- Pinterest doesn't directly pay creators much. Most income comes from traffic to your blog/store/affiliate links.
- Top earners drive $1K-$50K/month through Pinterest funnels — almost all from off-platform monetisation.
- Pinterest's Creator Rewards (limited program) and Idea Pin ad sharing provide some on-platform pay, but it's minor.
The 6 Real Ways to Make Money on Pinterest
| Method | Income range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Affiliate marketing | $200-$10K/month | Niche bloggers |
| Drive traffic to your blog (ads) | $500-$50K/month | Established bloggers |
| Sell digital products (printables, templates) | $1K-$20K/month | Designers, planners |
| Etsy / Shopify sales | $500-$30K/month | E-commerce sellers |
| Sponsored pins | $300-$5K/post | Larger accounts (50K+ followers) |
| Pinterest Creator Rewards | $50-$500/month | Idea Pin creators |
Method 1 — Affiliate Marketing on Pinterest
Pinterest allows direct affiliate links — unlike Instagram or TikTok where you need DM/bio funnels.
- Add affiliate URLs as the destination link on relevant pins.
- Best networks: Amazon Associates, ShareASale, Impact, RewardStyle (LTK).
- Disclosure required — add "#affiliate" or "Affiliate link" to your description.
- Don't link to URL shorteners (bit.ly, tinyurl) — Pinterest blocks many of them.
Top niches: home decor, fashion, tech, planners, beauty.
Method 2 — Drive Traffic to Your Blog (Ad Revenue)
This is the biggest income source for most Pinterest power users.
- Pin from your blog posts (Rich Pins enabled).
- Drive 100K-1M+ monthly visits.
- Monetise blog with Mediavine ($25-$50 RPM), AdThrive ($30-$60 RPM), or Ezoic.
Math: 200K Pinterest-driven monthly pageviews × $30 RPM = $6,000/month.
Top food bloggers earn $30K-$100K+/month from Pinterest-driven blog traffic alone.
Method 3 — Sell Digital Products
Pinterest is a powerhouse for digital products — especially planners, printables, templates.
- Etsy — easiest setup; Pinterest is its top traffic source.
- Gumroad — your own store.
- Stan.store / Lemon Squeezy — modern checkout.
Top sellers: $5K-$20K/month from Pinterest-driven digital product sales.
Method 4 — E-commerce (Etsy, Shopify, Amazon)
Pinterest converts well for visual products:
- Pin product photos to relevant boards.
- Use Rich Pins to show price + availability automatically.
- Run Pinterest Ads to scale (Pinterest's CTR is often 2-3x Facebook for visual products).
Method 5 — Sponsored Pins (Brand Deals)
Once you have 50K+ followers and consistent monthly views, brands pay for sponsored content:
| Account size | Per-pin rate |
|---|---|
| 50K-100K followers | $300-$800 |
| 100K-500K followers | $800-$3,000 |
| 500K+ followers | $3,000-$10,000 |
Find brand deals via Aspire IQ, Tribe, Activate, or direct outreach.
Method 6 — Pinterest Creator Rewards Program
Pinterest's Creator Rewards pays creators for high-performing Idea Pins:
- Available to verified creators (US, UK, Canada, Germany, France).
- Pinterest pays based on Idea Pin engagement (saves, follows, video views).
- Average payout: $50-$500/month.
- Bonus: ad revenue share on Idea Pins (similar to YouTube).
This is direct on-platform pay, but it's still smaller than off-platform monetisation.
How Much Do Top Pinterest Creators Earn?
| Tier | Monthly views | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Hobbyist | 5K-50K | $0-$500 |
| Side income | 50K-500K | $500-$3,000 |
| Full-time | 500K-5M | $3K-$30K |
| Top creators | 5M-30M | $30K-$200K+ |
Pinterest power users earn comparable income to YouTube mid-tier creators — but it requires consistent pinning over 1-2+ years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Pinterest pay creators directly?
Yes, via the Creator Rewards program (small amounts: $50-$500/month). Most income comes from off-platform sources like blog ads and affiliates.
Can you make a living on Pinterest?
Yes — top creators earn $30K-$100K+/month, primarily from blog ad revenue and digital product sales driven by Pinterest traffic.
How many followers do you need to make money on Pinterest?
None directly. With 0 followers but ranking pins, you can drive 50K+ monthly visits. For sponsored deals, 50K+ followers helps.
Are affiliate links allowed on Pinterest?
Yes. Pinterest re-allowed affiliate links in 2016 (after a brief ban). Disclose them per FTC rules.
What's the best niche for making money on Pinterest?
Home decor, fashion, recipes, weddings, productivity, beauty, and personal finance — all visual, evergreen, high-affiliate niches.
Key Takeaways
- Most Pinterest income comes from off-platform: blog ads, digital products, e-commerce.
- Affiliate links are allowed and convert well — disclosure required.
- Top creators earn $30K-$200K+/month, mostly from compounding pin traffic.
- Creator Rewards (Idea Pins) pays $50-$500/month — small but additive.
- Sponsored pin deals: $300-$10K each, depending on audience size.
Convert Pinterest traffic into multi-platform income
Send all your pins to a single UniLink URL — covers your blog, Etsy, affiliates, newsletter. Track which pins drive sales. Free.