Finance Beats Fashion? Viraj Sheth’s Creator Niche Ranking Sparks Debate

Choosing a content niche is one of the biggest decisions every creator has to make.Should you make comedy videos? Talk about finance? Create travel content? Or stick to lifestyle? In a recent Instagram reel, creator economy expert and Monk Entertainment co-founder Viraj Sheth ranked different creator niches based on how well they can monetise. The ranking quickly caught the attention of creators, but it also showed how the creator economy is changing.

Why Are Some Content Niches More Valuable Than Others?

Today, brands don’t just look at follower count. They want creators whose audiences trust them and are likely to act on their recommendations. That’s why creators in finance, business, education and tech often earn more through brand deals. Their content helps people make important decisions, which makes them valuable to advertisers. A finance creator with one lakh loyal followers can sometimes earn more than an entertainment creator with a much larger audience.

Which Niches Make the Most Money?

Viraj Sheth’s ranking puts finance, investing, business, AI and technology among the highest-paying creator niches. These creators often work with brands like fintech apps, investment platforms, insurance companies and SaaS businesses. Since these industries spend heavily to acquire customers, they’re also willing to invest more in creator partnerships that drive results.

On the other hand, lifestyle, beauty, fashion and food creators continue to be some of the biggest categories on social media. While individual brand deals may not always be as high-paying, these creators have a steady flow of collaborations throughout the year with skincare, fashion, travel, food and consumer brands.

In short, finance creators often earn more per collaboration, while lifestyle creators benefit from a much higher volume of brand partnerships.

How Did Viraj Sheth Rank Creator Niches?

In his reel, Viraj Sheth placed Tech and Finance in the S Tier, calling them the strongest niches for monetisation. Comedy and Health & Wellness followed in the A Tier, while Fashion and Food were placed in B Tier. Dance made it to the C Tier, and Lipsync was ranked in the D Tier.

While the ranking reflects Viraj’s personal view of how different creator categories monetise today, it sparked conversations because it highlights a larger trend in the creator economy some niches naturally attract higher-paying opportunities than others.

How Do Entertainment and Education Creators Make Money?

Not every creator earns through brand deals alone. Comedy and entertainment creators often attract millions of views, but that doesn’t always translate into the highest-paying partnerships. Instead, many build their businesses through YouTube ad revenue, live shows, merchandise, licensing deals and large sponsorships.

Educational creators, meanwhile, are creating businesses that go beyond content. Whether they teach coding, career skills, languages or productivity, many also earn through courses, workshops, consulting, digital products and paid communities. This gives them multiple income streams, making them less dependent on sponsorships alone.

Viraj Sheth’s ranking isn’t a guide on which niche you should choose.

Instead, it shows that creators who solve important problems often have stronger monetisation opportunities. Helping people make money, save money, learn new skills or make better buying decisions usually attracts higher-paying partnerships. That doesn’t mean entertainment creators can’t build successful businesses. It simply means their path to earning is different.

As the creator economy grows, value and trust are becoming more important than follower count alone.