Who’s at the top of YouTube’s subscriber leaderboard in 2025?
The subscriber count is a significant indication of success on YouTube, but what is the real reason these top YouTubers stand out and have the most subscribed YouTube channel?
So, I can reveal everything for you, whether you are here to spot trends, gain business insights, or just keep up with the top YouTubers and their ranking on the platform.
Let’s dive into the top 15 and see who’s taking over YouTube right now!
15 Channels with the Most Subscribers on YouTube
Here’s a quick overview of the 15 most-subscribed YouTube channels as of March 2025:
| Rank | Channel Name | Country | Genre | Subscribers | Estimated Revenue |
| 1 | MrBeast | United States | Entertainment and Philanthropy | 379 Million | $600 million to $700 million |
| 2 | T-Series | India | Music and Film Production | 289 Million | Over $100 million |
| 3 | Cocomelon | United States | Children’s Nursery Rhyme | 191 Million | $120 million |
| 4 | SET India | India | General Entertainment and Daily Soap | 182 Million | $115.4 million |
| 5 | Vlad and Niki | Russia | Children’s Entertainment | 136 Million | $4.9 million – $78.5 million |
| 6 | Kids Diana Show | Ukraine/United States | Children’s Entertainment and Education | 132 Million | $2.5 million – $39.2 million |
| 7 | Like Nastya | Russia/United States | Children’s Entertainment and Education | 126 Million | $18 million |
| 8 | Stokes Twins | United States | Entertainment, Adventure, and Comedy | 119 Million | $20 million |
| 9 | Zee Music Company | India | Music | 116 Million | $15 million |
| 10 | PewDiePie | Sweden | Gaming, Commentary, and Entertainment | 110 Million | $58.2 million |
| 11 | WWE | United States | Sports and Wrestling | 108 Million | $13 million |
| 12 | Goldmines | India | Film Distribution and Entertainment | 104 Million | $48 million |
| 13 | Sony SAB | India | Entertainment and Daily Soap | 100 Million | $25 million |
| 14 | BLACKPINK | South Korea | Music (K-pop Girl Group) | 96.2 Million | $1.1 million and $1.5 million |
| 15 | ChuChu TV | India | Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs | 95.6 million | $5.4 million and $8.6 million |
1. MrBeast (379 Million Subscribers)
Category: Entertainment and Philanthropy
Content Approach: MrBeast’s YouTube channel is known for showcasing high-budget adventurous content that often features elaborate challenges, acts, and giveaways.
Most Popular Video: “$456,000 Squid Game In Real Life!” (775 million views)
Annual Estimated Revenue: MrBeast’s revenue is between $600 million and $700 million per year. (Generated through brand partnerships, sponsorships, merchandise sales and his virtual restaurant chain)
The Secret Behind His Growth:
It’s the way he combines entertainment and philanthropy in his content.
That unique blend keeps viewers hooked. He reinvests earnings into better, more engaging productions—and that keeps his audience coming back. Collaborations with other creators and celebrities help him reach new people, while his savvy use of social media gets his content seen by even more people.
That combination—plus his deep understanding of YouTube’s algorithm and what his audience loves—has propelled his channel to record-breaking heights.
MrBeast’s X-Factor: His winning formula is a mix of high-stakes challenges, generous giveaways, and great storytelling. That resonates with viewers all over the world.
Did you know?
MrBeast—whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson—doesn’t rely solely on YouTube revenue. He’s also got ventures like MrBeast Burger and a toy line, all designed to support the content on his main channel.
2. T-Series (289 Million Subscribers)
Category: Music and Film Production
Content Approach: T-Series YouTube channels mainly share content like music videos and movie trailers, which feature content from multiple Indian languages.
Most Popular Video: “Vaaste” (1.6 Billion Views)
Annual Estimated Revenue: T-series YouTube channel makes over $100 million per year. (Through YouTube ad revenue, music sales, film production, and brand endorsements)
The Secret Behind Their Growth:
T-Series’ growth is because of its deep roots in India’s music and film industry. It has a huge library that resonates with a massive audience.
The number of internet users in India, especially with cheap data plans, has helped them reach more.
Their focus on Bollywood content appeals to a domestic audience and the global Indian diaspora and hence, rapid subscriber growth.
T-Series’s X-Factor: Their massive library of Bollywood music and exclusive film content makes them the one stop shop for Indian entertainment for the world.
Did you know?
