15 min read 
Will you reach worldwide fame and receive a branded confirmation of this? Of course, you have seen signs with a branded logo more than once in your favorite videos. If you choose the same path as your beloved creators, we can help you. Let’s find out what this sign is and how to get it.
What Is a Play Button?
The platform implemented such awards to channels with thousands of subs. You can get a YouTube Play Button having on your channel 100,000+ followers. It is a recognition from the platform intended for actively developing channels, which is one of the possible awards of YouTube. For example, unlike the "YouTube Awards" (for content creators with the highest quality videos), buttons are rewards for those with many subscribers. At the same time, it is worth noting that 100,000+ followers is not the only condition for receiving a button. The platform has many additional requirements and rules that content creators worthy of receiving a button have to meet.
How to Apply for an Award
When your subs number reaches the required minimum, you must go to YouTube Studio to receive your first sign and find a banner with an activation code. Next, you will have to perform a few simple steps:
- Visit the Creator Awards website and redeem the activation code.
- Write the name of your channel, which should be on the sign.
- Indicate delivery details.
- Click “Order now” and wait for the coveted sign.
Silver Play Button
You can receive this sign for gaining 100,000 subs. Moreover, if you have several accounts, you can get different ones on them. The platform team uses a nickel-plated copper-nickel alloy instead of real silver to make these plates. After you order the silver play button, you must wait 2-3 weeks. During this time, it will be produced and sent to you. Many people are interested in whether buying a button is possible, and the answer is “no.”
Gold Play Button
If you are a lucky owner of a 1 million subscriber channel, you can get a Gold Play Button. Unfortunately, the platform’s team makes it from gold-plated brass, not real gold. Like with the silver button, you must wait up to three weeks. At the moment, about 30 thousand content creators have it.
Diamond Play Button
How many subs should I have to receive this award? – you may ask. You will get a Diamond Play Button when your audience reaches tens of millions. It consists of silver metal with an insert of a colorless crystal shaped like a video play button. The platform presented this award for the first time in 2015 at VidCon. Like the others, the waiting time is from 2 to 3 weeks.
Red Diamond Play Button
This figurine is considered the pinnacle for any content creator. YouTube rewards its creators with more than 100 million followers. The platform makes a Red Diamond Play Button out of black-painted metal with a red crystal insert in the shape of a play button. To date, only seven channels in the world have this award, including PewDiePie, MrBeast, T-Series, and others.
Custom Creator Award
Previously, 50+ million channels could get a Custom Creator Award. This award corresponds to the account name. Over the entire period, only three content creators received this award:
- PewDiePie – ruby fist award.
- Canal KondZilla – multicolored award.
- T-Series – crystal glass award.
Do Streamers Get a Special Button?
In recent years, streaming has been one of the most popular content-making areas. Streamers gain subscribers quickly because they show people things that interest them, such as walkthroughs of games. Based on this, a logical question arises: “Are there special awards for streamers?” Today, such content creators can receive the same buttons as their colleagues.
Do You Have to Pay for a Play Button?
Any content creator who can get at least 100 thousand followers can receive the button for free. As a beginner, you can also learn how to gain subscribers and create videos on current topics. However, there are several countries where you must pay duty or tax on shipment. These countries include: Armenia, Azerbaijan. Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.
What Do You Need to Do to Get a Button?
If you want to get your first sign, then you have a path ahead where you will gain followers. In addition to subscribers, you should remember some points you must observe to receive a reward from the platform:
- Your account must be active with new uploads in the last six months.
- You must not have violated community rules for a year.
- You must comply with YouTube's terms of use.
- You are a member of the YouTube Partner Program.
- Your channel is not blocked.
- You have not received any copyright claims.
If you comply with all these conditions, you can order the button when you reach 100k subscribers. That’s why we’ll share with you several extra recommendations that will help you maintain stable audience growth:
- Post videos regularly.
- Make content dedicated to exciting and original topics.
- Monitor your channel metrics, and if they drop, take immediate action.
- Use SEO to attract more viewers.
You must understand that your reward belongs only to you, and you do not have the right to sell or transfer it to third parties. If you violate this rule, YouTube may confiscate the button from you, deprive you of the right to receive it in the future, and even block your YouTube account.
As of February 2024, residents of the following countries cannot receive the button according to YouTube policies: Belarus, Cuba, Iran, DPRK, Russia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine.
Final Thoughts
We hope you know everything about YouTube Play Buttons and the criteria you must meet to receive them. Therefore, all that's left for you is to set a goal for the highest YouTube play button and increase the number of subs on your channel.
