Over one billion hours of content get watched on YouTube every single day. What’s more, 500+ hours of content get added to the platform per minute, according to statistics shared by YouTube. Though, who are these creators who are keeping us entertained?
From gamers to kid influencers to comedians, we’ve scoured the web to present to you 15 of the most popular content creators on YouTube. Whether you’re looking for a new channel to subscribe to or wondering how to take your own content to the next level, here are some of the biggest success stories (and be sure to read what MrBeast reveals as the secret behind his channel).
15 Leading YouTube Content Creators
1. Ryan Kaji
Ryan Kaji remains one of the top YouTube content creators. As of March 2022, his main YouTube channel, Ryan’s World, has more than 38.2 million subscribers. To quantify his success further, his earnings for 2021 was estimated at almost $30 million, making him one of the highest paid YouTubers for the past few years according to our numbers.
Though, YouTube isn’t his only source of income. He also has his own show and a line of branded toys that was released at Walmart, Amazon, and Target. Considering that a lot of the success behind his YouTube channel is linked to his age, it makes sense that the Kaji family would want to diversify. Along with Chris Williams, a former exec at Disney, the family is starting to concentrate more on how to keep his kid influencer brand going as he grows older. They’ve, for example, created an animated character, Red Titan, that has starred alongside Ryan. Could he be the (super)hero that will protect Ryan from becoming just another forgotten child star?
2. MrBeast
Not only is MrBeast (formally known as Jimmy Donaldson) double Ryan’s age, but he also has triple the amount of subscribers on YouTube. Though, when it comes to estimated earnings, he’s still trailing behind Ryan, which just goes to show that there’s no real way of determining how many YouTube views you need to make money via the platform.
Since MrBeast first joined the platform 11 years ago, he has uploaded hundreds of videos, mostly involving some type of stunt. In a recent interview with Joe Rogan, he revealed some of the secrets behind his success on YouTube. For example, he and his team (he has a 50-person company to help him) have decided to ensure that his channel can be accessed in multiple languages by hiring voice actors. He also touched on his plans for the future. In addition to the Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese channels that he has set up, he’s planning to launch a Japanese dub channel too.
As you would have guessed, MrBeast’s content doesn’t come cheap. In an interview with CoffeeZilla, he revealed that they can spend as much as a million dollars on a video. He also added that while most content creators film for only a few hours a day, their team sometimes film for 10 hours per day. So, to be a creator in his league, you need to have time and money to invest.
3. PewDiePie
If you’re a regular reader of Influencer Marketing Hub, you would probably already be quite familiar with PewDiePie (more formally known as Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg), his feats, and controversies. Founded in 2010, he managed to grow his YouTube channel to 110 million subscribers who he has affectionately dubbed his Bro Army.
That said, this success didn’t come without a fair share of bad publicity. It might hurt his chances to collaborate with brands, but there’s still a huge target audience who’s interested in politically incorrect content.
While he might be insensitive at times, he has opened up about his own issues with mental health and has admitted that the content creation process takes a toll on him. On a few occasions, he publicly announced that he would be taking breaks to deal with burnout and stress. In an interview with Insider, he explained that it can be challenging for online content creators to stop, especially when you get blessed with several opportunities.
4. Dude Perfect
Dude Perfect has proven how you can successfully turn your online success into a profitable offline venture too. In addition to the popular YouTube channel that they’ve created with more than 60.6 million subscribers, they also have one of the top influencer merch stores, launched their own mobile games, started their own TV series, The Dude Perfect Show, and went on live tours. Most recently, they also shared that they will reveal the WrestleMania 38 set from inside the stadium in Arlington, Texas.
One of the secrets to their well-known and much-loved brand is that the content that they create appeals to a much broader target audience. Their immensely popular videos that mostly involve stunts and trick shots help adults to rediscover their inner child, while kids want to be them when they grow up.
5. Rhett and Link
Rhett and Link (formally known as Rhett McLaughlin and Charles Lincoln) are a comedy duo and the hosts of Good Mythical Morning, a type of daytime talk show. They’ve dubbed themselves as “intertainers” and have created a number of YouTube channels. While their own channel has nearly five million subscribers, it’s not their most successful channel and their Good Mythical Morning channel has over 19 million subscribers.
Over the years, their videos have landed them several awards and nominations. They’ve also started a Mythical Accelerator fund to obtain ownership stakes in the businesses of social media celebrities. For example, more recently, they acquired Smosh, another established YouTube channel that’s actually been around longer than their own channel. With the fund, they hope to help other content creators by taking on a type of venture capitalist role.
6. Markiplier
For gaming content, particularly survival horror games, you can check out Markiplier’s YouTube channel with a subscriber count of more than 37.1 million. In addition to his popular YouTube channel, he has also co-founded a clothing company and co-hosted podcasts.
His unique style has landed him a nomination for a Kids Choice Awards in the Favorite Funny YouTube Creator category. Though, in the end, Liza Koshy, one of the top creators on Instagram and female TikTok influencers, walked away with the title.
7. Preston Arsement
If you’re into gaming videos but prefer something less cringeworthy than survival horror games, you can check out Preston Arsement’s YouTube channel. He is mostly known for his Minecraft gameplay, but also plays Fortnite and Roblox. In addition to sharing his gameplay, he also focuses on creating content involving pranks and challenges that’s more aimed at kids. His work has not only been recognized by his 28.6 million YouTube subscribers, but also the likes of Forbes that has included him in its 30 Under 30 list in 2021.
