vidIQ
vidiq.com
What it is
vidIQ is a YouTube channel growth toolkit with keyword research, competitor analysis, and tools for improving video SEO and uploads. Keyword Research reports scores, estimated search volume, competition, related keywords, matching terms, and questions. The Competitors tool helps creators compare channel performance. Its browser extension provides SEO scores, keyword recommendations, competitor overlays, and upload optimization; iPhone and Android apps offer research, optimization, and channel insights. Connecting a channel requires permission to view analytics and manage videos and playlists. vidIQ says it uses multi-factor authentication for channel modifications. AI credits are shared across supported tools and refresh monthly on the sign-up or upgrade anniversary. The Free plan includes 150 AI credits monthly, but several Keyword Research result categories are limited to three results per search. The pricing note lists paid plans from $19/mo; other listed prices include Max at $39 per year, Enterprise at $799 per month, and Enterprise Pro at $2,500 per month. Enterprise is intended for organizations managing YouTube channels.
Spec sheet
- What it does
- vidIQ combines YouTube and Instagram analytics, optimization tools, AI content assistance, and creator coaching to help creators grow audiences.Read 14 Oct 2026 · vidiq.com
- Purpose
- vidIQ provides tools and insights to help video creators grow their YouTube channels.Read 30 Sep 2026 · vidiq.com
- Integrations
- Official integrations include YouTube, Instagram, ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, Visual Studio Code, Gemini CLI, Grok, Perplexity and OpenClaw through MCP.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- Mobile apps
- vidIQ offers mobile apps for iPhone and Android with video research, content optimization, and channel insights.Read 30 Sep 2026 · vidiq.com
- Security
- vidIQ says it uses multi-factor authentication to ensure only the channel owner can make modifications to the channel.Read 30 Sep 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- Support
- Users can contact Creator Support through Help in their vidIQ account menu.Read 30 Sep 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- License
- vidIQ software and materials are proprietary and its terms grant only a limited, revocable, non-transferable right to use; reverse engineering and copying are prohibited.Read 14 Oct 2026 · vidiq.com
- Founded
- vidIQ says it was born in San Francisco on July 1, 2011.Read 30 Sep 2026 · vidiq.com
- AI Coach
- AI Coach gives personalized growth advice and can provide deeper-thinking responses on paid tiers.Read 14 Oct 2026 · vidiq.com
- AI credits
- AI credits are shared across supported tools, and plan credits refresh monthly on the sign-up or upgrade anniversary.Read 30 Sep 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- Analytics
- Channel Audit, subscriber analysis, real-time statistics, scorecards and performance reporting are included across the product.Read 14 Oct 2026 · vidiq.com
- Billing limitation
- Subscriptions auto-renew monthly or annually, and fees are generally non-refundable, including unused periods and unused credits.Read 14 Oct 2026 · vidiq.com
- Browser extension
- The extension provides video SEO scores, keyword recommendations, competitor research overlays, and upload optimization tools.Read 30 Sep 2026 · vidiq.com
- Browser requirements
- The extension is certified for Chrome, Firefox and Edge; Safari and Brave are not officially supported.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- Company facts
- LinkedIn lists vidIQ as privately held, founded in 2012, headquartered in San Francisco and employing 51–200 people.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
- Company legal name
- The service identifies its legal company as vidIQ, Inc.Read 14 Oct 2026 · vidiq.com
- Competitor analysis
- vidIQ lets users track competitors, inspect successful channels and videos, and compare performance signals.Read 14 Oct 2026 · vidiq.com
- Content ideas
- Daily Ideas, Outliers, Most Viewed and trend tools generate video concepts from YouTube data.Read 14 Oct 2026 · vidiq.com
- Core optimization
- The product provides keyword research, SEO scoring, title and description suggestions, tag recommendations, thumbnail tools, and upload optimization.Read 14 Oct 2026 · vidiq.com
- Developer capabilities
- MCP can research channels, analyze videos and comments, score titles and thumbnails, inspect trends, and update owned YouTube metadata after approval.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- Documentation
- The Help Center contains getting-started, feature, billing, coaching, enterprise, installation and security collections with dozens of articles.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- Enterprise audience
- Enterprise is described as intended for brands, businesses, agencies, and networks managing YouTube channels.Read 30 Sep 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- Free plan limits
- On the free/basic plan, Keyword Research shows only three results for Keywords For You, Rising Keywords, and Top Search Terms for Your Channel.Read 30 Sep 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- Funding and ownership
- Crunchbase lists six funding rounds, 18 investors including Cyan Banister and Scott Banister, and acquisitions of Creator Now and Video Creators; amounts are obscured.Read 14 Oct 2026 · crunchbase.com
- vidIQ for Instagram analyzes public Reels, finds trend-based ideas, generates covers and supports captions and hashtags.Read 14 Oct 2026 · vidiq.com
- Keyword research
