NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenyan content creator and streamer Vindee has opened up about his experience making money on TikTok, claiming that despite earning hundreds of thousands of shillings from the platform, the money did not translate into meaningful progress in his life.
Vindee said he could have as much as Sh400,000 sitting in his TikTok account while feeling that his life remained stagnant. He went as far as describing money earned through TikTok Live gifts as “pesa ya mashetani”, or “devil’s money.”
Speaking about his experience with TikTok monetisation, Vindee explained that he previously made substantial amounts of money from the platform.
He said the money could accumulate in his account without producing the kind of financial progress he expected.
“Pia mimi nilikuwa naingia TikTok na naunda doo, unapata niko na kitu kama 400K kwa account na maisha yangu haiendelei. Hizo pesa ni za mashetani.”
Translated, Vindee said: “I used to get on TikTok and make money too; you’d find I have about Sh400,000 sitting in my account but my life isn’t progressing. That money belongs to devils.”
Vindee contrasted his TikTok experience with his earnings from YouTube, which he described as money earned through his own sweat and effort.
“Lakini unajua pesa ya YouTube bro ni jasho yako.”
The statement translates to: “But you know YouTube money, bro, is your sweat.”
For Vindee, the distinction comes down to how the money is earned. He views his YouTube income as a direct result of the work he puts into creating and publishing content, making the earnings feel more rewarding.
His comments come after he shared a screenshot showing significant earnings from his YouTube channel.
According to reports, Vindee recently revealed YouTube earnings of more than €8,000, equivalent to approximately Sh1.18 million, for a single month.
The disclosure offered a glimpse into the income available to established Kenyan creators who build large audiences on international platforms.
TikTok and YouTube provide creators with different routes to monetisation.
On TikTok, livestreamers can receive virtual gifts from viewers. Those gifts can be converted into monetary value, allowing popular creators to generate substantial income from live broadcasts.
YouTube, meanwhile, provides several revenue streams, including advertising, channel memberships and fan-supported features such as Super Chats and Super Thanks.
While TikTok allowed him to accumulate significant sums, he said the money did not appear to improve his circumstances. YouTube earnings, by comparison, feel like the result of sustained effort.
The streamer has increasingly positioned YouTube as an important part of his content career.
Vindee’s remarks have generated interest because TikTok Live has become an increasingly important source of income for Kenyan livestreamers.
Creators can build communities around live broadcasts and receive gifts from loyal viewers, sometimes earning significant amounts within relatively short periods.
However, the ease and speed with which money can be generated can also create questions around spending, financial management and sustainability.
