---
title: "Monetization"
description: "Two tools to instantly check whether a YouTube channel or video has ads enabled — useful for niche research, brand safety checks, and evaluating revenue potential before investing in analysis."
source: "https://dashboard.nexlev.io/docs/mcp/monetization"
---

# Monetization

Two tools to instantly check whether a YouTube channel or video has ads enabled — useful for niche research, brand safety checks, and evaluating revenue potential before investing in analysis.

## Prerequisites

- **Connected AI assistant** — Claude, ChatGPT, or any other supported platform
- **Active NexLev account** — [Connect to your AI assistant](/docs/mcp/quickstart) to get started. [Upgrade to Pro](?required_nexlev_lite_pro_access=true) for higher quota limits.

> **Info**
>
> Your AI assistant calls these tools automatically. Just describe what you want
> in plain language and NexLev handles the rest.

## Tools

### Channel Monetization

#### `check_channel_monetization`

Check whether a YouTube channel has monetization (ads) enabled. Returns a simple yes/no monetization status.

**What it returns:**

- Monetization status — enabled or not
- Channel-level ad eligibility signal

**Example prompts:**

```
Is this channel monetized? https://www.youtube.com/@DevelopersDigest
```

```
Check monetization for channel UClXAalunTPaX1YV185DWUeg
```

```
Does @mkbhd have ads enabled on their channel?
```

**Parameters:**

| Parameter    | Required | Description          |
| ------------ | -------- | -------------------- |
| `channel_id` | Yes      | The `UC…` channel ID |

> **Tip**
>
> Use the [Channel Resolver](/docs/mcp/channel-resolver) to get the channel ID
> from any YouTube URL or handle before running this check.

### Video Monetization

#### `check_video_monetization`

Check whether a specific YouTube video has ads enabled. Returns a monetization status (`true` / `false` / `null`) with source information.

**What it returns:**

- Monetization status — `true` (ads on), `false` (ads off), or `null` (indeterminate)
- Source information for the status

**Example prompts:**

```
Is this video monetized? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
```

```
Check if ads are running on video ID abc123
```

```
Does this video have monetization enabled: youtube.com/watch?v=xyz789
```

**Parameters:**

| Parameter  | Required | Description                                 |
| ---------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| `video_id` | Yes      | The YouTube video ID (the part after `?v=`) |

> **Note**
>
> A `null` status means the monetization state could not be determined — this
> can happen with very new videos or channels with limited data.

## When to Use Monetization Checks

- **Niche research** — Confirm a niche is monetized before committing to content analysis
- **Brand safety** — Verify a channel runs ads before recommending it for sponsorships
- **Competitor analysis** — Check whether rival channels are eligible for ad revenue
- **Video-level validation** — Spot individual videos that may be demonetized within an otherwise monetized channel

## Troubleshooting

**Tool not responding?**

- Check your NexLev account is active and the MCP connection is complete (see [Quickstart](/docs/mcp/quickstart))
- Use the [Channel Resolver](/docs/mcp/channel-resolver) to confirm you have a valid Channel ID
- If you've hit your daily quota, [Upgrade to Pro](?required_nexlev_lite_pro_access=true) for higher limits

## Rate Limits

| Tool | Free | Lite | Pro |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Channel monetization check (`check_channel_monetization`) | 5 | 100 | 300 |
| Video monetization check (`check_video_monetization`) | 5 | 100 | 300 |

## What's Next?

- **[Video Content](/docs/mcp/video-content)** — Estimate RPM and fetch transcripts for any video
- **[Channel Analytics](/docs/mcp/channel-analytics)** — Comprehensive channel metrics and analytics
- **[Channel Resolver](/docs/mcp/channel-resolver)** — Convert any YouTube URL or handle into a Channel ID
- **[YouTube Tools](/docs/mcp/youtube-tools)** — Channel videos, shorts, playlists, search, and more