vidIQ is the best-known YouTube growth suite: keyword research, an AI Coach trained on your channel, a thumbnail maker, title and description generators, a script writer, Shorts clipping, competitor tracking and an Outliers search, plus paid 1-on-1 coaching. Most AI features run on monthly credits.
How much does vidIQ cost?
Boost at $19/mo, MAX at $49/mo and Enterprise on quote. Free plan: 150 AI credits a month; Outliers limited to 6 videos per search.
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | — | 150 AI credits/month |
| Boost | $19/mo | $199/yr | 2,000 AI credits/month |
| MAX | $49/mo | $468/yr | 6,000 AI credits/month, Max Mode AI, clipping |
| Enterprise | On quote | — | Brands, agencies and MCNs |
What should you know before paying?
- US list prices for one channel; local prices may vary at checkout.
- Most AI tools spend monthly AI credits.
Is vidIQ worth the price?
It's worth it for search-driven channels (tutorials, reviews), beginners who want an AI coach and optimizing every upload, because of:
- Mature keyword research with search volume and competition
- Large AI toolbox: AI Coach, thumbnails, scripts, clipping, titles, descriptions
- Browser extension used by millions of creators
- MCP for Claude and ChatGPT on every plan, including Free
Think twice if any of these matter to you:
- Idea features mostly start from a keyword you already have
- Much of the value runs on AI credits
- Team access only through Enterprise quotes
Find the videos doing 10x in your niche
Returbe compares every video with its channel's normal and shows the outliers by niche, format and channel size. Free account, no card.
How does vidIQ's price compare with other YouTube tools?
| Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| TubeBuddy | No | $12/mo | Channel management toolkit: SEO, A/B tests and bulk editing |
| NexLev | No | €13/mo | Niche research and tools for faceless channels |
| Returbe | Yes | €15/mo | Outliers, niche research and video ideas from a live index of YouTube channels |
| vidIQ | Yes | $19/mo | YouTube SEO, keyword research and AI creation tools, with coaching |
| 1of10 | Yes | $19/mo | Outlier and thumbnail research plus AI thumbnails, titles and video editing |
| TubeLab | No | €29/mo | Niche and outlier finder with AI scripts and avatar videos |
| OutlierKit | Yes | $49/mo | Outlier research, keyword research and competitor intelligence on credits |
| ViewStats | Yes | See their site | Analytics, outliers and thumbnail research from the team behind MrBeast |
Looking for something else? See the best vidIQ alternatives or vidIQ vs Returbe.
FAQ
How much does vidIQ cost in 2026?
Boost at $19/mo ($199/yr billed yearly), MAX at $49/mo ($468/yr billed yearly) and Enterprise on quote. Prices from vidiq.com/plans/, checked on October 29, 2026.
Does vidIQ have a free plan?
Free plan: 150 AI credits a month; Outliers limited to 6 videos per search.
Is vidIQ worth it?
Yes for search-driven channels (tutorials, reviews), beginners who want an AI coach and optimizing every upload: its strengths are mature keyword research with search volume and competition and large AI toolbox: AI Coach, thumbnails, scripts, clipping, titles, descriptions. Less so if idea features mostly start from a keyword you already have is a problem for you.
What is cheaper than vidIQ?
TubeBuddy (from $12/mo), NexLev (from €13/mo) and Returbe (from €15/mo) start lower. Compare what each plan includes, not only the entry price.
Sources and method
Prices and features come from each tool's own public pricing and feature pages, last checked on October 29, 2026. A dash means the feature isn't mentioned on their pages, not that it doesn't exist. Prices change often: check the vendor's page before buying. We make Returbe, so we say clearly where the others do better.
- vidIQ: vidiq.com/plans/
- vidIQ: vidiq.com/features/
- vidIQ: vidiq.com/features/outliers/
Related comparisons
- vidIQ alternatives
- vidIQ vs TubeBuddy
- vidIQ vs 1of10
- vidIQ vs NexLev
- vidIQ vs TubeLab
- vidIQ vs ViewStats
- vidIQ vs OutlierKit
- vidIQ vs Returbe
- All YouTube tool comparisons
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