Top 10 creators in the world (2024-25): Ranking behind MrBeast is an Indian origin creator whose parents ran taxi cabs

Indian Express

03-05-2025

Top 10 creators in the world 2024-25 forbes: The creator economy, currently estimated at $250 billion, is booming. Goldman Sachs has projected that this could double to nearly $500 billion by 2027. In just the past year, the top 10 digital creators in the world collectively earned nearly $720 million, up $20 million from 2023. With a combined reach of 2.7 billion followers across platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, these influencers are now full-fledged entrepreneurs, not just internet stars.
From product lines and media deals to live tours and brand partnerships, the top names in content creation are monetising their platforms like never before. Names like MrBeast, Khaby Lame, the D'Amelio sisters, the Paul brothers, and Emma Chamberlain have all expanded into launching their own product lines, ranging from burgers to energy drinks.
Meanwhile, influencers such as Addison Rae, Matt Rife, and Amelie Zilber have successfully made the leap from online fame to mainstream media. Others, like Dhar Mann and Rhett & Link, have developed full-scale production studios, employing hundreds and creating premium content at scale. Tech expert Marques Brownlee operates his popular YouTube channel out of a warehouse in New Jersey, showing just how far these creators have come from their early beginnings.
To compile its ranking of the world's top creators, Forbes analysed various factors, including earnings, follower numbers, engagement rates, and entrepreneurial endeavours, with the help of the creator marketing firm Influential.
Here's a closer look at the Top 10 creators in the world for 2024–25:
10. Khaby Lame
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With total earnings of $20 million and a staggering 255 million followers across platforms, Lame continues to reign as the most followed individual on TikTok, boasting 163 million followers on the app alone. Known for his deadpan reactions to memes and viral content, his videos have amassed an impressive 2.5 billion likes. Hailing from Turin, Italy, Lame has successfully transformed internet humour into a thriving business. His brand partnerships include major names like Hugo Boss, Fortnite, and Sony Pictures. He has also ventured into retail through a collaboration with Walmart, launching a line of quirky kitchen gadgets such as a Khaby-branded garlic press and taco holder.
9. Rhett & Link
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Rhett & Link, friends and the creative force behind the Mythical YouTube brand, have built a $36 million digital empire supported by a combined following of 23 million. Their flagship show, Good Mythical Morning, entertains 19 million subscribers each weekday with offbeat comedy, while Mythical Kitchen serves up quirky food content to nearly four million fans. Beyond video, they've expanded into merchandise with their Mythical store, offering everything from hoodies to haircare products. Their media footprint also includes a podcast and a FAST channel on Hulu. Offline, their Good Mythical Tour proved wildly popular, selling out nine shows and drawing over 24,000 attendees. Demonstrating a commitment to the creator economy, they also run Mythical Ventures, investing $5 million annually to support rising talent.
8. Alex Cooper
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Alexandra Cooper has successfully transformed her candid podcast Call Her Daddy into a powerful media enterprise. In the fall of 2024, she signed a groundbreaking $125 million deal with SiriusXM to distribute her network of creator-led shows, replacing her earlier $60 million, three-year exclusive with Spotify. Beyond podcasting, Cooper has expanded her brand through major collaborations with Skims by Kim Kardashian and luxury fashion house Jimmy Choo. She also stepped into mainstream media, serving as an NBC host during the Paris Olympic Games last summer. With 5.7 million followers and annual earnings of $22 million, she continues to dominate the creator economy.
7. Mark Rober
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Mark Rober, a former Nasa engineer, has transformed into a leading global content creator, earning $25 million and amassing a total following of more than 70 million. In 2024 alone, he nearly doubled his YouTube subscribers, from 30 million to over 57 million, thanks to his inventive, science-driven videos. Known for his dramatic experiments, such as dropping an egg from space or comparing the destructive power of acid and lava, Rober captivates audiences with engaging educational content. His entrepreneurial venture, CrunchLabs, extends his mission by offering STEM-themed subscription boxes for kids and, more recently, for teens and adults. Beyond business, he collaborates with organizations like FIRST and Google.org to expand access to science education in underserved communities.
