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Since May 7, 2026, creators already enrolled in Snap's Monetization Program must keep at least 100 hours of Total Spotlight View Time on their posts over the last 28 days “to qualify for maximum Creator Rewards” (Snap's wording, tracked under “Daily Rewards Eligibility” in Insights); it isn't the entry bar, which is 15,000 hours of view time in 28 days with at least 3,000 from Spotlight, and Snap doesn't say what happens below 100 hours.
Beginning May 7, 2026, creators already enrolled in the Monetization Program must maintain at least 100 hours of Total Spotlight View Time on their posts over the last 28 days to qualify for maximum Creator Rewards (tracked under 'Daily Rewards Eligibility' in Insights).
Ongoing requirement for creators already enrolled in the Monetization Program; not an entry (invitation) requirement. The help article on tracking it says it 'applies to users currently enrolled in Snapchat's Ads Monetization Program.' Snap's wording is 'to qualify for maximum Creator Rewards'. Snap does not say what happens below 100 hours. Also confirmed on help article 47748552848660.
Who
creators already enrolled in the Monetization Program.
The 100 hours is an ongoing condition for creators already enrolled. The 3,000 Spotlight hours, within 15,000 total hours in 28 days, is an entry criterion for an invitation.
Distinct from the 100-hour ongoing threshold for already-enrolled creators (Beginning May 7, 2026, creators already enrolled in the Monetization Program must maintain at least 100 hours of Total Spotlight View Time on their posts over the last 28 days to qualify for maximum Creator Rewards (tracked under 'Daily Rewards Eligibility' in Insights).).
Two different Spotlight numbers, copied from the rules database 2026-09-28.2
Ongoing: 100-hour rule
Entry: view-time criteria for an invitation
Who it applies to
creators already enrolled in the Monetization Program
creators not yet invited
Snap's figure
at least 100 hours of Total Spotlight View Time on their posts
15,000 hours of view time, at least 3,000 of them from Spotlight
Window
last 28 days
last 28 days
What it's for
“to qualify for maximum Creator Rewards” (Snap's wording)
criteria for an invitation; meeting the criteria does not guarantee an invitation
Where Snap says to track it
“Daily Rewards Eligibility” in Insights
not stated in our rules database
Start date
May 7, 2026
changed between Feb 10 and Feb 28, 2026, per archived Snap help page; not announced by Snap
Our rules database has nothing on whether Stories view time counts, how Snap calculates Total Spotlight View Time, any daily figure, or whether the rule applies to Creator Subscriptions or Lens Creator Rewards, so we don't state them.
The arithmetic
CALCULATION (our arithmetic, not a Snap rule)
100 hours ÷ 28 days ≈ 3.6 hours (about 214 minutes) of Spotlight view time per day, on average. Snap states the rule only as 100 hours over the last 28 days and doesn't set a daily figure.
3,000 ÷ 100 = 30: the Spotlight entry criterion is 30 times the ongoing figure, over the same 28-day window.
Our API and MCP tools report the 100-hour rule in a separate ongoing section only when already_enrolled is true. On the calculator, tick “Already enrolled in the Monetization Program” to see it.
When the rule started, and what else changed in 2026
Spotlight videos must be at least 30 seconds to be “eligible to earn revenue”. ump.spotlight_min_video_length_seconds
Wholly AI-generated videos aren't recommended on Spotlight as of July 2026; content enhanced or edited with Snapchat's own AI tools remains eligible. recommendation_eligibility.wholly_ai_generated_spotlight
AI-assisted content is monetizable only if it's original and not misleading, and the AI use is disclosed. creator_monetization_policy.ai_disclosure
Monetizable content must be original with clear creative effort. creator_monetization_policy.originality_required
Snap may exclude activity that artificially inflates views or engagement (bots, click farms, paid inducements, view trading) from Qualifying Activity and payments. ump.invalid_activity_excluded
Content Guidelines for Recommendation Eligibility apply to Spotlight, Public Stories and Snap Map. recommendation_eligibility.surfaces
If you're enrolled, check “Daily Rewards Eligibility” in Insights. That's where Snap says the rule is tracked; checking it regularly is our suggestion.
Treat third-party claims about what happens below 100 hours as unsourced: Snap doesn't say.
Agents and developers: call the tools with already_enrolled: true to see the ongoing section. Docs
Since May 7, 2026, creators already enrolled in Snap's Monetization Program must keep at least 100 hours of Total Spotlight View Time on their posts over the last 28 days “to qualify for maximum Creator Rewards”, in Snap's words.
Do I need 100 hours of Spotlight view time to get into the Monetization Program?
No. The 100 hours applies to creators already enrolled. Snap's criteria for an invitation are 15,000 hours of view time in the last 28 days, at least 3,000 of them from Spotlight, plus followers, Snap Star status, age and country.
No. Snap states it as at least 100 hours over the last 28 days. As arithmetic only, that averages about 3.6 hours a day; Snap doesn't set a daily figure.
Is the "Ads Monetization Program" the same as the Monetization Program?
Snap's help article on tracking the rule, How do I track my 100 Hours of Spotlight View Time (Last 28 days)?, says it “applies to users currently enrolled in Snapchat's Ads Monetization Program”; the same 100-hour rule appears on Snap's Monetization Program page.