- Keyword Research shows keyword scores, estimated search volume, competition, related keywords, matching terms, and questions.Read 30 Sep 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- Limit: AI output
- Reviewers report that some AI suggestions are generic, overly long or off-target for their niche.Read 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
- Limit: missing editing features
- A Capterra reviewer notes that the clipping tool lacks caption editing and that AI-created clips do not consistently meet expectations.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
- Limit: pricing and paywalls
- Capterra and GetApp reviewers say paid tiers are expensive and that important tools such as deeper keyword research require upgrades.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
- Limit: subscription complaints
- Trustpilot reviewers report unexpected renewals, difficult refunds, confusing billing and occasional loss of access after payment.Read 14 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
- Limit: technical performance
- Some reviewers report slow computers, upload failures, extension glitches and generated clips that consume credits but are unusable.Read 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
- Notable news
- vidIQ announced its Instagram product on May 5, 2026, adding Reel analysis, trend ideas, cover generation and AI planning.Read 14 Oct 2026 · vidiq.com
- Praise: optimization
- Independent reviewers repeatedly praise keyword research, SEO suggestions, title/tag recommendations and competitor insights for improving YouTube performance.Read 14 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
- Praise: usability and support
- Reviewers commonly describe the interface as easy to learn and customer support as fast, helpful and responsive.Read 14 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
- Public API and SDKs
- vidIQ exposes a remote MCP server at https://mcp.vidiq.com/mcp and API-key authentication for compatible clients; no public conventional SDK is described.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- Rating on Apple App Store
- 4.8 out of 5 from 19K ratingsRead 14 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
- Rating on Capterra
- 4.3 out of 5 from 61 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
- Rating on Chrome Web Store
- 4.5 out of 5 from 11.2K ratingsRead 14 Oct 2026 · chromewebstore.google.com
- Rating on G2
- 4.5 out of 5 from 34 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
- Rating on GetApp
- 4.3 out of 5 from 61 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
- Rating on Google Play
- 4.6 out of 5 from 388K reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
- Rating on Trustpilot
- 3.7 out of 5 from 1,375 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
- Rating on TrustRadius
- 10 out of 10 from 4 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
- Security claims
- vidIQ says it is a certified YouTube service provider, uses MFA, and does not share, sell or transfer customer data to third parties.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- Self-hosting
- The documentation describes vidIQ as a hosted service and gives no self-hosting deployment option.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- Trust
- vidIQ states that it is a certified YouTube service provider and prioritizes customer privacy and data security.Read 30 Sep 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- Video creation
- AI tools include script writing, thumbnail generation, clipping, Shorts generation, voiceovers, music and video generation.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- YouTube integration
- Connecting a YouTube channel requires permissions to view analytics and manage videos and playlists.Read 30 Sep 2026 · support.vidiq.com
- YouTube permissions
- Authorization requests access to YouTube Analytics reports and the ability to view/manage videos, playlists and YouTube activity.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.vidiq.com
Plans and prices
Free Free 150 AI credits/month · 3 keyword results/search · 3 daily personalized ideas · up to 3 competitors Read 14 Oct 2026 · vidiq.com
Free Free 150 AI Credits monthly · Keyword Research 3 results/search · Outliers 8 results/search · Personalized Daily Ideas 3/day Read 30 Sep 2026 · vidiq.com
Boost $19 a month monthly; $199 billed yearly 2,000 AI credits/month · unlimited trends research · unlimited subscriber insights · advanced optimization tools Read 14 Oct 2026 · vidiq.com
Max $39 a year Saving $120 with yearly billing 6,000 AI Credits monthly · Unlimited insights Read 30 Sep 2026 · vidiq.com
Max $49 a month monthly; $468 billed yearly 6,000 AI credits/month · up to 3x AI Coach conversations · Max Mode AI · up to 11 hours short clipping/generation Read 14 Oct 2026 · vidiq.com
Enterprise $799 a month monthly Up to 3 full-access seats · up to 5 channels · multi-channel admin dashboard · $69/additional user · $49/additional channel Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.vidiq.com
Enterprise Pro $2,500 a month monthly Up to 8 full-access seats · up to 20 channels · strategist access · Creator Discovery · A/B tests Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.vidiq.com
Enterprise Pro + YouTube Strategy Priced on request Dedicated YouTube strategist · custom onboarding · bi-weekly strategy calls · 90-day growth plan · custom AI prompts/reports Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.vidiq.com
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- Keyword research includes scores, volume, competition, and related terms.
