There are many YouTube tools out there, some that you might’ve heard of and others that aren’t so popular. I’m often asked what my favorite YouTube tools are, so I decided to create a video listing my top ten favorite free YouTube tools. There are so many free tools available today, but most of them aren’t worth using. You want to use the very best ones … so this is my list of the best YouTube tools in my opinion.
These tools have been created to help you gain as many subscribers as possible as well as maximize the growth of your channel.
Streamlabs OBS – Free Live-Streaming and Screen Recorder
When it comes to live streaming on YouTube, one of the best options is actually free.
It’s called Streamlabs OBS & with it, you’ll be able to start live streaming to YouTube (or Twitch) within a matter of minutes.
The setup is one of the best features of Streamlabs OBS. Once you’ve finished installing the software to your PC, a quick start wizard will guide you through the layout and how to make your live stream more interactive and engage with your viewers.
Set up a chatbot to thank new subscribers & donations on your stream, install great-looking themes to make your live stream pop & be more interactive, plus there are loads more details and options.
The great thing about Streamlabs OBS is that you can make it as technical as you’d like. You can fine-tune settings if you’re familiar with them, or you can just roll with the quick setup settings and start live streaming, no technical knowledge required. Which is a huge benefit over the regular OBS.
Live streaming is the main function of Streamlabs OBS, but it can be a useful free tool even if you never plan on streaming live. Why? The screen recording function, that’s why.
Record your screen and create videos to upload to YouTube with Streamlabs OBS. You can incorporate your webcam, external audio devices, specific monitors, etc.
It’s really a powerful tool & whether you’re using it for live streaming or just to record your screen, it’s free.
YouTube Creator Studio (and App)
When it comes to free tools for YouTubers you really don’t have to look very far for some of the best. YouTube itself provides a variety of useful tools & resources to help you become a success on the platform.
From the YouTube Creator Academy to the very detailed analytics you can find in your YouTube Creator Studio, you’ll be able to learn a lot about what to do to grow & how your audience reacts by paying attention to what YouTube provides you with.
For example, if it shows that people are leaving a specific video after 4 minutes, you can then go to that video and see what could be causing them to leave. Perhaps you went too far off-topic, the delivery became boring, or you mentioned they should like and subscribe and you hadn’t yet given them a reason to. You can take this learning and then improve your videos for the future.
Another useful tool is the YT Studio app on Android or iOS devices. This mobile app allows you to edit titles, descriptions, tags, etc. without having to log in via your computer. You will also be able to harness some analytics & check your stats whilst on the go or when you wake up.
Warning: checking your real-time views can become addictive. 😉
The best feature of the YT Studio app is the ability to reply to comments easily. You no longer need to head into a video to reply to a comment, you can do it right there on your phone.
Whether the comment was on a video you posted a day ago or a year ago, new comments appear in chronological order so you know exactly what’s happening on your channel and you can engage with your community with ease.
TubeMiner
TubeMiner is a great new free tool that lets you search YouTube in a variety of ways that you can’t directly on the website. Creators can check out what YouTube videos are currently trending in each country around the world. You can also type in any topic and view videos pertaining to those keywords based on the year they were uploaded. But, perhaps the coolest TubeMiner feature is the ability to view what tags your favorite channels frequently use. Using this information, creators can get new content ideas and up their search engine game by learning what’s working for similar channels.
Credit: TubeMiner
YouTube Search Autosuggest
This is a highly useful tool from YouTube to ease up the search experience for users. As you start typing your search query, YouTube will present a list of suggestions that can help you find relevant videos faster.
This is also a great way to get new ideas for your video content. The suggested terms that YouTube shows are an indicator that viewers are looking for content related to those terms. You can thus consider creating video content based on those suggestions.
TubeBuddy – Best Free Optimization Tool for YouTube
TubeBuddy is the first on this list because it’s the tool I recommend the most.
This free Chrome, Firefox & Safari browser extension can do so much, you’re handicapping yourself simply by not installing it. It’s also certified by YouTube, so you won’t get into any hot water.
