, as Google showed them on October 23, 2026
- Google Ads Keyword Planner, worldwide, read October 23, 2026
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