Top 30 YouTube Creators by Subscribers (2025)

With over 2.7 billion logged-in users each month, YouTube is the second most popular media platform on Earth (behind only Facebook). In other words, the most subscribed accounts today are even more prolific than even the TV celebs of the early 2000s; they're brands, businesses, and global forces.

In this article, we'll give you a snapshot of the top-performing YouTube channels in 2025 and what you can learn from their strategies as a creator, marketer, or entrepreneur who's building on the platform.

Top 30 YouTube channels by subscribers (global ranking)

The list below highlights the most subscribed YouTube channels in the world as of 2025. To keep things relevant, we’ve excluded:

• Automatically generated channels (like Music, Gaming, and YouTube Movies) that don’t post their own content.
• Obsolete brand extensions (like JustinBieberVEVO) which have shifted their content to newer, consolidated accounts.

What you’ll see here are channels that continue to shape culture, dominate attention, and offer clear lessons in growth, monetization, and audience loyalty.

YouTube subscriber growth trends in 2025

Growing on YouTube is no longer just about viral hits and flashy thumbnails (though that still plays a role). In 2025, smart content strategies, platform shifts (like Shorts), and how well creators adapt to changing algorithms and audience behavior are what's driving growth.

Platform growth and user base

Like we mentioned at the start of the article, YouTube has over 2.7 billion monthly active users (MAUs). That's about one-third of the entire world population, and nearly 50% of all people with internet access.

And by the end of 2025, the platform's projected to add another 150,000 to that number for a total of ~2.85 billion.

Where are these people watching from, though?

It should come as no surprise, but the most populous countries (with widespread internet access) also make up the majority of YouTube's user base. India leads the way with 491 million users, followed by the U.S. with 253 million users, Brazil with 144 million users, and Indonesia with 143 million users.

China doesn’t make the list because Google products (including YouTube) are banned by the Chinese government.

Rapid subscriber growth among top creators

Even in a saturated market, top creators are proving there’s still massive room to grow.

Take MrBeast. In 2025, he shattered records by hitting 396 million subscribers. In 2024, when he was already well into the top 5, he gained over 20 million in a single month, something completely unheard of up until now.

Meanwhile, T-Series (essentially India's Warner Music Group) has consistently added ~2 million subs every month since mid-2022, showing that large-scale music content still has room to scale when powered by consistent output and global appeal.

But it’s not just the giants. Rising stars are surging, too.

Luke Nichols of Outdoor Boys gained 12 million subscribers in just 18 months, all by mastering viral storytelling in the outdoor niche. His growth is proof that with the right formula, you don’t need legacy fame or studio budgets; you need content that resonates.

Bottom line: If you're consistent, strategic, and know how to ride the algorithm, growth in 2025 is very much on the table, no matter whether you're new or you have millions of followers already.

More opportunities for beginner creators

According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, creator jobs have grown 7.5x in just four years, making the creator economy the fastest-growing contributor to U.S. GDP, now valued at a staggering $4.9 trillion.

Why? Simple. Because attention is the new currency.

Everyone — brands, freelancers, consultants, even traditional businesses — needs social proof and a built-in audience.

• People spend an average of 2 hours and 24 minutes per day on social media.
• Our youngest consumers, Gen Zs, spend 50% more time on social media than the average.
• 46% of Americans are watching more user-generated content on social media than they are movies and TV on streaming platforms.

The algorithm's job is to constantly push more and more content, meaning it's always content-deficient. More importantly, it wants to make you viral.

Therein lies the opportunity. You can either be a consumer or a creator. And while there are more creators than ever, there are still FAR more consumers, which means the supply-demand curve is still in your favor.

The rise of YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts' daily views have escalated from 30 billion in 2021 to 70 billion in 2024, marking a 200% increase over three years. When it comes to how much you can make on YouTube, though, there's a massive discrepancy between short- and long-form content.

YouTube Shorts' daily views have escalated from 30 billion in 2021 to 70 billion in 2024, marking a 200% increase over three years. When it comes to how much you can make on YouTube, though, there's a massive discrepancy between short- and long-form content.

