The Try Guys and the Limitations of Creator Subscriptions

Subscription Model: Trap or Treasure?

Creators like the Try Guys are breaking free from ad-dependency with subscription models — but is it just another trap?

Subscription fatigue and churn rates may hold them back more than we think.

With over 8 million subscribers and 2.7 billion views on YouTube, The Try Guys, one of YouTube’s most established creator groups, have built an empire on the back of the platform’s algorithm-driven success. But in a move that speaks volumes about the limitations of traditional social media monetization, they’ve launched their own subscription streaming service, 2nd Try.

“Having a business that is reliant on ads is very unstable and very unpredictable,” Try Guys co-founder Zach Kornfeld told CNBC. “There’s just so much that’s out of your control, and we certainly experienced the worst of that. It’s tenuous at best. Corrosive and explosive at worst. And it also forces you creatively to constantly optimize for things that are not always in your audience’s best interest.”

Kornfeld’s words cut to the heart of the matter. The traditional model of creator monetization — reliant on brand partnerships, sponsored content, and advertising revenue — is increasingly seen as a shaky foundation on which to…