Enter a video's views, likes, and comments (plus shares from Analytics if you have them) to get its engagement rate by views, compared with typical YouTube videos, with the like rate and comment density alongside.
How it works
On YouTube, engagement is measured against views, not followers. Most views come from search, suggested videos, and Shorts feeds rather than from subscribers, so a follower-based rate, the Instagram convention, says little here. The rate that matters is how many of the people who watched reacted.
Formulas. Engagement rate = (Likes + Comments + Shares) / Views x 100. Like-to-view rate = Likes / Views x 100. Comments per 1,000 views = Comments / Views x 1,000. By-subscribers rate (advanced) = Interactions / Subscribers x 100, the number some sponsors still ask for.
The verdict compares your by-views rate with the band of roughly 3.5% to 7% that public industry studies report as typical for YouTube videos. Like-to-view alone usually runs 3% to 5%, and comments a few per thousand views. The bands are rough and depend on the niche. Tutorials run quieter than commentary, and Shorts get higher like rates than long-form. Sponsors reading a media kit mostly want the by-views rate over your last 10 to 20 videos, so average a recent batch rather than quoting one outlier.
Advanced options add your subscriber count, for the by-subscribers rate some sponsors ask for, and comment density per 1,000 views.
Everything runs in your browser. Your numbers are never sent to a server, and there is no signup or limit. Your last entries are remembered locally so the calculator is ready next time.
What you will see
- Engagement rate (by views)
- Interactions divided by views. The rate that fits how YouTube distributes videos.
- Versus typical videos
- Whether the rate sits above, within, or below the rough 3.5% to 7% band from public industry studies.
- Total interactions
- Likes plus comments plus shares for the video.
- Like-to-view rate
- Likes alone per hundred views. The most quoted single signal, where 3% to 5% is common.
- Comments per 1,000 views
- Comment density. A few per thousand is normal. Discussion-driven niches run higher.
- Engagement rate (by subscribers)
- The follower-based rate some sponsors ask for. Take it with a pinch of salt on YouTube.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good engagement rate on YouTube?
By views, public industry studies put typical videos roughly between 3.5% and 7%. The like-to-view rate alone is usually 3% to 5%, and comments run a few per thousand views. Above that band is strong. Below it is a nudge to work on the content's first minute and the ask. The bands are rough and vary by niche. Commentary and community-driven channels run hot, and how-to runs quiet, so compare against your own recent videos first.
How is YouTube engagement rate calculated?
Likes plus comments plus shares, divided by views, times 100. Views are the base, not subscribers, because YouTube shows most videos to non-subscribers through search, suggested, and the Shorts feed. Shares are visible only in your own Analytics. Leave the field empty when you check someone else's video, and the rate uses likes and comments.
Why measure by views instead of subscribers?
Because subscriber count barely predicts who saw a video. A channel with 100k subscribers can get 10k or 500k views on the same upload. Dividing interactions by subscribers makes the first look great and the second look terrible for the same audience response. The by-subscribers rate remains in Advanced options because some sponsor templates ask for it. The by-views rate is the truthful one.
What counts as an interaction?
This calculator counts likes, comments, and shares, the three actions visible in or near the player. YouTube's own systems also weigh watch time, click-through, and "not interested" signals, but those are not public numbers you can type in. Dislikes have had no public count since 2021 and are left out.
How do I find a video's shares?
Only in YouTube Analytics, for your own videos. Open the video's analytics, then the Reach or Engagement tab, and the Shares metric is listed. Nobody can see shares on someone else's video, which is why the field is optional. The rate stays comparable without it as long as you are consistent.
How do I calculate engagement for a whole channel?
Average the last 10 to 20 videos. Total their likes, comments, and shares, total their views, and enter the sums. The rate of the sums is the channel's recent engagement rate. Leave out the one viral outlier when you prepare a media kit, and sponsors will treat the number as credible.
Does this calculator connect to my YouTube account?
No. You type the numbers, which are on the watch page and in your Analytics, and the maths runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded. That also keeps it exact. There is no API rounding and no stale cache, and it works for any video you can see, including a competitor's.
Is the YouTube engagement rate calculator free?
Yes, free with no signup, running entirely in your browser. Your last entries are remembered in your browser. The Instagram and X siblings use the follower-based convention native to those platforms: the Instagram Engagement Rate Calculator and the Twitter Engagement Rate Calculator.