- Competitors tool compares channel performance.
- Browser extension offers SEO scores and upload optimization.
- Mobile apps include video research and channel insights.
Limits
- Free Keyword Research limits several result categories to three.
- Connecting a channel requires analytics and video-management permissions.
- Enterprise costs $799 per month.
- Enterprise Pro costs $2,500 per month.
Who it suits
vidIQ suits YouTube creators who want keyword research, channel comparisons, and video optimization tools across web, mobile, or a browser extension. Its Enterprise options are intended for brands, businesses, agencies, and networks managing channels.
vidIQ in depth
Read the full write-up
vidIQ is a YouTube growth toolkit for creators who want topic research, competitor comparisons and video optimization in one workflow. It is best for creators who will use those tools regularly across web, browser extension and mobile. The free plan is a low-risk starting point, but its search caps make it a poor fit for sustained keyword research.
Overview
vidIQ concentrates on helping creators grow YouTube channels through research and optimization. Keyword Research combines scores, estimated search volume and competition with related keywords, matching terms and questions, giving creators several ways to assess a topic before committing to a video. Competitors supports performance comparisons with other channels; channel audits and metadata optimization round out the toolkit. One meaningful gap is rank tracking, which vidIQ does not offer.
Connecting a YouTube channel requires permission to view analytics and manage videos and playlists. vidIQ says it uses multi-factor authentication to ensure only the channel owner can modify the channel, and describes itself as a certified YouTube service provider that prioritizes privacy and data security. Creators should still consider whether those account permissions suit their comfort level.
Key features
Research and optimization
The browser extension adds video SEO scores, keyword recommendations, competitor research overlays and upload optimization tools. That makes vidIQ useful for creators who want discovery and optimization close to their video workflow rather than separated across tools. The free/basic plan, however, returns only three results per search for Keywords For You, Rising Keywords and Top Search Terms for Your Channel. Those caps allow a taste of the research, not broad exploration.
Mobile and channel access
The iPhone and Android apps provide video research, content optimization and channel insights, extending the toolkit beyond the desktop. Creator Support can be contacted through Help in the vidIQ account menu. AI credits are shared among supported tools and refresh monthly on the sign-up or upgrade anniversary, so a credit balance is a pooled allowance rather than a separate quota for each feature.
Pricing
vidIQ is freemium, with a free plan and paid options. The pricing note says paid plans start at $19/mo, while the plan details include both fixed prices and plans without a stated price.
Free: free. It includes 150 AI Credits monthly, Keyword Research at 3 results/search, Outliers at 8 results/search and 3 Personalized Daily Ideas/day. This is a sensible way to try the workflow, but the research caps are restrictive for creators who need to compare many topics.
Max: $39 a year, billed yearly, with “Saving $120 with yearly billing.” It includes 6,000 AI Credits monthly and unlimited insights. This suits creators who need much more ongoing insight capacity, but the annual term is a commitment compared with a monthly plan.
Boost: price not listed; billed yearly and cancel anytime. It includes 2,000 AI Credits monthly, unlimited trends research and unlimited subscriber insights. The combination targets creators focused on trend and audience research, though the annual billing term remains relevant even with cancellation permitted.
