In 2018, I did what many of my YouTube colleagues think is mildly crazy, and stopped doing video sponsorships. Sponsorships account for most income for many YouTubers, but I don't want to be an "influencer". I feel proudest of a video when its sole focus is the lesson at hand, and if whatever limited influence I have over the viewer is not sold to a third-party, but is directed towards making that viewer love math.

I wrote more detailed thoughts about it at the time. To put it shortly, with an ad-dominant model, the determinant of success is how many people watch a video. With a direct-payment model, the key question is whether those watching find it valuable enough to pay for.

The most straightforward business model based on direct funding is to sell the content. Perhaps some lessons are free, but others are behind a paywall. If this channel were just about entertainment, I would probably do that. However, given the goals of education and inspiring more people to love math, I also place a high premium on ensuring that these lessons are freely available to all who may enjoy them.

So here's the deal. Viewers will never have to pay for any videos; everything I produce will always be free. These videos will also not have any integrated brand deals; their sole focus will be the lesson at hand. However, this only works if some viewers choose to pay for them, despite having no obligation to do so.

There are perks. Those who support will see content early, and those who give especially generously will have their names included at the end of videos they support. But more than anything, the feedback I get from channel supporters is that they joined because they wanted to help keep the lessons going.

Most of us find it normal to pay for textbooks and to pay (often handsomely) for courses. If you find these videos to bring value to your life comparable to that of a textbook or course, and if you have the disposable income to spare some funds, it would mean a lot to me if you'd consider joining those who made the choice to pay for them.

This funding also helps to support side projects associated with the channel, such as the written and interactive adaptations of many videos on this website, or the Summer of Math Exposition. The open-source project manim underlying the channel could be considered another such side project. However, it's worth noting that the most user-friendly version of it is the community edition, which is maintained by a group outside of 3b1b.

One-time contributions

If you're uncomfortable with monthly support, there's also PayPal, some crypto addresses, and a store. Just know that the Patreon page is where all supporter benefits, like early releases, are organized and published, and that monthly support is most helpful for planning future projects.