Rumble vs. YouTube: A Data-Driven Comparison of Engagement and Monetization

Introduction

YouTube dominates the online video space with over 2.5 billion active users, but Rumble is rapidly gaining traction, especially among creators seeking fewer restrictions. According to Rumble’s investor reports, its monthly active user base exceeded 80 million in 2024, with strong growth in political and alternative content niches.

This article explores the key differences between the platforms using reliable data, expert commentary, and real-world performance insights.

Platform Overview & Market Positioning

Platform	Monthly Active Users (2024)	Total Videos Uploaded (2023)
YouTube	~2.5 billion (Statista)	~800 million (Business of Apps)
Rumble	~80 million (Rumble IR)	~10 million (SimilarWeb)

"Rumble is filling a gap that YouTube has left open..." – Chris Pavlovski, Rumble CEO

Chris Pavlovski’s Statement on Rumble’s Mission and Growth: Rumble’s CEO Chris Pavlovski has reaffirmed the platform’s free-speech mission and highlighted its rapid growth. In a Q3 2024 earnings release, he stated, “It has been two years since we made our public debut… The American people have spoken.

Cancel culture is dead. Free speech is now mainstream, and Rumble is in the driver’s seat with the best lineup of independent creators with the best economics.”

This statement highlights Rumble’s strong stance on creator freedom and emphasizes the platform’s record user engagement (67 million average monthly active users (corp.rumble.com) and 39% year-over-year revenue growth that quarter.

Engagement Metrics: Views, Watch Time, and Retention

Metric	YouTube	Rumble
Avg. Watch Time per Session	~40 min (demandsage.com)	~25 min
Avg. Completion Rate	50–70% (Backlinko)	40–60% (Rumble dashboards)
Interactions per 1,000 Views	~50 likes, 10 comments	~30 likes, 5 comments

YouTube users collectively watch around 1 billion hours of video per day. Individually, this averages around 46–48 minutes per user in 2023–2024 (demandsage.com), with mobile devices accounting for over 70% of that watch time. These figures underscore YouTube's engagement strength.

"While YouTube still leads in engagement, Rumble’s audience is more loyal within specific niches, particularly news and political content." – Mark Dice, political commentator

Monetization: Revenue per 1,000 Views (RPM)

Monetization Model	YouTube	Rumble
Ad Revenue (RPM Range)	$2–$12 (Influencer Marketing Hub)	$10–$50 (estimated from public creator data)
Membership/Subscriptions	YouTube Premium, Super Chat (YouTube Help)	Locals, Exclusive Licensing
Revenue Share	55% to creators (YouTube Partner Terms)	Up to 90%

Rumble’s model is built around ad revenue and licensing, with creators earning $0.01 to $0.05 per view on average. No minimum subscribers or watch hours are required, making monetization more accessible. The revenue share can reach up to 90% for exclusive licensing deals (wealthyaffiliate.com).

"Rumble’s monetization model can outperform YouTube in certain cases, but it lacks the depth of YouTube’s ad ecosystem." – Graham Stephan, finance YouTuber

Content Discovery & Algorithm Differences

Factor	YouTube	Rumble
Algorithm Type	AI-driven, personalized (YouTube Blog)	Trending-based, manual promotion
Virality Potential	Competitive landscape for creators	Easier breakout for niche creators
Censorship Level	Moderate to strict (YouTube Policy)	Minimal restrictions

"On Rumble, a creator with 10K subs can outperform larger YouTube channels." – Viva Frei

Audience & Niche Performance

Rumble’s audience skews male (66%) and mostly between 25–34 years old (pewresearch.org). Contrary to assumptions, a 2023 Comscore report found the platform’s U.S. political split was 35.5% Democrat, 28.9% Independent, and only 21.8% Republican, indicating a broader ideological spread than commonly portrayed.

"Rumble isn’t about viral comedy. It’s about niche depth and community." - Tim Pool

Challenges & Future Predictions

Platform	Challenges	Growth Outlook
YouTube	Ad restrictions, over-saturation, censorship concerns (Pew Research)	Steady growth, but stagnating in some niches
Rumble	Smaller user base, growing infrastructure needs	High growth in political & opinion niches

Final Thoughts: Which Platform Should You Choose?

• Choose YouTube if: You create safe-for-ads content (e.g., tech, lifestyle, tutorials) and want long-term stability.
• Choose Rumble if: You publish political, controversial, or news-style content and want higher potential revenue share with fewer restrictions.
• Hybrid Strategy: Many creators dual-publish on both platforms to diversify monetization and increase exposure.