Getting one’s own YouTube Play Button is a big moment in the life of any creator. To have this shiny plaque with your channel name on it on your wall sounds like a dream. But this dream easily turns into reality. To get started, check out this guide. We’ll break down every detail that you need to know to get a YouTube Play Button yourself!
To spark your motivation further, here’s a fun fact: behind the design of YouTube Creator Awards is The Society Awards, the one that also created Golden Globes and Emmys Awards. So yes, it tells people about you as a creator more than you thought it did. Read this guide to go beyond just ‘make good content’ advice and get real requirements, timelines, and insights.
What is a YouTube Play Button?
A YouTube Play Button (also called a Creator Award or YouTube Plaque) is an official physical trophy YouTube sends to creators who achieve certain subscriber milestones. This award is designed to celebrate subscriber achievement and honor a creator’s authenticity, channel quality, and community impact.
You don’t get it automatically, though. You must meet eligibility requirements and pass a channel review before you redeem your award from YouTube.
This award has existed for 14 years. Back in 2012, The Gold Creator Award made a channel one of the few creators on the platform, and that felt like a great achievement. Today, it still is! But over the years, YouTube added Silver Play Button, introduced Diamond Play Button, and added the ultra-rare Red Diamond Button. For a brief moment of time, there was also a Custom Play Button that was awarded to certain creators, like PewDiePie, who got his plaque with a button in the shape of his logo.
Today, it’s not just a subscriber number indicator, it’s a marker of verified creator identity, originality, and trust.
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Get a Free AuditAll Types of YouTube Play Buttons Explained
These four milestones indicate the achievement of a certain number of subscribers. Though not as big as they were before, those shiny plaques are real proof that your efforts, consistency, and overall work are paid off.
Here is a complete list of all YouTube Play Buttons, including subscriber requirements, details of material, and the description of what makes each button special. Let’s take a look at all of them.
| Picture | Play Button | Description | Number of Subscribers |
 | Silver | silver-plated metal on a matte grey frame | 100,000 |
 | Gold | gold-plated brass | 1,000,000 |
 | Diamond | silver-plated plaque with a crystal centerpiece | 10,000,000 |
 | Ruby (Custom)* | both button and base may vary | 50,000,000 |
 | Red Diamond | premium metal with a deep red crystal centerpiece | 100,000,000 |
*- Ruby Button is no longer an active award
YouTube Silver Play Button (100,000 Subscribers)
This is the first major milestone, which is awarded when a creator gains 100,000 subscribers.
It looks like a silver-plated metal on a matte grey frame with an engraving. If we speak about terms of achievement, it varies from one year to five, depending on the niche.
Not a secret that this is the exact award that most creators are dreaming about. It does make your channel a recognized brand the moment you see your name engraved on it. Though YouTube doesn’t share data showing how getting a YouTube Play Button influences metrics, those who get it notice an increase in credibility both for the audience and brands.
Up to date, more than 300,000 Play Buttons have been awarded.
YouTube Gold Play Button (1,000,000 Subscribers)
This is another step in building a much larger audience. Once you get 1,000,000 subscribers and meet qualifications, it’s yours to have. Structurally, it remains the same, but silver shifts to gold. Reaching this level opens more doors to creator collaborations, PR opportunities, and brand deals.
But don’t think that if you’ve got a Silver Play Button, you’ll be automatically awarded with a Gold one as soon as you get 1 million subscribers. YouTube will check your channel once again to see that you remain eligible. And you need to be confident that you still are. For that, use tools for YouTubers that help keep the growth of your channel steady and consistent.
Today, estimates of YouTubers who got this award are around 30,000, and that’s just 10% in comparison with Silver Play Button owners. Curious about their income? Trust us, you might find this breakdown of earnings for 1 million YouTube views truly inspiring.
YouTube Diamond Play Button (10,000,000 Subscribers)
Reportedly, around 1,000 creators worldwide have this rare achievement. The beauty of this silver-plated plaque attracts the eyes, and a crystal centerpiece is another proof of how cool your achievements are.
To be awarded this, you have to have 10,000,000 subscribers, but keep in mind that the qualification is even stricter. To reach this tier of YouTube awards, you need to work even harder. Lucky owners of a Diamond Play Button are tightly connected to a media company’s level of doing business. For example, channels like Tedx Talks and Mr. Bean have it. Therefore, content checking is more thorough. But once you see that crystalline shining, you commit to build the whole empire for this, we promise.
YouTube Red Diamond Play Button (100,000,000 Subscribers)
We get to the rarest of the Play Buttons in the list. It is made in premium metal with a deep red crystal as a centerpiece. Only 14 channels own this Play Button, and they are considered to be the most influential on the platform since they made it to 100,000,000 subscribers.
So yes, it feels elite and desirable, and even though this Play Button is hard to get, it’s still possible. And those 14 creators are living proof of that.
How to Get A YouTube Play Button: A Checklist
Hitting a certain number of subscribers doesn’t immediately mean a Play Button is yours. What YouTube does after that is manually reviews your entire channel, not just recent uploads, to see how thoroughly you followed the rules. How it happens is an absolute secrecy and discretion.