A little known fact about T-Series is that its founder Gulshan Kumar was a big devotee of Lord Shiva. The “T” in T-Series stands for Trishul which is the symbol of Lord Shiva.
3. Cocomelon (191 Million Subscribers)
Category: Children’s Nursery Rhymes
Content Approach: Cocomelon kids interest content in 3D animated videos that show traditional nursery rhymes and kids’ songs to help engage and educate children.
Most Popular Video: “Bath Song | @CoComelon Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs” (7 Billion Views)
Annual Estimated Revenue: Cocomelon’s estimated revenue is $120 million per year. (Through YouTube ad revenues, merchandise sales, and licensing deals)
The Secret Behind Their Growth:
Founded by Jay Jeon and his wife, Cocomelon started as “checkgate” in 2006 and was just sharing videos with family.
They saw the potential to create content for kids and rebranded to “ABCKidTV” and later to “Cocomelon” in 2018. Their strategy was high quality animations, catchy songs and consistent uploads and it worked.
By 2019 Cocomelon was one of the most watched kids channel on YouTube, global audience and expanded to multiple platforms.
Cocomelon X-Factor: The animations are vibrant, the songs are repetitive and the characters are relatable. It’s an immersive and educational experience that kids and parents love.
Did you know?
Did you know the scenes are shot from a toddler’s perspective? The shots change every 1-3 seconds, and all shapes are rounded, so nothing in the CoComelon world can hurt.
4. SET India (182 Million Subscribers)
Category: General Entertainment and Daily Soap
Content Approach: SET India YouTube channel shares various types of content like drama, daily soaps, and comedy for an audience of diverse interests.
Most Popular Video: “Bath Song | @CoComelon Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs” (7 Billion Views)
Annual Estimated Revenue: SET India’s makes $115.4 million per year. (Through ad revenues, sponsorships, and partnerships with brands)
The Secret Behind Their Growth:
SET India’s growth can be attributed to its focus on creating high quality, culturally relevant content that speaks to the Indian audience.
The channel has expanded its reach by offering a mix of genres and new age storytelling. Collaborations with popular celebrities and adapting international formats have added to its appeal.
Regular engagement with the audience through interactive shows and timely content updates has also built a loyal subscriber base.
SET India X-Factor: The channel’s ability to merge traditional storytelling with modern production values makes content that keeps you hooked.
Did you know?
SET India was one of the first Indian TV networks to launch a YouTube channel and now has a massive library of over 153k videos!
5. Vlad and Niki (136 Million Subscribers)
Category: Children’s Entertainment
Content Approach: Vlad and Niki’s YouTube channels are known for role-playing, imaginative, toy unboxing, and family vlogging content.
Most Popular Video: “Vlad and Niki — new Funny stories about Toys for children” (1.1 Billion Views)
Annual Estimated Revenue: Vlad and Niki makes $4.9 million – $78.5 million per year. (Through brand partnerships, merchandise sales, licensing deals, and advertising revenue)
The Secret Behind Their Growth:
The secret behind Vlad and Niki’s success—and the reason their channel took off in April 2018—is the authentic way they portray sibling interactions and family moments that parents and kids can really relate to.
That connection—built on trust and shared experiences—helps parents and children alike tune in. And that’s exactly what brands like Haven Global and Playmates Toys have been drawn to when partnering with the channel. Those partnerships have certainly helped expand their reach.
Vlad and Niki X-Factor: What sets Vlad and Niki apart, though, is the genuine chemistry between the brothers. They have a knack for turning everyday activities into adventures that are both entertaining and heartwarming.
Did you know?
Not everyone knows that YouTube stars’ parents, Sergey and Victoria Vashketov, emigrated from Moscow, Russia. They just happen to run 21 YouTube channels in 18 languages. That’s a whole different side of the Vashketov family.
6. Kids Diana Show (132 Million Subscribers)
Category: Children’s Entertainment and Education
Content Approach: Kids Diana Show is all about role-play scenarios to educate and engage children and develop their minds.
The channel features engaging roleplay scenarios, unboxing toys, educational adventures, and family vlogs, all tailored for a young audience.
Most Popular Video: “Diana – LIKE IT – Kids Song (Official Video)” (2.4 Billion Views)
Annual Estimated Revenue: The Kids Diana Show has the revenue of $2.5 million – $39.2 million per year. (Through ad revenue, brand partnerships, and merchandise sales)
The Secret Behind Their Growth:
The secret to Kids Diana Show’s success—achieved in just a few years—lies in the content. Launched in 2015, the channel quickly grew because of its content—fun, relatable and good quality—is what parents and kids around the world are looking for.
