The 5 richest female YouTubers in the world in 2026 are Ms Rachel (about $50 million), Michelle Phan (about $50 million), Emma Chamberlain (about $30 million), Lilly Singh (about $20 million) and Rebecca Zamolo (about $10 million), based on Celebrity Net Worth estimates. Most built businesses beyond YouTube ads.
YouTube income alone rarely makes someone very rich. The women on this list turned their channels into coffee brands, beauty companies, TV shows, books and toys. Here is the 2026 list, how each creator made her money and a few notes on how these figures are calculated.
- Richest female YouTubers 2026: quick list
- 1. Ms Rachel: about $50 million
- 2. Michelle Phan: about $50 million
- 3. Emma Chamberlain: about $30 million
- 4. Lilly Singh: about $20 million
- 5. Rebecca Zamolo: about $10 million
- Other well-known female YouTubers
- What about Indian female YouTubers?
- Why business beats views
- How these figures are estimated
- Frequently asked questions
Richest female YouTubers 2026: quick list
| Rank | YouTuber | Estimated net worth | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ms Rachel | About $50 million | Toddler learning videos |
| 2 | Michelle Phan | About $50 million | Makeup tutorials, Ipsy |
| 3 | Emma Chamberlain | About $30 million | Vlogs, Chamberlain Coffee |
| 4 | Lilly Singh | About $20 million | Comedy sketches, TV hosting |
| 5 | Rebecca Zamolo | About $10 million | Family-friendly mystery and challenge videos |
1. Ms Rachel: about $50 million
Rachel Griffin Accurso, known as Ms Rachel, is a former preschool music teacher. She started her channel, Songs for Littles, in 2019 to help children with speech delays, inspired partly by her own son’s late talking. Her slow, clear songs and lessons became a go-to for parents of toddlers around the world, including in India.
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Her channel has more than 20 million subscribers. Netflix began streaming episodes of her show in January 2025, and she has added books and toys. She is the newest name in this top five and the fastest riser.
2. Michelle Phan: about $50 million
Michelle Phan was one of YouTube’s first beauty stars, posting makeup tutorials from 2007. Most of her wealth comes from business rather than views. She co-founded Ipsy, the beauty subscription company, in 2011, and later relaunched her own brand, EM Cosmetics.
She stepped back from regular uploads years ago, which shows how a creator’s wealth can outlast her channel.
3. Emma Chamberlain: about $30 million
Emma Chamberlain started posting vlogs as a teenager in 2017 and became known for her casual, jump-cut editing style that many creators copied. She has well over 10 million subscribers.
Her biggest business is Chamberlain Coffee, which she launched in 2019 and which is now sold in large retail chains in the US. She also hosts the podcast Anything Goes, works with luxury fashion brands, and has hosted Vogue’s red carpet coverage at the Met Gala.
4. Lilly Singh: about $20 million
Lilly Singh, a Canadian of Indian Punjabi heritage, began making comedy sketches as “Superwoman” in 2010. Her videos about growing up in an Indian family made her hugely popular with Indian and South Asian viewers. She has well over 10 million subscribers.
From 2019 to 2021 she hosted A Little Late with Lilly Singh on NBC, becoming one of the few women to host a US network late-night show. She has also written a bestselling book and acted in films and series.
5. Rebecca Zamolo: about $10 million
Rebecca Zamolo runs a family-friendly channel known for mystery, challenge and stunt videos, often built around a “Game Master” storyline. With more than 20 million subscribers, her audience is mostly children and young teens. Her income comes from ads, sponsorships and merchandise.
Other well-known female YouTubers
- Rosanna Pansino: Baking channel Nerdy Nummies, cookbooks and baking products.
- Jenna Marbles: Once among the biggest YouTubers, she stopped posting in 2020.
- Lexi Rivera: Popular with younger viewers for challenge and lifestyle videos.
- Charli D’Amelio: Best known for TikTok, with a large YouTube presence too.
Kids channels such as Kids Diana Show earn very large sums, but they are run by families and companies, so we have not ranked them as individual creators.
What about Indian female YouTubers?
India has several hugely popular women creators, such as Prajakta Koli of MostlySane and cooking channel host Nisha Madhulika. However, no reliable outlet publishes verified net worth figures for them, so we have not ranked them here. Read creator profiles in our people section and more internet culture stories in our buzz section.
Why business beats views
A common question is why some creators with fewer subscribers are richer than those with more. The answer is ownership. Ad revenue depends on views, the country of the viewer and the type of content, and it can drop when trends change. A product brand keeps earning even when a creator posts less.
Michelle Phan is the clearest example: her Ipsy stake made her wealthy long after she stopped uploading regularly. Emma Chamberlain is following a similar path with her coffee company. For Indian creators building their own audiences, the lesson is to treat a channel as the start of a business, not the whole business. More money and career reads are in our finance section.
How these figures are estimated
Forbes does not publish net worth figures for YouTubers. It publishes annual earnings lists for top creators, which measure one year’s income, not total wealth. The figures above are Celebrity Net Worth estimates, which combine likely ad revenue, sponsorships, business stakes and assets. They are not audited and can change quickly, especially for creators with fast-growing businesses.
Further reading: Guinness World Records, highest-earning female YouTube contributor, TheWrap, Ms Rachel among most-watched Netflix shows, H1 2025, Social Blade, subscriber counts (30 Sept 2026).
Frequently asked questions
Who is the richest female YouTuber in 2026?
Ms Rachel and Michelle Phan share the top spot with estimated net worths of about $50 million each, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
How do female YouTubers make most of their money?
Mostly through businesses linked to their channels, such as Chamberlain Coffee or Ipsy, plus sponsorships, TV deals and merchandise.
Is Lilly Singh Indian?
Lilly Singh is Canadian, born to Punjabi Indian parents. Her comedy often draws on her Indian family background.
How many subscribers does Ms Rachel have?
Her main channel has more than 20 million subscribers, and her show also streams on Netflix.
Sources: Celebrity Net Worth, Wikipedia: Ms Rachel, Wikipedia: Lilly Singh.