What makes TubeBuddy so great is the SEO functionality.
When uploading your videos, you’ll be given a variety of options to see what you still need to do to upload an optimized YouTube video. You’ll see live character limits, an SEO checklist & even receive suggested tags from TubeBuddy to help your videos rank higher & get more views.
When you’re scrolling through YouTube, you’ll also be able to spy on the competition.
You can see exactly what tags are being used on videos, where the video ranks for the tags, stats for said video & channel plus, if you think the tags will fit your video well, simply press the copy button & paste them into your tag section.
This is just some of the functionality you will receive from the free TubeBuddy extension. There are also additional paid plans starting at $9/month that give you even more options to optimize your YouTube videos & channel. And if you book a yearly plan, you can save 20%.
Find out more about TubeBuddy and download the free extension here.
YouTube Audio Library – Free Music and Sounds for YouTubers
I already mentioned how YouTube provides some great free tools to their users, another one of these is the YouTube Audio Library.
It’s pretty self-explanatory… it’s a library of free music which you can use in your videos. 😉
Just remember to pay attention to the attribution as some tracks require you to include a link in your description.
You will also find a variety of different sound effects, which can add some spark to your videos.
You can access the YouTube Audio Library from your Creator Studio, or by clicking here.
P.s. Another great source for free music is the NoCopyrightSounds Channel, you’ll find links to the tracks in their video descriptions and all you need to do to use a track is give them attribution in your video description.
Now, that’s 7 of the best free tools for YouTubers (and a free SEO course), that’s a lot more powerful than you would expect.
The question now is, what are you waiting for? There’s no better time to start growing your channel than right now.
SocialBlade
Easily the most well known third-party YouTube tool is SocialBlade. Its free live sub count tool was rendered sort of useless for larger YouTube channels when the platform decided to round out subscriber numbers instead of giving an exact count. However, the tool’s top YouTuber lists, daily video view count, and estimated channel earnings still work great. To top it off, those features are free.
Credit: Socialblade
Lightworks – Free Video Editing Tool for YouTubers
In order to create high-quality videos, you’ll most likely need editing software of some kind. iMovie is great for getting started and you can actually create some very engaging content with it, but you’re limited to using Apple devices. So, what is the solution if you’re using Windows?
Lightworks is.
It’s actually available on Windows, Linux & Mac systems, so you can create high-quality videos regardless of which system you’re using.
Lightworks is a non-linear video editing software. This pretty much just means you’re going to have to get used to how it works to harness its extensive power & capabilities. Once you’ve gotten over some of the learning curve involved, you’ll be able to create videos that you would only imagine could be made with higher-end editing software like Premiere Pro or Final Cut.
The catch? The free version only allows for exporting in 720p.
If you need HD or 4k, try out HitFilm Express for another free video editing software.
With HitFilm, a benefit is that you only have to pay for additional extensions that you need.
Canva – Free Graphic Design Tool for YouTubers
Thumbnails can make or break your videos.
Your thumbnails are after all the first thing that a potential viewer sees. If they’re bad, hardly anyone is going to click through to watch your video.
This is where Canva comes in though, the easiest way to create thumbnails that stand out and pop.
Canva is a web-based graphic design tool that allows you to create captivating images for free. Not only can you create YouTube thumbnails, but you can also design custom YouTube channel art & even an end screen to show at the end of your videos.
Below is a video that will guide you through the process of creating YouTube thumbnails that grab attention, and once you’re done there, head over to this article that highlights the 5 best practices you should follow when designing your thumbnails.
Conclusion
If you’re a content creator, you might know how challenging it is to find, reach, and build your audience. Presently, 300 hours of video are uploaded to the platform every minute, and the number of hours spent watching YouTube videos grows by 60% every year.
You saw few of the best YouTube tools available in the market in this article. Now I want you to experiment and find out the ones that fit your channel’s requirements.
Now, that’s the best free tools for YouTubers (and a free SEO course), that’s a lot more powerful than you would expect.
The question now is, what are you waiting for? There’s no better time to start growing your channel than right now.