Expanding to multiple languages and regional versions helped the channel to reach a much bigger audience, and that in turn drove the massive growth. Working with family members and creating spin-off channels helped to keep things fresh and interesting.
Kids Diana Show X-Factor: By focusing on family-friendly themes and mixing up the content, Kids Diana Show has built a loyal and growing fanbase. And that’s what the content is all about: real family life and imagination, mixed with education and entertainment.
Did you know?
By 2021 the channel was in top 10 most subscribed YouTube channel. That’s how well it’s resonating with kids and parents.
7. Like Nastya (126 Million Subscribers)
Category: Children’s Entertainment and Education
Content Approach: Like Nastya’s YouTube channel, showcase content that is a mix of education, songs, vlogs, and roleplay style.
Most Popular Video: “Nastya and papa sleeping at farm sheep Family fun trip” (946 million Views)
Annual Estimated Revenue: Like Nastya’s earns $18 million per year. (Through ad revenue, brand partnerships, and merchandise sales)
The Secret Behind Their Growth:
The Kids Diana Show’s YouTube channel has taken off in a big way, and that’s largely down to its content. That content—fun role-plays, toy reviews and family-friendly activities—is engaging in a way that really resonates with parents and kids alike.
By localizing their videos in multiple languages, they’ve been able to reach a global audience. That consistent posting schedule, those appealing visuals, and the wholesome, relatable approach really do make the channel stand out.
And then there are those strategic partnerships with popular brands. Those have helped take their reach-and their popularity-even further.
Like Nastya Show X-Factor: Her real and happy everyday life, combined with educational content, resonates with both kids and parents and creates a loyal and growing audience.
Did you know?
Like Nastya, her parents, Anna and Iurii Radzinskay, sold their bridal salon and construction company to focus on the YouTube channel that would become “Like Nastya”.
8. Stokes Twins (119 Million Subscribers)
Category: Entertainment, Adventure, and Comedy
Content Approach: The Stokes Twins, Alan and Alex, create engaging videos featuring pranks, challenges, vlogs, and comedic sketches.
Most Popular Video: “I Built 4 SECRET Rooms In ONE COLOR!” (189 million Views)
Annual Estimated Revenue: The Stokes Twins make $20 million per year. (Through ad revenue, brand partnerships, sponsored content, and merchandise sales.)
The Secret To Their Success:
The Stokes Twins have grown so fast because of their consistent content, likable personalities and ability to connect with their audience.
They post trending topics and challenges and keep their viewers entertained and coming back for more. They also cross promote across platforms, using their TikTok to drive traffic to their YouTube channel.
They collaborate with friends and family which adds authenticity and relatability to their videos.
Stokes Twins X-Factor: Their twin brother dynamic and funny and relatable content resonates with a wide audience making their videos shareable.
Did you know?
The Stokes Twins (Alan and Alex Chen Stokes) had separate YouTube channels then combined their following into a shared twins account which now has 119 million subscribers.
9. Zee Music Company (116 Million Subscribers)
Category: Music
Content Approach: Zee Music Company primarily shares a diverse range of music videos, including Bollywood soundtracks, independent music, and regional tracks, catering to a wide audience.
Most Popular Video: “Mile Ho Tum – Reprise Version | Neha Kakkar | Tony Kakkar | Fever | Gaurav Jang” (1.3 million Views)
Annual Estimated Revenue: The Zee Music Company YouTube channel makes approximately $15 million per year. (Revenue streams include advertising, sponsorships, music licensing, and partnerships with streaming platforms.)
The Secret Behind Their Success:
Launched in 2014, Zee Music Company expanded fast by acquiring a huge library of Bollywood music, working with top artists and building a strong digital presence.
Their focus on good content and Zee Entertainment’s massive media network helped them grow super fast.
Zee Music Company X-Factor: Their huge collection of Bollywood music and collaborations with big artists have made them a music label to reckon with globally.
Did you know?
Zee Music Company is the first Indian music label to reach 100 million subscribers on YouTube, in just under 9 years.
10. PewDiePie (110 Million Subscribers)
Category: Gaming, Commentary, and Entertainment
Content Approach: PewDiePie primarily produces Let’s Play videos, gaming commentary, reaction videos, and comedic skits.