There are several No-gos that might prevent you from receiving a Play Button:
- No active Community Guidelines or copyright strikes — even a single active strike can temporarily block you from the opportunity to request a Silver Play Button. If you have one, you have to wait till it expires. There should be credits on every clip, music, or asset. If you use third-party footage, provide proof of your copyrights. AI voiceovers that mimic real people without their consent are banned, too.
- No nudity, sexual content, hate speech, or harmful content like dangerous, violent challenges and acts.
- No spam-like behaviour — it’s important your content is original, with no patterns of reused materials. Under this rule also fall bot traffic, Sub4Sub activities, forced subscription systems, or purchased subscribers and viewers.
Treat these factors seriously. Sometimes, content doesn’t meet these guidelines, but still meets YouTube monetization requirements. That’s why creators forget to check the eligibility for the award.
Also, during the review, you can’t change your channel name, move to another Google account, or switch from a personal to a brand account, because it confuses the verification process. To have this part go smoothly and accurately, Mediacube’s partner support team helps creators to avoid possible misleading decisions and navigate through every step.
Unfortunately, there is a list of countries unavailable to participate in the YouTube Creator Awards program:
How to Claim YouTube Play Button
Once you achieve the necessary number of subscribers, you can’t just sit and wait for the Button, you have to claim it through several simple steps.
Step 1: Wait for the Notification
Within 7-10 days after reaching the required count, a creator receives a general email from YouTube and a notification that can be found in the Creator Awards section in YouTube Studio. This message will contain a redemption code.
Step 2: Redeem Your Code
In your email, you can find a URL that leads to the official Creator Awards redemption page where you can redeem your code, enter your shipping address and the precise channel name for engraving.
By the way, in most countries, the shipping is free of charge!
Step 3: Endure a Final Review
Before shipping, YouTube checks out your eligibility and subscriber count stability and verifies your identity. Once you’re through with it, the last step is to wait for the package. Usually, this process takes up to 3 weeks, but large creators are approved much faster.
If we speak about the timelines of delivery, it depends on the country. From 2 weeks to 8 weeks is a usual window for getting your Play Button.
Since life is unpredictable, creators may lose, break, or have the award stolen. Therefore, there is an opportunity to order a replacement or an additional copy for crew members or co-hosts. But these services are paid, so it’ll cost you depending on the Play Button itself.
Why Do Play Buttons Matter?
Getting a Creator Award might not boost your position in the algorithm, but in your journey to being a professional creator, it does matter. You can hold a Button in your hands and think about physical proof of what path you walked already and where you are going next. Lucky for you, there’s more than one Button, so your creative adventure is as challenging as it is exciting.
We describe the benefits that come with a YouTube Plaque below, including the myths that arise in the community and need to be addressed.
Real Benefits for Creators
- Social Proof that Helps Build Trust
When a creator gets a Silver Play Button, it’s a big deal. It simply shows that you’ve managed to build a community that thousands of people want to follow.
And even without any special treatment from YouTube, people and brands view Play Button owners as more reliable. Credibility leads to all sorts of things, like:
- people coming to you with collaboration offers
- viewers trusting your content
- connecting with potential partners more easily
Can you call it a reputation boost? Yes, you definitely can!
- A Milestone that Keeps You on Track
This awarding system is all about honoring creators who keep creating content with consistency. Reaching 10K, 1M, or 100M subscribers is a victory of its own. And it takes:
- stubborn persistence
- quality content that people want to watch and want to return to
- listening to and understanding your audience
Many studies show that creators who have already achieved the first Button are likely to keep making content in the long term. And that’s not because of the desire to get another tier of the award, but out of routine and loyalty to the audience.
- A Seal of Approval for Brands
Brands understand how much a creator should work to earn it, because a stable and loyal base is a big deal and speaks for itself. It’s a real proof of:
- consistent growth
- no problem with policies or copyright
- quality content
All those things make the award a pretty obvious trust indicator. This weight is especially relevant for niches like tech, finance, education, or entertainment.
- You are not a Fake
The process of reviewing by YouTube is very strict. Before they give you a Play Button, they check:
- no funny business with copyright
- your subscribers are real people
- content is original
The idea of this point is that you are in good standing with YouTube, and any marketer or brand that cares about their reputation will take it seriously.
Myths About YouTube Play Button
Myth #1: YouTube Play Button boosts your algorithm ranking in the YouTube system
Reality: actually, YouTube search engines don’t consider awards anyhow! All the algorithm cares about is watch time, viewer satisfaction, click-through rate, and relevance. Awards are neither a factor nor an influence on any of this.
Myth #2: The minute you reach the subscriber milestone, you get a Play Button
Reality: not quite! YouTube has to review your channel manually first. Even though you meet the subscriber requirement, you can be denied because of a series of reasons, like copyright strikes, artificial boost of audience, AI-generated content. The milestone is just the starting point.
Myth #3: If the subscriber count drops, you’ll lose your award.
Reality: no, you keep all the received awards, no matter what. If the number of your fanbase decreases, no one is going to take away your Play Buttons.
Myth #4: Play Buttons are completely free.
