Check Your YouTube Engagement

See how your YouTube channel performs compared to similar creators.

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How it works

1Enter any YouTube channel @handle above
2We analyze their most recent videos
3Get a view-based engagement score benchmarked against similar channels
Engagement Rate = Median (Likes + Comments) per video / Median Views × 100
View-based ER
Engagement rate calculated from views, not just subscribers
Recent videos
Analyzes up to 20 of the channel's most recent uploads
No login needed
Works instantly on any public YouTube channel

Why YouTube Engagement Rate Matters

YouTube engagement rate measures how actively viewers interact with your videos through likes and comments relative to how many people actually watched. Unlike follower-based metrics, view-based engagement captures the true quality of your content's impact on people who see it.

For brand deals and sponsorships, engagement rate is a far better predictor of campaign performance than subscriber count alone. A channel with 100K subscribers and high engagement delivers more value than a 1M-subscriber channel where most subscribers never watch.

YouTube's algorithm also uses engagement signals — like-to-view ratio, comment velocity, and watch time — to decide which videos to recommend. Higher engagement feeds a virtuous cycle of more recommendations, more views, and more growth.

Tips to Improve Your YouTube Engagement

1

Ask for engagement explicitly. A simple ‘let me know in the comments’ or ‘hit the like button if you agree’ at the right moment can significantly boost your engagement metrics.

2

Use pinned comments strategically. Pin a question or conversation starter as the first comment on your video. This sets the tone for discussion and encourages viewers to participate.

3

Create content that invites opinions. Rankings, comparisons, and ‘hot take’ formats naturally drive more comments than tutorials or informational content. Mix both types in your content strategy.

4

Optimize your first 30 seconds. YouTube measures engagement partly through retention. If viewers click away in the first 30 seconds, they never get to the like button. Hook them early with a compelling preview of what’s coming.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the YouTube engagement rate calculated?
We calculate YouTube engagement rate using the median number of likes and comments per video, divided by the median views, multiplied by 100. This view-based approach is more accurate for YouTube because subscriber counts don’t reflect actual viewership — the algorithm determines how many people see each video.
What is a good engagement rate on YouTube?
A good YouTube engagement rate depends on channel size. For smaller channels with 1K–5K subscribers, above 8% is excellent. For channels with 20K–100K subscribers, 2.5–5% is strong. Large channels with over 1M subscribers typically see 1.5–3%. Our calculator benchmarks your rate against similarly-sized channels.
Is this YouTube engagement calculator free?
Yes, completely free. No sign-up, no email, no paywalls. Enter any YouTube channel handle and get instant results including engagement rate, benchmarking, and a per-video breakdown.
Why use view-based engagement instead of subscriber-based?
YouTube’s algorithm means most views come from non-subscribers through recommendations, search, and Shorts feed. A channel with 1M subscribers might only get 50K views per video. View-based engagement rate tells you what percentage of people who actually watched your content engaged with it, which is far more meaningful.
What format should I use for the channel handle?
Enter the channel’s @handle (e.g., @MrBeast) or just the username without the @ symbol. We’ll resolve it to the correct channel automatically.
Can I use this to check a competitor's YouTube engagement?
Absolutely. Enter any public YouTube channel handle to get a full engagement analysis. This is useful for creators benchmarking their performance, brands evaluating potential partners, or agencies comparing channels in a niche.

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