Most Popular Video: “LEVEL 7 | I’M NOT CRAZY (OUTLAST IRL GAMEPLAY)” (113 million Views)
Annual Estimated Revenue: The estimated revenue of PewDiePie is $58.2 million per year. (Revenue streams include sponsorships and partnerships with streaming platforms.)
The Secret To Their Success:
PewDiePie’s growth can be summed up to his entertaining and funny gaming content that appeals to a wide audience.
He kept his content fresh and relevant by interacting with his fans and adapting to trends.
Collaborations with other creators and being active on social media platforms helped him reach more people.
He also evolved his content styles like adding meme reviews and commentary to keep his viewers interested over the years.
PewDiePie X-Factor: His real personality and unfiltered content create a real connection with his viewers and a loyal community.
Did you know?
PewDiePie (Felix Kjellberg) created a YouTube account under the name “Pewdie” in December 2006 but forgot the password and created a new account under the name “PewDiePie” on April 29, 2010.
11. WWE (108 Million Subscribers)
Category: Sports and Wrestling
Content Approach: The WWE YouTube channel offers a variety of content, including full matches, highlight reels, interviews, and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage featuring WWE Superstars.
Most Popular Video: “Randy Orton makes it personal with Triple H” (321 million Views)
Annual Estimated Revenue: WWE YouTube channel makes approximately $13 million per year. (Revenue streams include sponsorships and partnerships with streaming platforms.)
The Secret Behind Their Growth:
The secret to WWE’s YouTube channel success lies in its knack for consistently uploading content that really grabs viewers’ attention. Full matches, highlights and exclusive interviews are all part of that. And then there are the collaborations with popular influencers and celebrities that expand its reach even further.
That reach gets a huge boost from high-profile events like the Royal Rumble. Those events draw in massive viewership—and with that, more subscribers.
WWE X-Factor: What really sets WWE’s channel apart, though, is the high-energy content it delivers. Top-tier wrestling talent and dramatic storytelling keep fans hooked.
Did you know?
You might be surprised to learn that WWE’s YouTube channel has just hit 100 million subscribers. That makes it the largest sports channel on the platform-and 11th overall.
12. Goldmines (104 Million Subscribers)
Category: Film Distribution and Entertainment
Content Approach: Goldmines Telefilms specializes in dubbing and distributing South Indian films, primarily from Telugu and Tamil cinema, into Hindi. Their content includes full-length movies, songs, and comedy scenes, aiming to make regional films accessible to a broader audience.
Most Popular Video: “K.G.F Full Movie | Yash, Srinidhi Shetty, Ananth Nag, Ramachandra Raju, Achyuth Kumar, Malavika” (827 million Views)
Annual Estimated Revenue: Goldmines YouTube channels make approximately $48 million per year. (Revenue streams include YouTube ad earnings, television rights, and digital platform licensing.)
The Secret Behind Their Growth:
Goldmines’ focus on dubbing South Indian films into Hindi has been the key. By tailoring content to the North Indian audience’s taste, they have expanded the reach of the regional hits.
Noticeably, their Hindi versions of “KGF: Chapter 1” and “KGF: Chapter 2” have crossed 1.1 billion views, which is a testimony to their content localization and distribution strategy.
Goldmines X-Factor: Their expertise in converting regional films into pan-Indian blockbusters has made them a household name in Hindi film industry.
Did you know?
A little-known fact about Goldmines’ YouTube channel is that despite being so big, Goldmines Telefilms was founded in 2000 by Manish Shah, and the main work of the company is to acquire and dub South Indian movies in Hindi for distribution on all platforms, including YouTube.
13. Sony SAB (100 Million Subscribers)
Category: Entertainment and Daily Soap
Content Approach: Sony SAB offers a diverse array of Hindi-language television content, including full episodes, clips, and teasers of popular shows such as “Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah,” “Pushpa Impossible,” and “Wagle Ki Duniya.”
Most Popular Video: “Tina’s First Day With The Gada Family | Tapu Sena Special | Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah” (253 million Views)
Annual Estimated Revenue: Sony Sab YouTube channel makes approximately $25 million per year. (Revenue streams include advertising, sponsorships, and partnerships with digital platforms.)
The Secret Behind Their Growth:
Sony SAB’s growth is because of their consistent delivery of fun and family content that appeals to a large audience. By telling relatable stories and being funny, they have built a loyal fan base.
Strategic partnerships and a strong digital presence has further increased their reach and made them one of the top entertainment channels in India.