Reality: it’s basically true. The first award is free, shipping included. But if you need another one or a replacement for, let’s say, a broken one, you’re going to have to pay for it.
Myth #5: You can’t earn a Play Button for doing Shorts only.
Reality: no matter what you are going for — Shorts or long-form — you’re eligible. If you get your audience legally and play by rules, regardless of whether you have grown with long-form videos, Shorts, or livestreams, it still counts. Though to boost your channel, you can use those tips on making viral YouTube Shorts content as one of the strategic points.
How to Hit a YouTube Play Button Level
Making your subscriber count grow takes a lot more than just luck. And actually, it’s never a miracle, it’s a thought-through working process. We have some tips for you to sustain your channel healthy, vibrant, and ready to grow further. And if you think that those tips are difficult to apply, join Mediacube CSP program! 9,405 creators have entrusted us to help them hit major milestones. We know that every goal is achievable with a steady, confident strategy and sheer amount of inspiration. So, where to start?
- Keep the quality of the content high
What is quality? It’s a combo of good story, good editing, crisp audio, it’s a flow that keeps the audience engaged. Viewers should be emotionally invested — and that’s the most important part of the process. Usually, the first 10-15 seconds are spot on. Keep them hooked and interested from the very beginning.
Sometimes, it is hard to come up with the right idea for the video. Don’t hesitate to check out latest YouTube trends regularly to stay in tune with what viewers’ interest and focus are lately on.
- Remember about consistency & workflow
You can find a lot of myths about how often you should post to grow your audience. But here’s some truth: consistency beats out frequency any day! Create a workflow, not just motivation and a clock set on a certain time every day. The publishing schedule has to be strong and steady, otherwise, the progress might stall for months.
Don’t forget about other social media that can be helpful in bringing in the audience that is waiting for you and your content. To dive into it deeper, check these effective YouTube cross-promotion strategies for creators.
- Be careful with AI content
Artificial Intelligence can be a real game-changer for creatives. It lends a helping hand with ideas, scripting, and editing. When used smartly, AI can give you a significant boost in productivity and get your content up to scratch. Its strength lies in being a supporting tool rather than the main event.
If you take a more balanced approach where AI helps with the creative ideas rather than going and doing everything for you, that’s when the magic happens. You get to keep your content feeling like it was put together with love, it stays friendly to your audience and it should tick all the right boxes with YouTube.
- Keep your audience on the edge of their seats
Even though getting an award mostly depends on your subscriber number, it’s viewers’ engagement that makes the count grow. So focus on:
- crafting compelling stories that make people hooked — A-to-B-to-C narrative
- making it obvious what you want from your audience next (call-to-action) — comment, subscribe, like, etc.
- creative posts that cause active interactions
- structuring your playlists so that people don’t want to or won’t stop watching
- Team up with other creators
Collaboration does have the power to bring a large number of subscribers in a short time. All you need to do is give a shout-out to other channels, make some cool content together, like doing challenges and viral videos, or hosting a livestream together.
Treat it not like a one-time growth hack, collaborations must be part of your strategy and overall system — seeing you active and engaged in conversations with other creators makes your image more extraverted and open.
- Work through YouTube SEO
Analyzing your YouTube metrics is a necessity in the game of getting the audience to grow. For example, you can think of creating thumbnails that grab attention or writing titles that make sense in the search results.
In general, it’s important to get your metadata the way it matches what your viewers are looking for. Once you get confident with it, explore Mediacube’s services for growing your channel that exist to help you manage your income and budget to plan it out effectively.
Frequently Asked Questions on YouTube Play Button
Yes! No matter what Play Button it is, it’s free of charge, including the delivery. You only have to pay for replacements and additional copies.
No, you can get a Play Button even if you don’t make money from your channel. But you have to follow all the policies. If you’re still worried about your eligibility, check our guide to auditing and improving your YouTube channel.
No, the first tier of Creator Award is a Silver Play Button for reaching 100,000 subscribers.
Yes, it is possible, though reaching 100K subscribers is quite an adventure. You’ll have to come up with a thorough strategy or create viral content. But in most cases, it takes longer to build a loyal subscriber base. Understanding YouTube MCNs together with joining Mediacube helps boost the growth and get to a desirable 100K faster.
No, this is an award that honors a creator’s achievements. You can’t buy it, just like you can’t sell it once you have it.
No, a Diamond Play Button that celebrates your 10 million subscribers is made of silver-plated metal and a crystal centerpiece.
Your YouTube Play Button is an Important Milestone
After reading this, you surely won’t feel daunted by the idea of getting a YouTube Play Button. You know it’s achievable with all the hours you put in and all the creativity and passion you have. Whether you are aiming at getting your first YouTube Play Button or already preparing to hit a new level for Gold, Diamond, or Red Diamond Plaque, you know that it is way more than just a milestone. It’s a recognized symbol of success and your creative identity. Explore the world’s most subscribed YouTube channels to see what inspires people to do what they do best and attract others to follow them.
The good news is that you don’t have to hit this road alone. If you read this article, checked out the channels, and got inspired to have the same results, then you must know that it’s definitely possible. But with Mediacube and its professional insights, you can achieve it faster.
