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Starting and maintaining a YouTube channel is not for the faint of heart. It’s time-consuming, and exhausting and can often feel like it is a losing game. Lucky for you and me, there are so many free tools and websites for YouTube creators that can help our YouTube channels grow.
Depending on the size and stage of your YouTube channel, you may need to begin to consider paid Creator tools but if you are just starting out or trying to save some money, below is a list of valuable tools to keep your channel headed in the right direction.
What are Free Tools for YouTubers?
Free tools for YouTube creators are online tools and websites that help YouTubers with video editing, thumbnail creation, SEO, audience research and so much more. Whatever you need, there is likely a (partially) free online tool to help with your needs.
Check out my all-time favorite tools and equipment here!
Free Tools for Growing a YouTube Channel
Free Time Management and Productivity Tools
As a YouTube Creator, you already know that time management is often the #1 roadblock to getting things done. There have been so many times when I feel like I need to do 80 hours worth of stuff during the week but still need the tools or skills to get it all done. While they likely can’t fix all of your time management issues, here are some tools that I would definitely recommend.
1. Trello
Trello is a project management software used by many businesses and teams everywhere. It is a lifesaver. Before Trello, I used my native notes app on my mobile phone and was constantly losing ideas, and notes and couldn’t remember what I needed to work on next. As YouTube Creators, we manage a lot of projects and wear a lot of hats. Trello can help you easily organize your ideas, projects, and to-do lists.
Use my free Video Creation Board Template in Trello!
2. Google Calendar
Block out time to work and schedule meetings with Google Calendar. This is especially useful if you already have a Gmail account and Google Workspace. I have found Google Calendar to be great at helping me communicate with my family when I plan on working throughout the week and when I am planning to be available.
3. Clockify
Clockify is a free clock-in, clock-out software. You can apply tags to each block of time that you log in the app and view weekly reports on how you have been using your time. For me, this is great for validating thoughts like “it feels like I’m spending too much time on video editing” or “I shouldn’t spend so much time on a certain aspect of my channel.”
As long as I log my time into Clockify, I can see where I am spending too much time and where I can refocus my efforts on my YouTube channel goals.
4. Forest
Save the trees! The Forest mobile app helps you block off time and stay away from doom-scrolling while you’re trying to stay productive. Tell Forest how much time you want to work for and then put your phone down. As long as you are being productive and staying off of your phone, your virtual tree will grow. Get on other apps while you are trying to be productive? Your tree dies. Challenge yourself to grow a forest of trees throughout a set amount of time.
Free Audience Research Tools
Understanding your audience on YouTube is really the driving factor to channel growth and overall success. Without a complete understanding, your channel may reach people but it will be nearly impossible to grow a loyal subscriber base. These free tools allow you to know your audience better and improve your channel trajectory.
5. YouTube Studio
YouTube Studio is THE place to truly understand your audience. You can see what your audience likes, what they hate, read their feedback, and why they even came to your channel in the first place. There are a lot of free and paid tools out there for audience research but YouTube Studio reigns supreme for YouTube Channels.
6. Google Trends
Did you know that many YouTube users are searching for holiday videos long before holidays even start? Thanks to Google Trends, you can plan your content and ensure your videos are in competitive standing as certain trends emerge.
For example, did you know interest in Halloween starts gaining traction in mid-August? That's a great time to start creating Halloween content. Waiting until the week of Halloween may put you really behind.
7. SparkToro
SparkToro is a “freemium” online tool that allows you to see powerful insights into viewer and subscriber behavior. It helps you learn facts about viewers like:
What they visit online, read, watch, listen-to, and follow
Which keywords they search for and how they describe themselves
Their gender, age, interests, job titles, education, and more
Free Tools to Create High-Quality Content
Creating high-quality videos is crucial to standing out on YouTube. However, not every creator can afford expensive editing software or design tools. Luckily, there are several free options available that can help take your content to the next level.
8. Davinci Resolve
When it comes to free video editing software, Davinci Resolve is at the top of the list. This powerful tool rivals paid editing software Whether you're editing a short vlog or a more complex video, Davinci Resolve has everything you need.
9. Canva
Canva is a user-friendly graphic design tool that can help you design eye-catching thumbnails, banners, and other visual assets for your YouTube channel. With a drag-and-drop interface and thousands of free templates, even beginners can create professional-looking graphics to boost engagement.
Opus.pro is an AI-powered Shorts generator. Take any long-form video and this software will spit out several Shorts straight from your video. Editing videos is typically the most time-consuming task for video creators and Opus.pro makes this part of the process completed automated. This is a game changer for growing your channel through Shorts.
For example, say you spend 4 hours editing a long-form video. You now just need to run that video URL through Opus and then you automatically get 10 short-form videos. Now you have spent roughly 4 hours creating 1 long-form video AND 10 short-form videos that you can now post across Tik Tok, YouTube and Instagram. For free. That's quite the bargain.
11. Pexels
Need free stock footage or images for your videos? Pexels offers a huge library of high-quality, royalty-free images and videos that can be used to enhance your content without worrying about copyright issues.
12. Mixkit
Mixkit provides free stock video clips and music tracks that can be used to elevate your videos. The platform is perfect for creators who want to add cinematic quality to their videos without breaking the bank. You can browse through a variety of genres and find the perfect clips or soundtracks to fit your content.