Sony Sab X-Factor: The mix of wholesome entertainment and cultural storytelling hits the right chord with the audience and creates an emotional connect.
Did you know?
One of the more interesting things about the Sony SAB YouTube channel is just how often they post. That’s around 30 videos every day. That volume of content—30 videos daily—really drives their massive views and subscriber base.
14. BLACKPINK (96.2 Million Subscribers)
Category: Music (K-pop Girl Group)
Content Approach: BLACKPINK’s YouTube channel features high-energy music videos, live performances, dance practices, and behind-the-scenes content, primarily focusing on K-pop music with a blend of pop, hip-hop, and EDM influences.
Most Popular Video: “BLACKPINK – ‘뚜두뚜두 (DDU-DU DDU-DU)’ M/V” (2.2 million views)
Annual Estimated Revenue: BLACKPINK’s YouTube channel makes approximately $1.1 million and $1.5 million annually. (Revenue streams include music sales, concert tours, merchandise, brand endorsements, and YouTube ad revenue.)
The Secret To Their Success:
Since 2016 BLACKPINK has been releasing hit singles and albums, collaborating with international artists and performing at big global events.
Their social media and content strategy has grown them a global fanbase and subscriber growth.
BLACKPINK’s X-Factor: Powerful performances, catchy music and international presence all in one makes them stand out in the global music scene.
Did you know?
BLACKPINK’s “How You Like That” music video broke a YouTube record with 86.3 million views in 24 hours in June 2020.
15. ChuChu TV (95.6 Million Subscribers)
Category: Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs
Content Approach: ChuChu TV specializes in creating animated 2D and 3D videos featuring traditional nursery rhymes and original children’s songs, primarily targeting toddlers and preschoolers.
Most Popular Video: “Phonics Song with TWO Words – A For Apple – ABC Alphabet Songs with Sounds for Children” (6.3 million views)
Annual Estimated Revenue: ChuChu TV makes approximately $5.4 million and $8.6 million annually. (Generated through YouTube ad revenue, with the platform taking a 45% cut and ChuChu TV receiving 55%.)
The Secret Behind Their Growth:
ChuChu TV’s success story began in 2013, when Vinoth Chandar brought his musical background—and a deep understanding of what kids love—to the table. That focus on high-quality, culturally relevant content really paid off.
Vinoth’s background in music helped ChuChu TV get off the ground quickly. And those early partnerships—like the ones with DreamTheatre and Moose Toys—helped the channel reach a wider audience beyond YouTube.
As the channel grew, so did its reach: ChuChu TV started creating content in multiple languages and for different regions. That expansion helped the channel connect with kids all over the world.
ChuChu TV X-Factor: What really sets ChuChu TV apart, though, is its ability to make learning fun. Those vibrant animations and engaging storylines capture young viewers’ imaginations—and hearts. That emotional connection is what keeps kids coming back for more.
Did you know?
Did you know that ChuChu TV was the first kids’ YouTube channel from India to hit 50 million subscribers? That milestone came in August 2021.
Conclusion
In 2025, YouTube’s top channels are dominated by categories like music, kids, viral entertainment, gaming, vlogs, adventure, and educational content.
Creators in these genres have mastered the art of engaging their audiences through consistent, high-quality content that resonates with their specific viewer base.
Their success can be attributed to a blend of creativity, innovation, and a deep understanding of YouTube’s ever-changing algorithm.
They’ve managed to stay at the top of the leaderboard by building strong communities and staying connected with fans.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most subscribed YouTube channel in 2025?
As of 2025 MrBeast is the most subscribed YouTube channel with over 378 million subscribers, known for his high budget challenges and philanthropy.
How do YouTubers make money from their subscriber count?
YouTubers make money from ad monetization, brand partnerships, merchandise sales, sponsorships and other ventures like exclusive content or virtual restaurants, depending on their content.
What type of content do most of the top YouTube channels create?
The top YouTube channels create viral entertainment, music, kids content and educational content, creators blend entertainment and engagement to get massive audience.
How does subscriber count affect a YouTube channel’s success?
A high subscriber count is a sign of a channel’s influence, trust and appeal, which can lead to more ad revenue, brand collaborations and higher visibility in YouTube’s algorithm.
Can smaller channels compete with the most subscribed YouTubers?
Yes, smaller channels can still thrive by finding a niche audience, creating unique content and leveraging collaborations and social media to build a loyal following even if they don’t have millions of subscribers.