Still, it's easy to repurpose full-length videos into short-form clips for YouTube Shorts. And that's what we see most top creators doing to grow their subscribers faster.

Since Shorts can go viral faster and require a far shorter attention span, they're the best way to introduce new viewers to your content.

AI integration and platform evolution

YouTube is investing heavily in artificial intelligence to enhance content creation and user experience, including features like auto-dubbing and AI-generated content recommendations.

The algorithm is also what determines the vast majority of content choices. Over 70% of watch time on YouTube is driven by algorithmic recommendations, meaning the YouTubers who stay on top are the ones who understand and continuously leverage it for growth.

Fastest-growing YouTube niches

Some niches are exploding faster than others in 2025. If you’re starting a channel or looking to pivot your strategy, these are the areas you might want to hop into:

Short-form content

For better or for worse, TikTok really changed everything in terms of how we prefer to consume content. Ever since, Shorts have been a hit. With over 70 billion daily views across the platform and an engagement rate of 5.91% (which surpasses TikTok and Reels), YouTube is pushing bite-sized content harder than ever.

Creators who understand how to hook in 2 seconds and deliver value or entertainment fast are winning big, even without a massive subscriber base.

Podcasts and long-form storytelling

At the same time, long-form content is thriving. Full-length podcasts, docuseries, and narrative-style videos are pulling in loyal viewers who want depth, not just dopamine.

YouTube is becoming the go-to platform for podcasts, thanks to video-based discovery and multi-format monetization.

The best thing about podcasts? They're chock-full of viral Shorts content.

Educational explainers

People aren’t just watching YouTube to be entertained. They’re learning everything from AI tools to investing to language skills. And 83% of people prefer it this way.

Educational channels that break things down clearly and keep the pace moving are seeing major traction, especially when that content is paired with good visuals and storytelling.

Content tip: Find out what your audience wants to learn from you. If you're a travel vlogger, this might be your process for getting visas. If you own an SEO agency, it could be your keyword research strategy. If you're a SaaS founder, you'd post live use cases for your product.

Global language content (e.g., Spanish, Hindi, Korean)

As the lingua franca, English is still the default for almost all creators who want international appeal. But channels in Spanish, Hindi, Korean, Russian, and Arabic now make up more than half (53.33%) of the top 30.

If you speak another language (or can collaborate with creators who do), this is a massive opportunity to connect with new international audiences on a deeper level.

Most-subscribed YouTube channels, 2006-present

If you look back at the most-subscribed creators over time, a clear pattern emerges: the biggest names didn’t just post random videos, they built shows.

Think Ray William Johnson with Equals Three, Fred with his chaotic comedy skits, SMOSH with full-on sketch series, and of course, PewDiePie, who ran the OG gaming channel, but has since evolved into a personality-driven brand with content his fans would watch no matter what.

In fact, PewDiePie has been the longest-standing player in the YouTube game because he changed with the times. He's held the top spot four times, with the longest single reign lasting 1,920 days.

Regional breakdowns: where top creators come from

Top creators aren’t just coming out of the U.S. anymore. According to Social Blade's living document of the top 100 YouTube creators, the current list hosts people from or residing in the following countries:

• Argentina
• Belarus
• Brazil
• India
• Italy
• Mexico
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Russia
• South Korea
• Spain
• Sweden
• Türkiye
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• United States
• Uruguay

Some countries can capitalize on localization better than others.

In particular, countries like Mexico, Brazil, and Spain are seeing rapid growth in vlog, lifestyle, and reaction content, especially in Spanish-speaking markets.

What’s driving this shift:

• Localized content with cultural relevance
• Large consumer markets that speak the same language
• And a simple fact: more people around the world now have access to smartphones, high-speed internet, and global platforms

But for South Korea, the prevalence of K-pop is what has catapulted artists like BLACKPINK to the top of the rankings. And India's 1.5 billion population means there's a huge local market opportunity, but only with one specific demographic.

The U.S. still dominates worldwide in creator-led content.

