30% TDS on creator income plus GST registration above ₹20L turnover. Most creators are massively under-reporting.

A YouTuber making ₹3 lakh/month from AdSense in India is liable for: 30% income tax slab on that income, GST registration above ₹20L annual turnover (so all creators with this income), and meticulous expense documentation to claim deductions. Most creators are under-reporting — and the GST department is starting to notice. The playbook for creators getting serious: register as proprietorship or LLP, get a CA from day one, file GST quarterly, and claim legitimate expenses (equipment, software, rent percentage for home studio). Done right, effective tax rate drops from 30% to 15-18%. Done wrong, expect notices in years 2-3.