8. Dream
For more Minecraft content, you can also check out Dream’s YouTube channel. In addition to YouTube, he’s also active on Twitch where he has nearly 32.1 million followers. Not only does he use a pseudonym, but he also doesn’t reveal his face in his videos. So, not a lot is known about this mysterious smiling logo (though, he has hinted that he might reveal his face in 2022).
Like is the case with many gaming creators, his career is not without controversy. One of the controversies involved a speedrun cheating scandal. While he admitted that he used a disallowed modification, he explained that this was unintentional.
9. Jeffree Star
Jeffree Star describes himself as a make-up artist and cosmetics creator. Like a number of the leading content creators on YouTube, he has also managed to find success on other channels. Not only does he have millions of followers on Instagram too, but he has also started his own cosmetics line, Jeffree Star Cosmetics, and released a studio album that features Nicki Minaj.
In fact, before Instagram was even a thing, he already crafted his space on social networking via Myspace (Slate magazine listed him as one of the most popular unsigned musical acts on Myspace). Fast-forward many years to a time when Myspace is almost as antiquated as stamps, Jeffree Star can now boast with over 15.7 million YouTube subscribers and hundreds of videos that average millions of views.
10. SSSniperWolf
SSSniperWolf (formally known as Alia Shelesh) is one of the top female YouTubers that you should check out and not just because she’s one of the very few female gaming creators. Her videos get nearly five million views on average, while her subscribers have grown steadily over the past five years. In fact, according to HypeAuditor, her channel gets about 145,000 new subscribers per month.
Not only does she have one of the most popular gaming channels on YouTube, but she also has a successful second channel on the platform, Little Lia. What makes this side hustle so interesting is that it explores a completely different niche – arts, crafts, and DIY projects.
Alternatively, if neither gaming nor arts and crafts is really your thing, you can also catch her on Instagram where she posts a lot of cosplay content.
And yes, like virtually all popular gamers, she too has a number of controversies. From being arrested to being sued for defamation, some might argue she’s a little bit of a wolf in cosplay clothing.
11. Valkyrae
While there aren’t that many female gamers, SSSniperWolf is definitely not a lone wolf. You can also check out Valkyrae (formally known as Rachell Hofstetter) on YouTube. As a matter of fact, she was the platform’s most-watched female streamer for the past two years. Plus, in 2021, she won Adweek’s Gaming Creator of the Year award.
In addition to YouTube stardom, she’s also one of the content creators at 100 Thieves, an apparel and eSports company that has been associated with the likes of NICKMERCS. In fact, she was the first female content creator to join the brand.
Not only has Forbes included her in its 2022’s 30 Under 30 list, but they’ve also named her as arguably the most influential female creator in gaming. She might have “only” 4.08 million YouTube subscribers at the moment, but by the sound of things we can expect big things from her in the coming years.
12. Blippi
For a different type of fun and games, you can check out Blippi’s educational videos for kids on YouTube. The energetic character that’s cleverly branded in a signature blue and orange outfit has become a household name across the world. His content, that’s mostly aimed at kids between the ages of two and seven, is interactive, which helps to make parents feel less guilty about screen time.
In March 2022, the man behind Blippi, Stevin John, also welcomed his first child. In an interview with Parents magazine, he shared that after the birth of his son he now has an even better understanding of kids’ interests. So, it would be interesting to see which new wisdoms his character will share with his young, but loyal, followers.
13. Kids Diana Show
The Kids Diana Show is a Ukrainian YouTube channel that shares children’s songs, vlogs, and unboxing videos. Similarly to Blippi’s content, one of the secrets behind the channel’s success is that it mainly focuses on costumes and facial expressions.
In less than seven years, Diana, with the help of her parents, Vlad and Elena, managed to attract more than 128 million subscribers. Their hard work has paid off and in 2022 the Kids Diana Show has been nominated for a Kids Choice Award in the Favorite Female Creator category.
14. Whindersson
For musical parodies and other comedy videos, you can check out Whindersson Nunes Batista’s YouTube channel. Since he started his channel almost 10 years ago, he has grown his fan base to more than 44.7 million subscribers.
Most recently, he has campaigned for a boxing fight against fellow internet star, Logan Paul. While the match is yet to be confirmed, so far Whindersson takes the lead when it comes to followers. Not only does he have more followers than Paul on YouTube, but also Instagram.
15. Felipe Neto
Felipe Neto’s success on YouTube proves that you don’t necessarily need to stick to a specific type of content. Hailing from Brazil, his content focuses on general entertainment. Before he decided to devote all his attention to his YouTube channel with over 46.8 million subscribers, he was also involved in a YouTube business network that was dedicated to the online video market in Brazil.
While his subscribers growth rate isn’t as high as it used to be, according to HypeAuditor, he still manages to attract about 108,000 new subscribers each month. Plus, his videos generate nearly 350,000 views on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a YouTube content creator do?
A YouTube content creator is a person who produces content for YouTube. YouTube content creators can earn money directly on the platform in a variety of different ways, from placed advertising, merchandise sales and subscriptions.
Who is the best content creators in YouTube?
These are the most popular content creators on YouTube right now:
- Ryan Kaji
- MrBeast
- PewDiePie
- Dude Perfect
- Rhett and Link
- Markiplier
- Preston Arsement
- Dream
- Jeffree Star
- SSSniperWolf
What is the difference between a YouTuber and a content creator?
YouTubers - or YouTube content creators, as they are called - upload videos and create content for their audience. YouTubers can become influencers when they have a large following and begin working with brands.
What do you call a YouTube content creator?
YouTube content creators are often called YouTubers or influencers because they have an influence on their audience. Video content creators work hard to develop their brand and content through YouTube and social media.