From global megastars like MrBeast to tens of thousands of micro-influencers, the U.S. is the undisputed leader in exporting digital personalities. Platforms, brands, and audiences around the world continue to consume American YouTube content the most, and content from the Anglosphere the second most.

Why? Because U.S.-based creators typically:

• Produce in English, which gives them global reach
• Understand the business side of content: personal branding, monetization, and niche authority
• Operate in a culture that supports entrepreneurship and self-promotion

Even creators from other countries rise to global fame by leaning into English-language content. PewDiePie, for example, wouldn’t be the most iconic YouTuber of his generation if he’d kept his videos in Swedish. And A4 dubs all his content in English by default.

Moral of the story: If you speak a language with 100M+ speakers, it's possible to become a top creator. But for mass appeal, English still wins.

In-depth profiles of the top 10 YouTube creators

To understand what it really takes to dominate on YouTube, you need to look under the hood. The top creators didn’t get there by accident. They built powerful brands, leveraged algorithms, scaled production, and in many cases, changed the game.

1. Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast)

MrBeast is renowned for high-budget challenges, philanthropic stunts, expensive giveaways, viral experiments, and recreations of popular media (e.g., his real-life "Squid Game" video. His content almost always involves large-scale productions with huge monetary prizes.

In fact, $456,000 Squid Game In Real Life! is his most-watched video, with ~800M views showcasing his signature formula: high-stakes challenges with life-changing rewards.

MrBeast's channel garners an average of 127.9 million views per month, and Forbes projected his earnings from YouTube, Feastables, MrBeast Burger, and his merch store at $85 million in 2024.

Of course, such wild productions and meteoric growth come with controversy. In May 2025, MrBeast faced legal issues with the Mexican government over a video filmed at Mayan archaeological sites, where he was accused of violating filming agreements by promoting his Feastables brand during the shoot.

And throughout the years, former employees have accused MrBeast's company of maintaining a toxic work culture, describing it as a "youth cult" with poor management and an unhealthy work environment.

2. T-Series

Launched in March 2006, T-Series is the most subscribed corporate channel on YouTube. Based in India, the channel primarily features content in Hindi, along with songs in several other regional languages, including Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu.

Although its first upload came in late 2010, T-Series quickly became a juggernaut. It hit 1 billion views by 2013 and made history in 2019 as the first channel to cross 100 million subscribers. As of 2025, it has over 297 billion lifetime views — more than any other channel on Earth.

The channel’s most viewed video is a devotional classic: “Shree Hanuman Chalisa”, which has racked up over 4.5 billion views.

T-Series pulls in an estimated 3.6+ billion views per month, with monthly earnings estimated between $6 million and $17.9 million through ads, licensing, and partnerships with platforms like Amazon and Netflix.

While its growth has been impressive, the company has faced criticism, most notably a legal battle with PewDiePie during their infamous 2019 subscriber race, and public disputes with several Indian artists over contracts and royalties.

3. CoComelon

CoComelon is one of the most-watched YouTube channels in the world, but it started as a simple family project.

Founded by Jay Jeon and his wife in 2006, the channel began as a way to entertain their kids with basic alphabet songs. Originally named checkgate, then ABCkidTV, it finally rebranded to CoComelon Nursery Rhymes in 2018.

Today, CoComelon publishes 3D animated nursery rhymes in English (with versions in Spanish, Portuguese, Finnish, and more) to cater to toddlers around the globe.

The formula? Catchy songs, repetitive learning, and recurring characters like JJ, YoYo, and TomTom teaching letters, numbers, and daily routines. Its viral hit “Bath Song” has nearly 7 billion views alone.

With around 4 billion monthly views and apparel partnerships with Puma and Uniqlo, CoComelon is estimated to bring in $1.7 to $5.2 million per month in ad revenue, and up to $128 million annually.

And its impact on the digital kids’ space is unmatched. It quite literally helped define what children's content looks like in the streaming era.

4. SET India

SET India serves as the digital extension of the Sony Entertainment Television (SET) channel, offering a diverse range of Hindi-language content. The channel features:

• Full episodes and clips from popular television shows such as The Kapil Sharma Show, Indian Idol, CID, Crime Patrol, and Shark Tank India.
• Reality shows, drama series, and comedy programs.
• Promotional content and teasers for upcoming shows.