6. Dixie D'Amelio
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Dixie D'Amelio, with total earnings of $14.6 million and a following of 87 million, has maintained her influence despite a reduced posting frequency compared to her earlier TikTok days, when she was ranked as the platform's second-highest earner by Forbes. Capitalising on the social media spotlight sparked by her sister Charli (also featuring on the list), Dixie has successfully transitioned into the world of high fashion, securing collaborations with luxury brands like Chopard, Ferragamo, Louis Vuitton, and Valentino. Alongside Charli, she is also expanding their joint venture, D'Amelio Footwear. In addition to her fashion pursuits, Dixie has made notable strides in music-her pop single Be Happy has surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify.
5. Stokes Twins
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Identical twins Alex and Alan Stokes, known as the Stokes Twins, have rapidly become major figures in the digital creator world, amassing a staggering $20 million in earnings. Their YouTube channel, one of the platform's fastest-growing, is packed with viral pranks, challenges, and vlogs that routinely draw over 40 million views per video. Their massive online presence spans TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, where they collectively boast more than 150 million followers. In just the past year alone, their content has garnered over four billion views, underscoring their global appeal and dominance in online entertainment.
4. Charli D'Amelio
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Charli D'Amelio shot to stardom at just 18 thanks to her wildly popular dance videos, and by 2021, she had become the highest-paid creator on TikTok. Even as countless others try to follow in her footsteps, Charli continues to dominate, with a massive 213.5 million followers across platforms. Beyond just viral clips, she's become a face for global brands like Garnier and teamed up with her sister Dixie, to launch the stylish D'Amelio Footwear line. Her success has paid off with estimated earnings hitting an incredible $23.5 million.
3. Matt Rife
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Matt Rife, a comedian who skyrocketed to fame through viral TikTok clips in 2022, has successfully translated his digital stardom into a booming live performance career, earning $50 million. With a massive following of over 32 million across platforms, Rife performs about 30 sold-out shows each month. His popularity has also led to major exposure on Netflix, where he now has two comedy specials. Although his debut special Natural Selection drew some backlash over a domestic violence joke, the controversy was short-lived. His follow-up special, Lucid, released in August last year, became one of the platform's most-watched comedy releases of the year.
2. Dhar Mann
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Dhar Mann, with a massive following of 120 million and estimated earnings of $45 million last year, has carved a niche in digital storytelling that tackles social issues like bullying, racism, and inequality. Born to Indian immigrant parents in the United States, Mann grew up in a family that owns Friendly Cab, a taxi service based in Oakland, California. Today, he scripts and produces short, moral-driven videos for his 25 million YouTube subscribers, working with a team of over 150 people out of a sprawling 100,000-square-foot studio in Los Angeles. His content, reminiscent of modern-day after-school specials, has resonated widely, fueling his revenue through Google Adsense and major brand deals with companies such as WhatsApp, Universal, and SocialPoint.
1. MrBeast
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MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, is the most followed creator worldwide, with over 573 million followers across social media platforms. He has garnered more than 320 million subscribers on his primary YouTube channel, amassing nearly nine billion views in the past year. His content, which often features outrageous stunts like surviving in a cave for a week or taking on challenges such as spending 100 days in a bunker to win $500,000, has captured the attention of millions. This immense popularity has also paved the way for successful business ventures, including his Feastable candy bars and various clothing lines.
Rank Creator Name Earnings Total Followers
1. MrBeast $85 million 573.2 million
2. Dhar Mann $45 million 120 million
3. Matt Rife $50 million 32.72 million
4. Charli D'Amelio $23.50 million 213.5 million
5. Stokes Twins $20 million 163.5 million
6. Dixie D'Amelio $14.60 million 87 million
7. Mark Rober $25 million 70.2 million
8. Alex Cooper $22 million 5.7 million
9. Rhett & Link $36 million 23 million
10. Khaby Lame $20 million 255 million