PewDiePie has been revealed to be the highest earning YouTuber in the last year, raking in an estimated $12 million (£7.7 million) before tax from his YouTube exploits. And videogames commentary and tomfoolery clearly pays as the UK's own KSI has also been revealed to earn around $4.5 million.

Forbes has published this year's highest-paid YouTube stars list, which reveals the pre-tax earnings for the biggest names on the net for the year ending 1 June 2015. The minimum needed to make the list is $2.5 million and 10 "stars" fit the category.

Second to PewDiePie - real name Felix Kjellberg - is Smosh, a double-act of Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla, who started out by making short sketches around Pokémon. They raked in $8.5 million in the period and even had their own full-length movie released this year.

The Fine brothers also raked in an estimated $8.5 million with their React series of videos, which show people reacting to other online clips, including those by PewDiePie.

And coming in fourth is Lindsey Stirling who performs online by playing the violin and dancing, often at the same time.

READ: 18 YouTube stars and channels you should be watching

Brit KSI has also used his platform to successfully launch a rap career, having reached number 30 in the charts in April this year.

So if you haven't started your own YouTube channel yet, now's the time folks. Now's the time.