Out of more than 154,000 video uploads, its most-watched is the 25th episode of Crime Patrol, which has garnered 231M views.

Estimates put SET India's YouTube earnings at up to $55M, and the channel has significantly expanded the global reach of Indian television content, making it accessible to both the local population and the global Hindi-speaking diaspora.

5. Vladimir and Nikita Vashketov (Vlad and Niki)

Vlad and Niki are two of the newer creators on this list. Launched in 2018, they make content tailored for preschoolers that includes live-action roleplays, toy unboxings and reviews, educational adventures, animated storytelling, and songs.

Their parents (Sergey and Victoria Vashketov), who emigrated from Moscow and currently reside in Miami, manage the account on their children's behalf.

The channel's most watched video, "Vlad and Niki – new Funny stories about Toys for children," has more than 1.1 billion views.

With income from licensing deals (Haven Global), branded partnerships (Playmates Toys), and their own merch (for sale on their website and major retailers like Amazon and Walmart), Social Blade puts their income as high as $68M per year.

And with a net worth of around $129 million, they're definitely the richest preteens we know...

6. Eva Diana Kidisyuk (Kids Diana Show)

Kids Diana Show began in 2015 when Diana's parents started uploading videos to share with friends and family. It quickly gained popularity, which led the family to focus on content creation full-time.

Now, the show specializes in colorful pretend play and role-playing scenarios that are designed to be engaging for preschool-aged children. The channel's most popular video, with 2.5 billion views, is a song called LIKE IT.

In May 2020, the family signed a deal with Pocket.Watch, leading to the creation of the "Love, Diana" franchise, which includes an animated series, mobile games, and a line of toys and merchandise.

According to the latest data from Social Blade, the channel earns anywhere from $3M to $49M per year and gets ~1.2 billion unique views every month.

7. Anastasia Sergeyevna Radzinskaya (Like Natsya)

Anastasia, affectionately known as Nastya, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth. Her parents began documenting her developmental progress through videos, which eventually evolved into the Like Nastya channel.

Now, it's transformed into a platform for educational and entertaining videos on topics like "how to be respectful in school," as well as role-play/themed videos and family adventures.

As of May 2025, the channel's gotten 112.2 billion views, the most watched of which, "Nastya and papa sleeping at farm sheep Family fun trip," has gotten nearly 1 billion on its own.

VidIQ estimates the channel's YouTube earnings at $1.5M to 4.5M, but in 2020, the family signed a deal with IMG to develop licensed products, including toys, apparel, and more. So, the family's total income is almost certainly higher than that.

8. Alan and Alex Chen Stokes (The Stokes Twins)

Alan and Alex are identical twins who moved to the United States at a young age. Since launching their channel in 2017, the American-Chinese duo has skyrocketed to fame with a mix of elaborate pranks, challenges, comedy skits, and high-energy collaborations.

They hit 1 million subscribers in early 2018 and rapidly scaled from there. As of 2025, their channel has around 127 million subscribers, with monthly views frequently exceeding 300 million.

"I Built 4 SECRET Rooms In ONE COLOR!" has 205 million views, making it their most popular video.

They've also been active on TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, which helps amplify their reach and cross-pollinate fans across platforms. And, of course, it's helped them skyrocket their earnings, which range from hundreds of thousands to millions per month.

But, like most of these kinds of channels, they’ve also faced a few legal setbacks. In 2020, the twins were charged with misdemeanor false imprisonment and reporting a false emergency after a bank robbery prank video went too far. They pled guilty, were sentenced to community service, and issued a public apology.

9. Zee Music Company

Zee Music Company is one of India’s leading music labels—and one of the most subscribed YouTube channels in the world. Launched in March 2014, the channel is owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises, a major Indian media conglomerate.

Its rapid rise has been fueled by Bollywood hits, viral soundtracks, and constant uploads that feed both domestic and global demand for Indian music. Its catalog spans blockbuster movies to devotional songs, including Mile Ho Tum, which has a whopping 1.3 billion views.