Enterprise: $799 a month, with unlimited AI credits, up to 3 full-access seats and up to 5 connected channels. Its channel and seat allowances suit small teams managing several channels, but the monthly price is a substantial step beyond individual plans.
Enterprise Pro: $2,500 a month, with up to 8 full-access seats, up to 20 connected channels and Creator Discovery. It is aimed at larger operations that need more seats and channel capacity; individual creators are unlikely to need that scale.
Enterprise Pro + YouTube Strategy: custom pricing. It adds a dedicated YouTube strategist, 60-minute bi-weekly strategy calls and coaching support on 1 identified channel, making it the option for organizations seeking ongoing strategic guidance rather than tools alone.
The cheaper plans trade breadth and capacity for lower commitment: Free has strict per-search and daily caps, while Max has unlimited insights but a defined monthly AI credit allowance. Teams should compare the enterprise seat and channel limits with their actual workflow before paying for higher capacity.
Platforms
vidIQ runs on web, as a browser extension, and on Android and iOS. The extension supplies in-context SEO scores, recommendations, competitor overlays and upload tools; the mobile apps bring research, optimization and channel insights to phones. This spread suits creators who move between desktop video work and mobile channel checks.
Who it's for
vidIQ is a strong fit for YouTube creators who make topic selection and competitor comparison part of their publishing process, particularly those who want research alongside metadata and upload optimization. Its Enterprise offering is explicitly intended for brands, businesses, agencies and networks managing YouTube channels. It is less compelling for creators whose priority is rank tracking, or for anyone who needs extensive keyword exploration without moving beyond the free plan.
Pros and cons
Pro: Keyword Research joins demand estimates, competition, related terms and questions, helping creators evaluate topics from several angles.
Pro: Extension and mobile tools make research and optimization available across desktop and phone workflows.
Pro: Enterprise plans specify seat and channel allowances, which helps teams judge whether the capacity matches their operation.
Con: Free keyword searches return only three results in the named categories, limiting their usefulness for ongoing discovery.
Con: vidIQ has no rank tracking, so creators who need that function must add another tool.
Con: Connecting YouTube grants access to analytics and management of videos and playlists, a permission scope some creators may prefer to avoid.
Alternatives
Choose TubeSpanner instead if a creator bio page, scripts and thumbnail designs are more central to your workflow; its free plan includes one personal bio page, two video scripts per month and two thumbnail designs per month.
1of10 is worth considering for outlier and thumbnail searches, with a free plan that provides 60 credits a month for one channel and limits those searches to five results.
TubeBuddy is another freemium option across web, extension, iOS and Android for creators comparing YouTube toolkits.
Pick YTThumbnail if the need is a free thumbnail tool: its plan is free to use, requires no registration or payment and is for personal, non-commercial use.
Vidlens offers keyword research and AI title, description and tag tools on its free plan, with 30 AI credits a month and one competitor channel.
Rapidtags may suit creators focused on tag generation and keyword searches; its Starter plan is $6 a month and includes 25 tag generations and 25 keyword research searches per day, plus 10 video rank checks per day.
YTStudio is a free web option with 40+ tools and no signup required.
RankVids is a paid web alternative, with a Starter plan at $23.99 a month billed $23.99/3 months and automatically renewing after three months.
Browse YouTube SEO Tools or Video Thumbnail Makers to compare tools by category.
Verdict
Choose vidIQ if you want YouTube topic research, competitor comparison and optimization tools spanning desktop and mobile, and especially if you can use its larger paid research allowances. The main reason to look elsewhere is equally clear: the free keyword caps are tight, and the toolkit does not track rankings. For sustained research, weigh the paid plan’s credits and billing term against how much channel insight you actually need.
Verdict
vidIQ combines channel research and optimization tools across web, extension, and mobile apps. The free plan has clear search-result limits, while listed paid plans range from a $19/mo starting note to higher-priced enterprise offerings.
Where Specifiction places it
- YouTube SEO Tools#3 of 258.8
- Video Thumbnail Makers#12 of 468.7
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