What the verified badge means on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, Twitch and Facebook

The little checkmark used to mean one thing: this account is who it says it is, and it's notable.

Then platforms started selling it.

In 2026, a badge can mean identity was checked, a subscription was paid, a subscriber milestone was reached, or some mix of those. The sections below follow each platform's published rules as of September 2026, for the six platforms our boards cover.

Instagram: notability or a subscription

Request it for free. Instagram's request form is for accounts that are authentic, unique, complete and notable. There's no follower minimum. Notability is usually shown through coverage in several independent news sources.

Subscribe to Meta Verified. Meta's paid subscription gives a verified badge after an identity check. You need to be at least 18, have a profile with your real name and a photo of your face, some posting history, a government ID matching your profile, and two-factor authentication turned on. Pricing varies by country.

So on Instagram, a badge can mean "notable" or "verified identity, paying subscriber". The badge itself looks the same.

Facebook: the same two routes

Facebook runs on the same Meta systems. Profiles and pages can be verified for being notable, or through a Meta Verified subscription with an ID check. As on Instagram, the badge confirms identity. It doesn't rank or endorse anyone.

TikTok: free, and followers don't count

TikTok doesn't sell verification. Its support pages say it considers whether an account is active, authentic, notable and unique, and that follower and like counts aren't part of the decision.

To apply, go to Profile, then the menu, then Settings and privacy, then Account, then Verification. The account needs a name, profile photo, bio and at least one public post, and must have logged in within the past six months. TikTok can remove a badge at any time, and it warns that anyone offering to sell a TikTok badge isn't affiliated with TikTok.

YouTube: a subscriber milestone first

YouTube's verification badge exists to separate the official channel of a creator, artist, company or public figure from channels with similar names.

To request it, a channel needs 100,000 subscribers, two-step verification on its Google account, and a complete profile with a banner, profile picture, description and at least one public video. YouTube also checks that the channel is authentic, and can ask for documentation. Reaching 100,000 subscribers makes a channel eligible to ask. It doesn't guarantee the badge.

X: the colour tells you what kind

On X, the checkmark's colour carries the meaning:

• Blue: the account has an X Premium subscription and meets X's eligibility criteria
• Gold: an official organization account, such as a company or nonprofit, through X's organizations program
• Grey: a government or multilateral organization, or an official of one

A blue check on X today tells you someone subscribes. It doesn't, by itself, tell you they're notable.

Twitch: the Partner checkmark

Twitch's verified badge is a purple checkmark. It's available to Twitch Partners, and Twitch can also grant it to other accounts at its discretion. It shares the global badge slot with other badges, so a verified streamer can choose not to display it.

Six platforms, six checkmarks, one shared rule: it's a statement about the account, not a review of it.

How badges show up on our boards

When a listing's details are pulled from a platform, our cards show that platform's own badge next to the handle. It's the platform's badge, reported as the platform reports it. It isn't a verification by TopInfluencers.io, and it doesn't change anyone's rank. On this site, rank is what's paid, full stop.

Browse the X board or the YouTube board to see how listings are ordered.

Questions about verified badges

What does the blue check mean on Instagram?

It means the account was either confirmed as notable through Instagram's free request process, or passed an identity check as a Meta Verified subscriber. Both show the same badge. Neither means Instagram endorses the account or its content.

Can you pay for a verified badge?

On some platforms. Instagram and Facebook sell verification through Meta Verified, and X's blue checkmark comes with a Premium subscription. TikTok says it doesn't sell verification at all, and YouTube's badge depends on reaching 100,000 subscribers and passing its checks.

How many followers do you need to get verified?

It depends on the platform. Instagram and TikTok set no follower minimum. YouTube requires 100,000 subscribers before a channel can request its badge. On X, the blue checkmark depends on a Premium subscription and eligibility criteria rather than follower count.

What's the difference between the blue, gold and grey checks on X?

Blue marks an eligible X Premium subscriber. Gold marks an official organization account. Grey marks a government or multilateral organization, or one of its officials. The colour tells you the type of account, not how popular it is.

Does a verified badge change your rank on TopInfluencers.io?

No. Our cards display the platform's own badge for context, but rank comes from the total paid toward a listing, or a labelled starting price on spots we added. A verified account and an unverified account with the same total sit in the order they were listed.

Where to go next

Wondering which platform to list on? Read which board to choose, or claim your spot directly.