methodology
how the numbers are made
Last updated: 8 May 2026 · We update this page whenever a model input changes.
Earnings calculator
The calculator on the home page is illustrative. It is intended to anchor a creator's expectation, not predict their next month. The model has two inputs and three outputs.
Inputs
- Tier (followers): 5K, 25K, 100K, 500K. Each tier maps to a base monthly brand-deal figure derived from 2024 medians across roughly 8,000 brand briefs run on the Hey! Creators platform.
- Niche multiplier: beauty 1.0, fashion 0.9, tech 0.8, finance 1.1, food 0.85. These reflect category demand for sponsored content at the time of publication. Finance commands a premium; tech often pays in product.
Outputs
- On Hey! Creators:
tier.base × niche.mult. This is the gross brand-deal earning before platform fee. Hey! Creators charges 3-5% depending on plan; assume 4% for back-of-envelope math. - On a competitor: the same gross divided by 2.5×. The 2.5× multiplier is conservative; we have observed 2-3× across pricing audits of Wishlink, EarnKaro, and Beacons. The model uses 2.5× as a single number you can stress-test.
- Delta: the difference. Surfaced because most creators do not feel the platform tax until they see the rupee figure.
What the model does not capture
- Engagement-rate variance (a 6% ER profile out-earns a 1.5% ER profile at the same tier).
- Brief-fit (a niche creator inside a brand's ICP often gets re-booked at 1.5×).
- Long-tail income from storefronts, Auto-DM affiliate, and reposting clauses.
Treat the calculator as a floor. The real number is usually 1.2-1.8× higher once Auto-DM and storefront commissions stack on top of brand deals.
Payout speed
We release UPI / NEFT / IMPS payouts within 1 business day after brand validation. The "faster payout" claim is measured as brand validation to creator account credit:
| Platform | Median days to payout | Payout cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Hey! Creators | 0-1 business day after validation | Triggered on approval |
| Industry typical | 7-15 after validation | Batch finance release |
| Industry slow tail | 15-45+ after validation | Manual / agency payout runs |
Validation-window timing varies by campaign. Most Hey! Creators brand validations close in about 45 days, though some campaigns can take up to 60 depending on the brand process.
Competitor capability score
The 12/12 capability score reflects 12 creator-commerce primitives we believe an Indian creator needs:
- Brand-deal marketplace
- Auto-DM (any link, not affiliate-only)
- Creator storefront with checkout
- Affiliate tracking (in-house)
- Fast INR payouts after validation
- Compliant invoicing (GST or bill of supply)
- UPI / NEFT / IMPS payout rails
- Creator AI tools (CreatorGPT)
- Auto-generated media kit
- Fake-follower detection
- Multi-platform link aggregation
- Native iOS + Android apps
A platform scores 1 if a creator can ship the primitive end-to-end without leaving the product, 0 otherwise. Scores were last audited against public product pages and trial accounts in April 2026. We will re-score on any major release from a benchmarked competitor.
See /llms-full.txt for the canonical figure list and citation preferences.
Corrections
Found a number you can disprove with primary data? Email hello@heycreators.ai and we will update this page within 7 days, with your name credited if you want it.