Earning on TikTok and Instagram in Lithuania: which monetisation programmes work and which do not

Most advice on how to earn from TikTok and Instagram is written for US creators. In Lithuania it works only in part: the biggest TikTok programme that pays for views is not available here, and Instagram bonuses for views are granted only to creators from three countries. On the other hand, several viewer support features do work in Lithuania.

This part of the guide covers which official programmes are available in Lithuania as of October 2026, what the requirements are and what creators whom the platform pays nothing actually earn from on these platforms.

What works in Lithuania and what does not

The availability of programmes changes, so check before you plan: for Instagram – in the professional account dashboard, for TikTok – in the creator tools section. If the feature is not there, it is not enabled in your country or for your account.

TikTok: why an account with a foreign address is a bad idea

The TikTok rules state it clearly: a programme participant must be based in one of the countries where it operates and have an account registered there with real details – name and date of birth. Creating an account through a VPN or with someone else's details breaches these conditions. You risk not only not receiving a payout but also losing the account together with the whole audience.

What TikTok gives a Lithuanian creator even without the programme is reach. A video here can be seen by people who do not follow you, so the platform suits growing an audience, while you have to earn in other ways.

Instagram: two features that work in Lithuania

Gifts on Reels

Viewers buy stars and send them as gifts on your short videos. Instagram states that the creator earns 0.01 US dollars for every star received. To be able to receive gifts, you need to:

• be 18 or older;
• have a professional account and at least 500 followers;
• comply with the partner and content monetisation policies;
• set up a payout account – without it you will see who sent a gift, but you will not get the money.

Joint posts with another creator and accounts whose content is mostly about children cannot receive gifts. Do the maths yourself: a hundred stars is one dollar. It is a pleasant extra, not a source of income.

Subscriptions

From 10 000 followers you can turn on a paid subscription: followers pay monthly and get content meant only for them. It works when you have something to give regularly – lessons, behind-the-scenes material, answers to questions. If you have nothing to offer subscribers every week, they will leave after the first month.

Why a feature may be missing even if you meet the numbers

The number of followers is only one condition. Instagram's Partner Monetization Policies also require you to live in a country where the feature works, to follow the community standards, not to post misleading information and to have a genuine, established account. Politicians and state institutions cannot earn. If you move to a country where the feature does not work, you may lose the right to earn.

What people actually earn from

These sources do not depend on whether the platform pays anything in your country or on the thresholds it sets. An affiliate code works even where you cannot place a link – you can say it in a video or write it in Stories.

Two rules that, if broken, cost you more than you earn

How long it takes

Until the first collaboration or regular sales through links, it usually takes not weeks but months of consistent posting on one topic. Those who choose a narrow field from the start move faster – the audience is smaller but clear, and it is easy for a brand to understand who you are talking to.

Income from collaborations, commissions and gifts is taxable, and so are products received. Which form of activity suits you is explained in the ACS.lt article “Self-employment: a certificate or a business certificate”.

Frequently asked questions