What is a good engagement rate on YouTube?
· 4 min read
The formula
Engagement rate = (likes + comments) ÷ views × 100
Use views rather than subscribers: a channel's audience changes over time, while views reflect who actually watched this video.
Rough benchmarks
| Channel size | Typical range |
|---|---|
| < 50k subscribers | 4 – 8 % |
| 50k – 500k | 3 – 6 % |
| 500k + | 2 – 4 % |
Look beyond the number
- Views per subscriber. 10 – 30 % per video is healthy; far lower can mean an inactive audience.
- Consistency. Compare the last 10 videos, not the best one.
- Comment quality. Real questions and stories beat emoji chains.
Use the free engagement-rate calculator under Free tools to benchmark any video against these ranges.