Zee Music has not only partnered with major Indian film studios but has also extended its reach through collaborations with platforms like YouTube Music, Spotify, and JioSaavn. And as one of the largest music companies in India, it also drives local streaming culture and viral audio trends across social platforms.

Social Blade estimates its earnings from the platform anywhere from $2.8M to as high as $45M per year.

10. Felix Kjellberg (PewDiePie)

PewDiePie is YouTube royalty. Long before Shorts, studio teams, or billion-view budgets, PewDiePie was just a Swedish college dropout with a webcam, a love for gaming, and a chaotic sense of humor.

Early on, his content revolved around Let's Play gaming videos, especially Minecraft and Amnesia. But over time he evolved, shifting into reaction videos, commentary, vlogs, and meme reviews. That pivot kept his channel relevant, even as YouTube trends came and went.

His most viewed video? “bitch lasagna.” It was a diss track aimed at T-Series during their legendary 2019 subscriber battle. It got him over 330 million views and kicked off a serious conversation about the future of YouTube: creator-led channels vs. corporate entertainment brands.

Even now, PewDiePie draws in tens of millions of views per month, though exact numbers vary due to his sporadic posting schedule. His estimated earnings at his peak were $10–15 million per year, with revenue from AdSense, sponsorships, and an expansive line of merch.

Over the years, he’s faced multiple controversies. Some were serious, like his use of racial slurs on a PUBG stream. Some were overblown, like those targeting his satirical diss tracks or selective outrage over “toxic internet culture.”

Regardless, he’s always owned his missteps. And in many ways, he's paved the way for modern creators (including MrBeast) to treat YouTube as both a career and a creative outlet.

How often do these rankings change?

Most of the creators in the top 100 have already built enormous audiences, and at that scale, growth naturally plateaus. When you’ve already got 50–400 million subscribers, adding millions more doesn’t happen overnight. Plus, these creators are all "big fish” who dominate attention, get recommended more often, and hold a kind of algorithmic monopoly.

Because of that, it’s incredibly hard for anyone new to break into the very top. Between 2024 and 2025, the top 10 remained the same, with only 2 changes to the creators' positions.

That said, the broader top 100 does shift a little each year. A few channels drop off and new ones pop up. But these changes tend to be gradual, not dramatic. Unless there’s a huge surge (like MrBeast surpassing T-Series or PewDiePie’s historic sub war), you won’t see big movement.

Can new creators still make it into the top 100?

In theory, yes. In practice, not really.

Let’s be real:

• Less than 9% of YouTube channels even have 1,000 subscribers.
• Only 0.0054% ever hit 1 million subscribers.
• And to crack the top 100, you’d need over 47 times that.

Most of the channels in the top 100 today have been around for at least a decade. That kind of longevity matters. You need time, consistency, and the ability to build a seriously large and engaged audience for an achievement that significant.

Virality might give you a boost, but sustained growth, smart strategy, and long-term audience trust are what actually get you to the top.

10 years from now, most of the top 100 will be different from the ones now. But few (if any) will be new to the game.

Which YouTube creators have the highest engagement rate?

Channels with 100K–1M subscribers generally experience higher engagement rates (3.47%) because they have a stronger connection with a more targeted audience. Channels with 1M+ subscribers actually see slightly lower engagement (3.40%), showing that mid-sized creators build tighter, more active communities.

So who’s really leading in engagement? It’s creators who:

• Focus on niche content
• Post consistently and interact with their audience
• Use community posts, live streams, and comments to stay close to fans

The bottom line

If you’re a brand or creator trying to win on YouTube, remember this: it’s not just about subscriber count, it’s about connection.

Sure, being the next MrBeast sounds great. But for most people, that’s not the path. And it doesn’t need to be.

• Micro-influencers are pulling in serious income with small, loyal audiences.
• Business owners are turning video content into leads, sales, and long-term clients.
• And creators in niche markets are building careers by simply showing up with value, personality, and consistency.

Follower count is just a vanity metric if no one’s watching, clicking, or caring.