Table of Contents
Think you know YouTube? The numbers might surprise you.
Here are 40 YouTube stats that matter most in 2026, and what they mean for your brand.
Key takeaways
- YouTube reaches every generation. The largest age group is 25–34, but use is strong across ages, ethnicities, and education levels.
- YouTube Shorts is the platform’s fastest-growing surface. Shorts now average over 200 billion daily views, and the most-liked video on the entire platform is a Short.
- YouTube is a top-ROI marketing platform. 69% of companies use it for marketing, and 42% of marketers expect it to be a top-ROI platform in 2026 (just behind Instagram and Facebook).
- Shoppers are on YouTube. Viewers watched over 35 billion hours of shopping-related content last year.
- YouTube dominates streaming watch time. In the U.S., it’s held the #1 spot for nearly three years.
General YouTube stats
Harness the power of YouTube’s global network with these stats.
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1. YouTube is the 2nd most visited website in the world
What takes first place? Its parent company, Google.
2. YouTube is the most popular social media platform in the U.S.
Among U.S. users, YouTube is the most popular social media platform, beating out Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and even TikTok.
Source: Pew Research Center
3. YouTube has 125 million paid subscribers
Premium services are one of the easiest ways for social media platforms to make money, and YouTube is no exception. The platform currently boasts 125 million subscribers across YouTube Premium and YouTube Music.
4. YouTube is the second most popular mobile video app worldwide
YouTube clocks in at the number two spot in the list of most popular mobile video apps worldwide, according to Statista. This is a jump from last year when it sat in third place, behind both TikTok and Netflix.
Unsurprisingly, TikTok takes the number one spot with 875 million downloads worldwide. YouTube is now narrowly beating out Netflix with less than half a million downloads between the two. The former sits at 165.23 million, the latter at 164.79 million.
This leaves a gap of over 700 million downloaded between TikTok and YouTube. YouTube might be more popular on desktop, but its mobile device downloads leave something to be desired when you compare the two.
5. YouTube is the most-used mobile app
YouTube sits at the top of the list of mobile apps for both monthly active users and total time spent on the app.
YouTube user statistics
Who’s actually watching YouTube? These demographic statistics will help you understand the people behind the platform.
6. 54.3% of YouTube users are male
YouTube’s male users continue to make up a small majority of the platform, with 54.3% of users identifying as male, and 45.7% identifying as female. It’s not clear what percentage of the YouTube audience identifies outside of the gender binary.
7. 25-34 is the largest age group on YouTube
Unlike competing platforms like TikTok, whose user base skews heavily Gen Z, YouTube remains a popular platform for users across generations. The largest distribution of YouTube’s user base falls between the ages of 25 and 34, followed by those aged 35-44, then those aged 18-24.
Source: Statista
8. India has the most YouTube users in the world
India leads with 491 million YouTube users, followed by the United States (253 million), Brazil (144 million), Indonesia (143 million), Mexico (83.6 million), and Japan (78.7 million).
9. The Philippines has the highest YouTube penetration rate
Canada’s YouTube penetration rate sits at 87.5%, and the United States falls further down the list at 77.4%.
10. YouTube has the biggest audience overlap with Instagram
77% of YouTube users also use Instagram, followed closely by Facebook at 75%.
12. YouTube boasts a diverse user base in the U.S.
YouTube usage is split more or less evenly among White (82%), Black (85%), Hispanic (88%), and Asian (92%) populations.
Source: Pew Research Center
12. YouTube U.S. users tend to be well-educated
While some platforms, like BeReal and TikTok, have fairly low levels of education among their user base, YouTube users tend to be relatively well-educated.
87% of YouTube’s user base identifies as having attended some college with 89% being a college graduate.
YouTube usage statistics
Wondering how people use and enjoy YouTube? Use these YouTube usage stats as your guide.
13. 76% of U.S. teens say they use YouTube daily
That includes 17% who say they use YouTube “almost constantly.”
Source: Pew Research Center
14. YouTube is available in 100+ countries
People around the world can use YouTube in 80 languages.
15. Users spend an average of 1 hour and 25 minutes on YouTube
Only four social platforms pass one hour of average daily use: TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.
16. Almost half of U.S. adults visit YouTube daily
33% say they use YouTube several times a day, while another 15% use it about once a day, according to Pew Research Center.
17. 58% of children in the U.S. watch YouTube videos
In 2026, kids in the U.S. are expected to spend more time watching YouTube than TV.
Source: Statista
18. YouTube is the most-watched streaming platform in the U.S.
According to Nielsen, YouTube has held the top spot in U.S. streaming watch time for nearly three years.
19. YouTube nearly doubles TikTok in total mobile watch time
Among social media apps, YouTube ranks #1 for total time spent on mobile.
20. 35% of U.S. adults get news on YouTube
Facebook is the most popular social media platform for news consumption, followed closely by YouTube.
Source: Pew Research Center
YouTube channel stats
The biggest YouTube channels reveal what the algorithm rewards. Here’s what the top of the platform looks like.
21. MrBeast has the most subscribed-to YouTube channel
MrBeast sits at the top of the list of popular YouTube channels with 492 million subscribers. He’s seen great success with his philanthropic-esque video content.
Sitting in second place is T-Series with 312 million subscribers and in third is Cocomelon with 201 million subscribers.
22. There are over 113 million YouTube channels
That means around 4.4% of YouTube’s 2.6 billion monthly active users have created a channel; the rest of the users are simply content consumers.
