Pinterest does not pay you directly for creating pins or getting views
Pinterest is not a platform that pays creators for content the way YouTube or TikTok does. You will not earn money straightforward by posting pins, gaining followers, or reaching a certain number of views. Pinterest has no built-in creator payment program, no ad revenue share, and no monetization dashboard where you can turn on earnings.
What Pinterest does offer is a way to drive traffic to places where you can make money — your own website, an online shop, affiliate links, or other platforms. The money comes from those destinations, not from Pinterest itself. This is an important distinction: Pinterest is a tool for sending people somewhere else, not a place that pays you for your audience.
Key Takeaways
- Pinterest pays nothing for pins, views, followers, or engagement — it is a traffic-driving platform, not a revenue-sharing one.
- You can earn money by pinning links to your own products, services, or content, or by using affiliate links that pay you a commission when someone clicks and buys.
- Affiliate programs like Amazon Associates, ShareASale, and brand-specific programs pay commissions when Pinterest users click your link and complete a purchase.
- A Pinterest business account and Rich Pins (which show product details directly on the pin) increase the chance that people will click through to your link.
- Most creators who make money on Pinterest combine it with a blog, online store, or digital product they own or promote.
How creators actually earn money through Pinterest
The most common way to make money on Pinterest is to pin links that lead to something you own or promote. This could be a blog post on your website, a product in your online shop, a digital read you sell, or an affiliate link that pays you a commission.
When someone clicks your pin and lands on that destination, the money happens there — not on Pinterest. If you are selling a product, you keep the sale. If you are promoting an affiliate link, the company pays you a percentage of the purchase. If you are driving traffic to your blog, you might earn money through ads on that blog or by selling something to the visitor later.
The value of Pinterest is that it can send a lot of traffic to these destinations. Pins can stay active and drive clicks for months or years after you post them, unlike a tweet or Instagram story that disappears quickly. This makes Pinterest useful for people selling physical products, digital courses, ebooks, or anything else with a long shelf life.
Affiliate programs that work well with Pinterest
An affiliate program is an arrangement where you share a unique link to someone else's product, and you earn a commission if someone clicks your link and buys. Pinterest is well-suited to affiliate marketing because people are often looking for ideas and products when they use the platform.
Amazon Associates is the largest affiliate program. You can pin links to products on Amazon, and if someone clicks your pin and buys within 24 hours, you earn a small percentage of the sale — usually 1 to 10 percent depending on the product category. You need an Amazon seller account or a may have access to website to join.
ShareASale is an affiliate network that connects you to thousands of brands and retailers. You can find affiliate programs for almost any product category — home goods, fashion, fitness, pet supplies — and pin links to products you genuinely recommend. Commission rates vary widely by brand, from 2 percent to 20 percent or more.
Many individual brands run their own affiliate programs. If you regularly pin products from a specific company, check their website for an affiliate or partner program. Brands like Target, Wayfair, and Etsy all have affiliate programs that pay commissions on clicks and purchases.
Setting up your Pinterest account to earn money
To make money through Pinterest, you need a business account, not a personal one. A business account gives you access to analytics, lets you use Rich Pins, and allows you to add links to your website or shop in your profile.
Rich Pins are an important feature. They display extra information directly on the pin — like the price of a product, ingredients in a recipe, or the first few lines of a blog post. Rich Pins get more clicks than regular pins because people can see more detail without leaving Pinterest. If you are pinning products or blog posts, enabling Rich Pins increases the chance someone will click through to your link.
Your profile should clearly state what you pin about and include a link to your website, shop, or main destination. If you are pinning affiliate links, many creators add a note like "I earn a small commission from purchases made through my links" so followers know the relationship. This builds trust and is required by the Federal Trade Commission if you are earning money from recommendations.
What kind of content makes money on Pinterest
Certain types of content perform better on Pinterest than others. Home decor, DIY projects, recipes, fashion, fitness, and wedding planning are popular categories where people actively search for ideas and products. If you pin in these areas, you have a larger audience looking for things to buy.
Evergreen content — pins about topics that stay relevant year-round — tends to earn more over time than trend-based content. A pin about "20 small kitchen storage ideas" will drive traffic for years. A pin about a seasonal trend may only work for a few weeks.
Pins that link to your own content or products earn you money directly. Pins that link to affiliate products earn you a commission. Pins that link to other people's content without any affiliate relationship or ownership do not earn you anything — they just drive traffic for someone else.
The time and effort required to earn meaningful money
Making real money on Pinterest takes time. You need to build an audience, create many pins, and drive consistent traffic to your links. Most creators who earn significant income through Pinterest have been at it for at least six months to a year, and many combine Pinterest with a blog, email list, or other marketing channels.
The amount you earn depends entirely on what you are promoting. If you are selling your own product with a high profit margin, you might earn money quickly. If you are using affiliate links with a 5 percent commission on a $20 product, you need many clicks and purchases to reach meaningful income. If you are driving traffic to a blog with ads, you need a large amount of traffic because ad rates are typically low.
Pinterest is best viewed as a long-term traffic source, not a quick way to earn money. The platform rewards consistency — people who pin regularly, create many pins on related topics, and build boards over time tend to see better results than those who post sporadically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make money just by pinning other people's content?
No. If you are pinning links to other people's content without an affiliate relationship or ownership stake, you are driving traffic for them without earning anything yourself. You can make money by pinning links to your own content, products, or affiliate links where you have a commission agreement.
Do I need a large following to earn money on Pinterest?
No. Follower count matters less on Pinterest than on other platforms. A pin can drive traffic and earn you money even if you have only a few hundred followers, because Pinterest's algorithm shows pins based on relevance and engagement, not just who posted them. Many creators earn money with small but engaged audiences.
What if I do not have my own product or website?
You can use affiliate links. Join an affiliate program like Amazon Associates or ShareASale, find products you genuinely like, and pin links to them. When someone clicks your pin and buys, you earn a commission. This requires no website or product of your own — just a willingness to promote things you believe in.
Is Pinterest better than Instagram or TikTok for making money?
It depends on what you are selling. Pinterest is better for products and content with a long lifespan because pins stay active for months. Instagram and TikTok are better if you want to build a personal brand or sell services based on your audience. Many creators use all three platforms together, pinning the same content to Pinterest while building followers on Instagram and TikTok.
How long before I see money from Pinterest?
It varies widely. Some people see their first affiliate commission within weeks if they pin popular products. Others take several months to build enough traffic. It depends on how many pins you create, how relevant they are to what people search for, and what you are promoting. Most creators see meaningful earnings after three to six months of consistent pinning.