A free vidIQ alternative
Last updated November 4, 2026
vidIQ is one of the best-known YouTube tool suites, and for deep keyword research or AI coaching on your own channel it's a strong product. But if you came here searching for an alternative, it's probably for one of three reasons: you don't want to install a browser extension, you don't want another account and subscription, or you just need a quick answer about a channel without a tour of upgrade prompts.
How channelpeeker is different
- No extension. Everything runs on this website. Nothing is injected into YouTube, nothing slows your browser, and there's nothing to keep updated.
- No account, ever. Paste a link, get the answer. We don't collect emails and there is no premium tier to nudge you toward.
- Honest numbers. We only show public data from the official YouTube API, we label every estimate as ours, and we say plainly when something (like watch hours or revenue) can't be known by any outside tool. Our methodology is public.
Where vidIQ is the better choice
Honesty cuts both ways. vidIQ's paid plans include keyword research with search-volume estimates, competitor tracking over time, daily AI video ideas and coaching tied to your own channel's private analytics. If you want an always-on assistant inside YouTube Studio and don't mind the subscription, vidIQ earns its price. channelpeeker doesn't connect to your channel and doesn't try to replace YouTube Studio.
Quick comparison
| channelpeeker | vidIQ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free tier; paid plans (pricing varies, check their site) |
| Account required | No | Yes |
| Browser extension | None | Required for most features |
| Channel analytics | Yes, any public channel | Yes, deeper on your own channel |
| Keyword search volumes | No | Yes (paid) |
| AI ideas & coaching | No | Yes (paid) |
| Data source | Official YouTube API only | Mixed, including your channel's private data |
Comparison reflects publicly available information as of November 2026. vidIQ is a trademark of its owner; channelpeeker is not affiliated with vidIQ or YouTube.
Try it on any channel
The fastest way to compare is to run a channel through our tools — no install, no signup:
Channel Analyzer
Stats, upload cadence, top videos and a shareable report for any channel.
Use toolVideo Analyzer
Views, engagement and context for any video, next to its channel.
Use toolChannel Comparison
Compare 2 to 4 channels side by side.
Use toolChannel ID Finder
Turn a @handle, channel URL or video link into a channel ID.
Use toolMonetization Checker
See which Partner Program requirements a channel meets, honestly.
Use toolOutlier Finder
Find videos that beat a channel's median views by 2×, 5× or 10×.
Use toolChannel Age Checker
See exactly when a channel was created and how old it is.
Use toolVideo Upload Date Checker
The exact date and time any video was published, and its age.
Use toolComment Finder
Search any video's comments for a word, name or phrase, and export to CSV.
Use toolComment Picker
Pick fair, random giveaway winners from a video's comments.
Use toolWatch Time Calculator
Views × average view duration, and your distance to 4,000 watch hours.
Use toolRegion Restriction Checker
Which countries a video is blocked or allowed in, with embedding status.
Use toolTimestamp Link Generator
Create a YouTube link that starts at an exact time.
Use toolVideo ID Extractor
Pull the 11-character video ID out of any YouTube link.
Use toolPlaylist ID Finder
Extract the playlist ID from any YouTube playlist link.
Use toolYouTube URL Cleaner
Strip si= and other tracking parameters from YouTube links.
Use toolShorts Link Converter
Turn a Shorts link into a normal watch URL, and back.
Use toolEmbed Code Generator
Responsive iframe embed code for any video, with start time and privacy mode.
Use toolThumbnail Downloader
Download every thumbnail size, including new 1080p to 4K versions.
Use toolThumbnail Tester
Preview your thumbnail in feed, search, sidebar and mobile mockups.
Use toolThumbnail Size Checker
Check dimensions, aspect ratio and file size before uploading.
Use toolThumbnail A/B Preview
Compare two thumbnail versions side by side at every size.
Use toolProfile Picture Downloader
Any channel's avatar in full resolution, up to 800px.
Use toolBanner Downloader
Any channel's banner art in HD — TV, desktop, tablet and mobile crops.
Use toolTag Extractor
See the tags, title keywords and hashtags of any public video.
Use toolChannel Tag Extractor
See the hidden channel keywords any channel has set.
Use toolTag Generator
Generate a tag list under the 500-character limit.
Use toolTitle Generator
AI title ideas with length and truncation checks.
Use toolTitle Checker
Character count and truncation preview for desktop and mobile.
Use toolDescription Generator
Descriptions with a strong hook, timestamps and links.
Use toolHashtag Generator
Relevant hashtags for your video topic.
Use toolVideo SEO Score
A scored checklist of fixes for any video's metadata.
Use toolRevenue Calculator
Estimate earnings by views, niche and audience country.
Use toolShorts Revenue Calculator
Estimate Shorts earnings from the shared revenue pool.
Use toolChannel Earnings Estimator
Earnings ranges for a channel from its recent views.
Use toolSponsorship Rate Calculator
Price a sponsored integration from your average views.
Use toolRPM & CPM Calculator
Convert between RPM and CPM and see the creator share.
Use toolLive Stream Earnings Calculator
Estimate live income from ads, Super Chat and memberships, cuts included.
Use toolTranscript Extractor
Get a transcript as text, SRT or VTT.
Use toolTranscript Summarizer
AI summary and key points from a transcript.
Use toolTimestamp Generator
Chapters in YouTube's 0:00 format from a transcript.
Use toolKeyword Research
Search suggestions expanded with A–Z and question modifiers.
Use toolKeyword Difficulty
How strong the channels ranking for a keyword are.
Use toolRelated Keywords
Related search terms around a topic.
Use toolLong-tail Finder
Longer, easier keywords for small channels.
Use tool