Netflix did not think much of his climbing skills.

Alex Honnold had the entire world at his feet and was losing their minds after his latest stunt. Netflix livestreamed Honnold climbing the world’s 11th-tallest skyscraper without using a rope or any safety gear.

It was truly an intense moment to watch him scale a building, knowing that any misstep could cause him to lose his life. He finally managed to do it after the Netflix live event was delayed by 24 hours due to the weather. Alex was the first rock climber to take on the challenge without using a rope or safety gear.

The climb took Honnold just 1 hour, 31 minutes, and 35 seconds in what was once the world’s tallest building. In 2024, YouTuber MrBeast had social media going crazy when he climbed Dubai’s iconic Burj Khalifa, the tallest structure in the world.

With millions of followers and a reputation for grand gestures, MrBeast is no stranger to pushing boundaries in his videos. Right behind him is Alex Honnold.

Alex Honnold Didn’t Get Paid Very Much By Netflix

[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Jan 25, 2026; Taipei, TAIWAN; Alex Honnold free solo climbs Taipei 101. Mandatory Credit: Ann Wang/Reuters via Imagn Images
Many assumed he got paid a ton for his actions. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

So how much did he get paid for this dangerous attempt?

The 1,667-foot Taipei 101 is one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world. Netflix still didn’t care. Honnold hasn’t told anyone the exact number of what he got from them. However, reports say it’s in the six figures, and he called it an “embarrassing amount.”

“If you put it in the context of mainstream sports, it’s an embarrassingly small amount,” he told the New York Times before the climb. “You know, Major League Baseball players get like $170 million contracts.”

Though the number isn’t in the millions, Honnold said he would have done it for free.

“If there was no TV program and the building gave me permission to go do the thing, I would do the thing because I know I can, and it’d be amazing,” he said. “Just sitting by yourself on the very top of the spire is insane.”

He said he wasn’t getting paid to climb, he was “getting paid for the spectacle.”

Before this climb, Alex Honnold was best known for climbing the 3,000-foot El Capitan without safety gear in 2017.