23. Only 17 channels have over 100 million subscribers
Hitting massive subscriber counts is tougher than it looks. Just 17 YouTube channels have crossed 100 million subscribers, putting them in a league of their own.
YouTube music stats
Music remains a big driver of YouTube’s user traffic. Learn how the YouTube music statistics break down here.
24. YouTube Music has over 127 million users
YouTube created its own music hub, which now has over 127 million subscribers.
25. 40% of the top 1,000 most-viewed YouTube videos are music videos
Music videos make up the largest content category among YouTube’s most-viewed videos.
26. “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee is the most-viewed music video on YouTube
The video has surpassed 9 billion views.
YouTube Shorts stats
Shorts are YouTube’s fastest-growing feature. These stats show why they’re worth your attention.
27. YouTube Shorts averages over 200 billion daily views
Billions of logged-in users watch Shorts each month.
28. YouTube Shorts is expected to cross 192 million U.S. users in 2027
As of June 2026, YouTube Shorts has over 175 million U.S. users.
29. The most-liked YouTube video is a YouTube Short
With 57 million likes, the most-liked video on the platform is a YouTube Short posted by MrBeast. It’s called “Would You Fly to Paris for a Baguette?”
Source: @MrBeast
30. Creators receive 45% of Shorts ad revenue
YouTube keeps the remaining 55%.
YouTube video stats
Learn more about top YouTube videos and how that information can impact your YouTube strategy.
31. Over 20 million videos are uploaded to YouTube every day
According to Google, users spend more than 1 billion hours of time watching YouTube videos every day. Now that’s a lot of eyeballs!
32. Baby Shark is the most viewed YouTube video of all time
Baby Shark by Pinkfong Kids’ Songs & Stories became the first YouTube video to reach 10 billion views in 2021 and has since climbed to 16 billion views.
In second place is Despacito by Daddy Yankee (9 billion views), followed by Wheels on the Bus by Cocomelon (8.9 billion views).
Source: Statista
YouTube stats for business
Ready to build your brand on YouTube? Here’s how to increase your YouTube subscribers and promote your YouTube channel. Plus, use these YouTube for business stats to guide your strategy.
33. 69% of companies use YouTube for marketing
For enterprise companies, it’s slightly higher: 71% say they use YouTube as part of their marketing.
Source: HubSpot
34. Marketers rank YouTube as the third-highest ROI social platform for 2026
YouTube trails only Instagram and Facebook, with 42% of marketers expecting it to be a top-ROI platform.
35. People watched over 35 billion hours of shopping-related YouTube content last year
That makes YouTube a major place for shoppers to research products, compare options, and decide what to buy.
36. More than 40% of YouTube users see ads on connected TVs every month
That gives brands a major way to reach viewers beyond phones and laptops.
YouTube advertising stats
Make the most out of your YouTube advertising strategy with these YouTube ad statistics.
37. YouTube made over $40 billion in ad revenue in 2025
That’s an 11% increase from 2024, which generated $36.1 billion in revenue.
38. YouTube Premium makes up nearly one-third of YouTube’s revenue
In 2025, YouTube Premium and other paid services brought in $19.64 billion of YouTube’s $60 billion total revenue.
YouTube influencer statistics
Considering working with influencers on YouTube? Discover top statistics surrounding YouTube influencer marketing.
39. More than half of U.S. marketers plan to use YouTube for influencer marketing
With both Shorts and longer videos, YouTube gives creators more than one way to promote products and connect with viewers.
40. There are 87 million YouTube creators worldwide
With that many content creators on the platform, brands have a good chance of finding someone who fits their niche and target audience.
7 YouTube metrics to track in 2026
The seven YouTube metrics worth tracking in 2026 are watch time, average view duration, audience retention, click-through rate (CTR), engagement rate, subscriber growth, and conversions.
Here’s what each one tells you and how to use it.
- Watch time: Watch time is the total time people spend watching your videos, and it’s one of the strongest signals the YouTube algorithm pays attention to. The more watch time you rack up, the more likely YouTube is to surface your content.
- Average view duration: Average view duration tells you how far into a video the typical viewer makes it before clicking away. It’s a clear signal of whether your length and pacing are landing, or whether you’re losing people somewhere in the middle.
- Audience retention: Retention shows how much of a video people watch before clicking away. Look for the exact moments viewers leave, then use those drop-off points to tighten your intros, trim slow spots, and test different editing styles.
- Click-through rate (CTR): CTR is the percentage of people who actually click your video after seeing the thumbnail or title. If your views are low but the content itself is solid, CTR is almost always the culprit. Try sharper titles and thumbnails before you start tweaking anything else.
- Engagement rate: Engagement rate measures likes, comments, and shares against your views. High engagement tells the algorithm that your content is worth surfacing, so it’s a better health check than view count alone.
- Subscriber growth: Subscriber growth shows how fast your audience is building over time. Keep an eye on which videos and formats turn casual viewers into subscribers. (Psst: Don’t be afraid to remind viewers to subscribe right in the video. Sometimes people need a little nudge!)
- Conversions: Views don’t pay the bills, conversions do. Track the actions tied to your videos (clicks to your site, sign-ups, sales, etc.) so you can connect your YouTube effort directly to business results.
No single metric tells the whole story, but tracked together, they tell you whether your YouTube strategy is actually working (and where to pivot).
FAQ: YouTube stats
What are the latest YouTube statistics marketers need to know in 2026?
What YouTube user demographics should brands benchmark?
What YouTube content performance metrics matter most for enterprise strategy?
How do YouTube viewing trends and behavior stats affect marketing decisions?
How do YouTube advertising and organic performance stats compare?
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