Free Competitor Research Tools for YouTube
Understanding your competition can give you an edge in the YouTube world. These free tools will help you track and analyze your competitors, helping you refine your own strategy and content approach.
13. TubeBuddy
TubeBuddy is a browser extension that integrates directly into YouTube, allowing you to see your competitors' tags, keywords, and even video performance data. With this information, you can fine-tune your own SEO strategy and improve your video rankings.
14. VidIQ
Similar to TubeBuddy, VidIQ provides insights into your competitors' channels, including video performance, SEO analytics, and keyword opportunities. It also offers features like keyword research and video ideas to help you stay ahead of the competition.
15. SocialBlade
SocialBlade offers detailed analytics on YouTube channels, tracking everything from views and subscribers to estimated earnings. It's a great tool for benchmarking your channel against competitors and understanding where you stand in the broader YouTube ecosystem.
Free SEO and Keyword Research Tools for YouTube
Optimizing your content for search is key to growing your YouTube channel. Is it more important than creating unique, engaging content? No. But it is still a big part in gaining visibility.
These free SEO and keyword research tools can help you find the right keywords to target, track your video rankings, and improve your overall discoverability.
16. SEO Surfer Extension
SEO Surfer is a Chrome estension that allows me to see the estimated monthly search volume of any query I type into Google. This is really helpful for quickly seeing if the things I am searching have any potential to make a video.
17. Google Keyword Planner
A free go-to for keyword research, Google Keyword Planner helps you identify popular search terms relevant to your niche. This tool can also suggest new keywords and trends, which will help you target the right audience. And although your videos will likely reach a worldwide audience, it is sometimes really helpful to do localized keyword research, which you can do with Keyword Planner.
18. VidIQ
Okay, I know it's already been on here but it deserves a second mention. In addition to competitor research, VidIQ is also my go-to tool for SEO and keyword research.
Ultimately, it is much more simple to navigate than Keyword Planner and it provides YouTube-specific results. It shows keyword suggestions, tracks rankings, and helps you find untapped keyword opportunities to give your content a boost.
Free Tools to Enhance Engagement
Building engagement is essential for growing a loyal YouTube audience. From crafting compelling titles to optimizing your thumbnails, these tools will help you increase your viewer engagement.
19. CoSchedule Headline Analyzer
Creating a catchy, attention-grabbing title is crucial for getting clicks. CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer helps you craft eye-catching headlines that encourage users to click on your videos.
20. Thumbs Up TV
Thumbs Up TV allows you to preview how your thumbnails and titles work together. You can see how your videos might look in YouTube search results, ensuring your titles and thumbnails are working harmoniously to drive engagement.
Free AI Tools for YouTubers
AI tools can help YouTubers save time and effort, especially when it comes to generating ideas, automating tasks, and optimizing content. While each of these tools will have overlap in their abilities, I’ve found that each may be better at specific things. Here are a few free AI tools that every YouTube creator should check out.
21. ChatGPT
ChatGPT can help generate video scripts, video ideas, and even responses to comments. It’s an invaluable tool for creators who need help with brainstorming and content planning.
22. Gemini
Gemini is an AI-powered tool designed for content optimization. It analyzes your videos, providing suggestions to improve SEO, engagement, and overall performance.
23. Claude
Claude is an AI chatbot that can assist with a wide range of tasks, from brainstorming video ideas to helping with social media management.
24. Perplexity
Perplexity is a free AI tool that can provide you with tons of ideas for your YouTube channel. It can crawl the web and provide suggestions on what content to create next.
Free Tools to Generate Content Ideas
Running out of content ideas is a common struggle for YouTubers. These free tools will help you brainstorm new video topics, ensuring you always have fresh ideas to work on.
25. TikTok and Other Short-Form Video Platforms
By exploring trending topics on TikTok, Instagram and even YouTube, you can generate tons of new ideas for your YouTube content. These platforms often highlight trends before they become accessible through SEO or Google Trends, allowing you to capitalize on them early.
26. X
X (formerly Twitter) is another great platform for discovering trending topics and getting inspiration for new videos. By following hashtags relevant to your niche, you can stay up-to-date with what’s popular and create content around those trends.
27. YouTube Video Idea Generator
This tool by Ryrob helps generate new video ideas based on your niche and interests. Simply input a few keywords related to your channel, and it will generate a list of potential video topics to explore.
28. VidIQ
Yes! Another appearance from VidIQ. I had to bring VidIQ up one more time because it really is a legitimate tool when it comes to video ideas. They offer a video idea generator feature, which provides YouTube video ideas based on popular searches, your previous published videos, trending topics, and audience interests. You automatically get dozens of customized ideas every day for free.
Grow Your YouTube Channel with Creator Essentials
There are countless free tools available to help YouTubers streamline their workflow, grow their audience, and create high-quality content. Whether you're just starting out or trying to scale your channel, the resources in this post can provide the support you need to reach your goals.
To make things even easier, I’ve created a free YouTube Channel Checklist that covers everything from video creation to optimization. It’s a step-by-step guide to ensure you don’t miss any important details when uploading your next video. Download it now and start applying these strategies to elevate your channel today!
Check out my Free YouTube Channel Jumpstart Checklist!
Need help with your channel? Check out my YouTube consultation and YouTube channel management services today!
Written by Rob Miller
Founder, Creator Essentials
Rob has been on YouTube since 2016 and has worked on dozens of channels and websites, including his own, amassing hundreds of millions of views and hundreds of thousands of subscribers.
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