$37B
US creator ad spend in 2025
IAB's estimate of US advertising spend with creators.
IAB 2025 Creator Economy Ad Spend & Strategy ReportCreator economy statistics · updated September 1, 2026
Six numbers shaping the creator economy in 2026.
See how much brands spend, how many independent creative businesses operate in the US, and where buyers are putting their budgets.
SpiceMatch data download
Six rows · clean headers · source links included
$44B
Expected US creator ad spend in 2026
IAB's 2026 forecast for US creator advertising spend.
IAB 2025 Creator Economy Ad Spend & Strategy Report1,043,306
Independent artist, writer, and performer proprietorships
US Census count for the broad 2023 nonemployer category.
US Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics$25.4B
Receipts in that Census category
2023 receipts reported for independent artists, writers, and performers.
US Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics48%
Buyers calling creators a "must buy"
Share of surveyed US ad buyers in IAB's 2025 study.
IAB 2025 Creator Economy Ad Spend & Strategy Report3 in 4
Brands using or planning creator-economy AI
IAB survey finding; includes multiple business uses.
IAB 2025 Creator Economy Ad Spend & Strategy Report