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.
* Released within 1 business day after brand validation, which typically takes about 45 days and can take up to 60. Best-effort target; excludes incorrect UPI or bank details, bank and payment-gateway delays, legal holds and blocked accounts. Payout terms
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.