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Who is Simon Wilson?
Simon James Wilson (born 17 August 1991) is a Welsh-born explorer, video creator, business owner, and movie maker. He lives in Manchester, England, and people know him best for his travel videos on YouTube. His most popular content includes his “No Money” tests, quick trips around the world, and his unique look at less familiar cultures.
Early Life and Education
Simon James Wilson was born on 17 August 1991 in Rhosllanerchrugog, North Wales. Ben and Moira were Simon’s siblings, and along with them, he lived in Rhosllanerchrugog. In terms of education, Simon went to university twice, to study business and media, then psychology, however, he dropped out of both. Before he was a YouTuber, Simon was a real estate salesperson.
Simon was an entrepreneur and filmmaker before he began his YouTube journey in late 2016. He carried over these skills to his YouTube channel, with his only tools a smartphone and self-taught editing skills.
Simon Wilson Career Highlights
- YouTube Launch (Dec 2016): Began vlogging with a smartphone—first video called “My First Vlog” in early 2017
- “No Money” Series: Rose to fame with “No Money Rat Race” (Dec 2019) daring travelers to race from Amsterdam to Monaco with limited resources—backing mental health charity The Bridge Retreat
- 7 Wonders & Continents in 7 Days:
- 2019: Visited all 7 wonders in 7 days.
- Nov–Dec 2022: Journeyed across seven continents including Antarctica
- The Antarctica trip ended around 6 December 2022.
- Growth & Collaborations:
- Hit 1 million YouTube subscribers in December 2022
- Teamed up with creators like Bald and Bankrupt, Casey Neistat, and got to know celebrities such as James Corden, Richard Branson, and Jonah Hill
Simon Wilson Notable Projects & Achievements
People know Simon Wilson best for his “No Money Rat Race” (December 2019) where people raced from Amsterdam to Monaco without cash; the twist included a £5,000 prize to support The Bridge Retreat’s mental health programs, showing Simon’s knack for exciting awareness travel content.
- In 2019 he went through yet another challenge called “7 Wonders of the World in 7 Days”. He visited the Colosseum and the Taj Mahal within one busy week. Later, he spoke about the careful planning and tight schedules in interviews.
- He continued this theme in November 2022 with “7 Continents in 7 Days”. He finished the trip with a $5,000 cruise to Antarctica. In December 2022, he reached 1 million YouTube subscribers. These quick, record-breaking series grew his following and shaped his travel niche.
Social & Political Views
Simon stays out of politics for the most part; his videos center on travel and getting to know different cultures. His “No Money” challenge stands out as his most impactful content, which helped raise awareness about mental health. We don’t have any record of him taking public stances on hot-button issues.
Controversies and Public Perception
Simon Wilson’s “No Money” challenge series came under fire for seeming to promote small-scale theft and questionable ethics. Critics pointed to instances where he snuck onto public transport, got free food at McDonald’s, and entered private spa facilities without paying.
People have mixed feelings about Simon. Many like his friendly personality and love for adventure, but others think he’s insensitive to cultures and stages things. His fans enjoy his laid-back travel stories, but critics say he sometimes shows a lack of knowledge—like saying thanks to locals in the wrong languages.
- Change in Video Quality: Some fans on Reddit think his recent videos are less adventurous and more casual pointing out a drop in viewer interest since his “no money” challenge days. “The no-money challenges are gone… he doesn’t interact with his subscribers… it’s just filler, b-roll content.”
- Problems Entering Countries: Reports say he couldn’t enter the U.S. for a while because he had visited war zones like Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq. This issue was fixed later on.
Simon Wilson Net Worth and Financial Overview
People can’t agree on how much money Simon Wilson has. Some websites think his wealth is between $75,000 and $452,000 just from YouTube ads. They say he makes about $3,500 a month as of April 2025. Other guesses that include money from sponsors and merch sales put his net worth at about $10.5 million in mid-2025.
Although direct ad earnings total less than US $500K when you factor in sponsorships, merchandise sales, and business ventures, a thorough estimate puts his overall net worth somewhere in the US $1–3 million range.
Income Sources
- YouTube Ad Revenue:
- Monthly earnings: ~US $6K–10K
- Yearly range: ~US $95K–130K.
- Brand Sponsorships & Collaborations: Companies related to travel and gear sponsor him, though we don’t know the exact partners.
- Merchandise & Website Sales: Youtubers.me talks about his merchandise line and website sales.
- Other Ventures: He made money from real estate and from his work in filmmaking and business.
Comparison with Peers
Simon Wilson’s YouTube channel boasts over 1.4M subscribers, though this falls short of top travel vloggers like Bald and Bankrupt (~4M) and Kara and Nate (~3M). His net worth doesn’t match up to theirs, but his unique “no money” travel approach has helped him carve out his own space, making him stand out for his creativity and willingness to take risks.
Simon Wilson Personal Life and Relationships
- Marital Status: Single; Simon prefers to keep his love life under wraps.
- Family: Shares a home with his sister Moira and brother Ben, along with a pug called Penny
- Struggles: Simon hasn’t shared any personal difficulties or health problems with the public.
Media Presence and Public Influence
Simon Wilson has a strong media presence. His YouTube channel (@simonwilson12) started in December 2016 has expanded to 1.43 million subscribers and more than 209 million total views across about 440 videos, according to Social Blade.
Podcast & Interviews: Appeared on travel and lifestyle podcasts (e.g., Broadtalks, When Simon Met). Sometimes shows up as a guest on media programs and interviews such as spots in travel-focused talks.
Social Media Engagement
Simon’s social media presence shows strong engagement across different platforms. He has about 334K Instagram followers, 6.1M Facebook likes, 53K Twitter followers, and 133K TikTok followers with ~5.8 million total likes.
On YouTube, he has an engagement rate of 2.70%, which they call average. Each video gets around 1.3K comments and has a likes-to-comments ratio of 8.18, which they say is “excellent”. His videos get ~750K views each month on average, and his subscriber count keeps growing at 2.25% in the past 30 days.
Simon Wilson Interesting Facts
- Left college twice but created a successful career on a global scale.
- Banned from the U.S. for a time, then returned to the U.S. to do the “Monopoly across America” challenge.
- Filmed rapid-fire miniseries: “7 Wonders in 7 Days” and “7 Continents in 7 Days”.
Current Status and Future Plans
Simon Wilson will still be planning global travel challenges on YouTube, such as the “7 continents in 7 days”, as well as “Race to Monaco” in 2025. He will focus on even better organized, quality adventures while incorporating travel tips and motivational content, indicating a movement toward a more professional storytelling and sociologically inspired travel experiences, focusing on lifestyle.
FAQs
Q: How many uploads on YouTube Simon Wilson has?
A: Simon Wilson has uploaded 435 videos on YouTube.
Q: How much Simon Wilson make per month?
A: Simon Wilson earns $7.18K monthly.
Q: How much does Simon Wilson make per 1000 views?
A: Simon Wilson gets about $1.21 for every 1000 views.
Q: How many subscribers does Simon Wilson have?
A: Simon Wilson boasts 1,390,000 subscribers.
Conclusion
Simon Wilson has carved out an impressive path—from college dropout to world-famous travel influencer. With ~1.43 million YouTube subscribers and considerable income from ads and sponsorships, his realistic net worth falls in the US $1–3 million range.
His real talent shines through his knack for storytelling and creating immersive travel experiences. While his approach changes over time, he continues to have a strong influence on his audience. Should he decide to go back to more adventurous challenge-based content, we can expect his viewers to get excited again. Keep an eye out to see where he heads off to next!
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