Is this a real-time subscriber count?

It is as real-time as YouTube allows anyone to be. Above 1,000 subscribers YouTube publishes a rounded number that moves in steps, so nothing — here or anywhere — can show a true live figure. Below 1,000 it is exact.

Why does the number sit still for a long time?

Because YouTube's published figure has not changed. A channel at 1.23M stays at 1.23M until it crosses into the next step, which can take days.

Why is another counter site showing a different number?

Some interpolate — they guess at the movement between YouTube's steps and animate it. That looks livelier and is partly invented. This page shows the published figure and nothing else.

Can I track a channel's count from my phone?

Yes. It runs in the browser and keeps updating while the tab is open, pausing when you switch away so it does not drain the battery.

Why won't my /c/ link work?

Legacy /c/ and /user/ addresses can only be looked up through an expensive search call that would burn the daily allowance in a hundred uses. Open the channel and copy its @handle instead.

Do I need a YouTube account?

No. Nothing here asks you to sign in, and no account is involved.

Live YouTube Subscriber Count

Paste a YouTube handle or channel link and watch the count update. One thing worth knowing up front: YouTube rounds every subscriber count above a thousand, so what updates here is YouTube's rounded figure, not a true real-time number.

Channel handle or link

Watching your own channel grow?

What the number actually is

Rounded above 1,000: YouTube stopped publishing exact counts in 2019. Above a thousand, everyone sees a rounded figure — including this page.
Exact below 1,000: Under a thousand subscribers the count is exact, so a new channel really can watch it move one at a time.
How often it updates: The figure is re-checked every few seconds. It only changes when YouTube's own published number changes, which for a large channel means in steps.
Hidden counts: A channel can hide its subscriber count entirely. When it does, no tool can show it, and this page says so rather than guessing.
Which links work: An @handle, a youtube.com/@name link, or a /channel/UC… link. Legacy /c/ and /user/ links cannot be resolved cheaply and are refused.
Views and videos: Both are exact, unlike the subscriber count. Total views is lifetime across the channel.

How to track a channel

Open the channel on YouTube and copy its @handle, or the address from your browser.
Paste it above and press Track.
Leave the tab open. It refreshes on its own, and pauses when the tab is in the background.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a real-time subscriber count?: It is as real-time as YouTube allows anyone to be. Above 1,000 subscribers YouTube publishes a rounded number that moves in steps, so nothing — here or anywhere — can show a true live figure. Below 1,000 it is exact.
Why does the number sit still for a long time?: Because YouTube's published figure has not changed. A channel at 1.23M stays at 1.23M until it crosses into the next step, which can take days.
Why is another counter site showing a different number?: Some interpolate — they guess at the movement between YouTube's steps and animate it. That looks livelier and is partly invented. This page shows the published figure and nothing else.
Can I track a channel's count from my phone?: Yes. It runs in the browser and keeps updating while the tab is open, pausing when you switch away so it does not drain the battery.
Why won't my /c/ link work?: Legacy /c/ and /user/ addresses can only be looked up through an expensive search call that would burn the daily allowance in a hundred uses. Open the channel and copy its @handle instead.
Do I need a YouTube account?: No. Nothing here asks you to sign in, and no account is involved.

Make the number move

Watching a counter is the easy part. Subscribers and views are what actually change it.