Docs & FAQ
Everything you need to know about making videos for Hack Club and getting paid for them.
Weighted watch hours
What's a weighted watch hour (WWH)?
A watch hour is one hour of people watching your video, added up across every viewer. Ten people watching for six minutes each is one watch hour. Every platform measures watch time a little differently, so we turn each platform's numbers into one comparable, weighted number. That's your WWH.
1 WWH = $1. A video with 31.9 WWH earns $31.90.
Why weighted, and not just views?
Views are easy to inflate and say little about whether anyone actually watched. Watch time rewards videos people stick around for, and weighting keeps a TikTok and a YouTube video on the same scale.
Can my WWH go down?
Sometimes, yes. Platforms occasionally remove views they decide weren't real, and when that happens your WWH drops to match. Your earnings always follow the latest number.
Does watch time from before approval count?
Yes. Once a video is approved, all of its WWH counts, including anything it picked up while it was waiting for review.
Videos
What kind of video can I make?
Anything that shows off Hack Club: a project you built, an event you went to, a tutorial, a vlog. Be creative.
Which platforms work?
YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
What are the rules?
- It has to be yours. Posted from your own account. Someone else's video, or a re-upload of one, gets turned down.
- It has to be new. Only videos published after Oct 8, 2026 count.
- One upload, one payout. Each upload can only be submitted once.
Can I post the same video on more than one platform?
Yes. Each upload is tracked separately and earns on its own.
Who reviews my video, and how long does it take?
A Hack Club admin watches every video before it counts. It usually takes about a day.
My video wasn't approved. What now?
You'll see a note from the Hack Club team on your dashboard explaining why. The link is freed up again, so if it was a mistake you can fix it and resubmit.
Tracking & earnings
How long is my video tracked?
For 30 days from when you submit it. Your dashboard shows which day you're on and updates throughout the day.
When are my earnings final?
On day 30. Until then the amount on your dashboard is an estimate that moves as your WWH changes. Watch time after day 30 doesn't count.
Why does my video say "Published too early"?
The platform told us the video went up on or before Oct 8, 2026. Only videos published after that date can earn, so it won't count.
Why does my video say "Couldn't track"?
We couldn't find the video anymore, usually because it was deleted or made private. Make sure your video stays public for the whole tracking window.
Referral links
What's my referral link for?
Everyone gets a personal link (it looks like /r/YOURCODE). Put it in your video description. When someone new joins Hack Club through it, they show up as a signup on your dashboard. This is how we figure out extra bonuses.
Who counts as a signup?
Only people who don't already have a Hack Club account. They enter their email on your link's page, then sign up with that same email.
What does "shipped" mean?
Someone you brought in built and shipped a project within 30 days of clicking your link.
Account
How do I log in?
With your Hack Club account. Don't have one? The login page lets you make one. Log in with Hack Club
Who can take part?
Creators is for teens in the Hack Club community.
I have a question that isn't answered here.
Ask in the Hack Club Slack.