VidIQ vs TubeBuddy (2025) – Battle Of Best YouTube Marketing Tool

If you are a YouTuber, you probably know the importance of SEO for ranking your content! Good SEO practices can boost your YouTube views, rankings, and ultimately your revenue!

VidIQ and TubeBuddy are two powerful YouTube SEO tools that I have reviewed in the past. I have personally been using these tools for a long time to optimize my videos. But which YouTube tool is better – VidIQ or TubeBuddy? 

We will answer that in today’s VidIQ vs TubeBuddy article. In this article, we will be comparing VidIQ and TubeBuddy on a range of factors including their pricing, ease of use, user interface, and unique features to reveal the ultimate champion!

By the end of this article, I hope you will be clear if you should invest in these tools, and which plan best serves your needs! Later in the article, I’ve also revealed how I use these tools to grow my YouTube channel. 

Curious to know more? Let’s jump right into our article!

VidIQ vs TubeBuddy (Quick Comparison)

Factors	VidIQ	TubeBuddy
Free Version	Used for VPH, basic keyword research, and competition analysis	Used to video analytics, basic keyword suggestions, and comment filters
Keyword Research	Shows search volume of target keyword and related keywords.	Shows weighted and unweighted scores of target keyword.
Video Optimization	Lesser number of suggestions Not all suggestions are relevant	Extended number of suggestions Most suggestions are relevant
Competitor Analysis	Advanced tools	Basic tools
Ease of Use	Easy to use	Easy to use
Brand Alerts	Can set alerts by factors like VPH, category, language, competitors, etc.	Basic alerts by keywords
Mobile Apps	Average	Average
Unique Features	VPH, AI Tools, Comment Filters, Channel Audit	Thumbnail A/B Testing, Bulk Editing, Rank Tracking, Click Magnet
Pricing/month	VidIQ Boost: $17.50/mo	TubeBuddy Pro: $2.25/mo TubeBuddy Legend: $14.50/mo
Visit	Get VidIQ	Get TubeBuddy

VidIQ Vs TubeBuddy Video Review

If you are more of a video person, here’s the video review of VidIQ vs TubeBuddy. In this video, I’ve compared these two popular YouTube SEO tools on many factors and picked the winner!

It’s in the Hindi language, but English subtitles are available. I hope you enjoy watching it!

Free Version – VidIQ vs TubeBuddy

Free Version – VidIQ

The free version of VidIQ offers some insightful features like:

1) Views Per Hour (VPH) 

It shows you the number of views a video receives per hour. This can help identify trending videos and the ranking potential of a topic on YouTube.

2) YouTube Tag Suggestions

It recommends relevant tags along with their search volume, so you can reach the right audience and improve your ranking.

3) Basic Keyword Research

The free plan of VidIQ lets you perform basic keyword research. For every search query, it displays 5 related keywords with their search volume, competition, and overall score.

4) Competitor Analysis

You can add up to 3 competitors and analyze their channel’s top 6 trending videos with their views per hour (VPH). This is great for identifying the type of content your audience desires and then creating videos around similar topics.

Free Version – TubeBuddy

TubeBuddy’s free plan also offers some interesting features like:

1) Video Analytics

With Video Analytics, you get a summary of the total views, comments, and likes on the video. You can also view the number of tags used in the video, social views, and channel analytics.

2) Comment Filters

TubeBuddy lets you filter comments on your videos by the comments you haven’t replied to, comments with a question, links, hearted/not-hearted comments, comments comprising specific words, etc.

3) Keyword Explorer

It helps you identify popular and relevant keywords on YouTube. You can get the overall score, score analysis, keyword trends, and related searches for your keyword. However, related searches are limited to 3 results.

4) YouTube Keyword Suggestions

With the TubeBuddy free version, you can view up to 3 related tags for your target keyword.

Apart from these features, the free version of TubeBuddy also offers various other handy tools like comment formatting, random comment picker, canned responses, thumbnail generator, the best time to publish, etc.

Winner – Best Free Version

Though TubeBuddy offers more features in its free plan, the features of VidIQ are more focused on optimizing your YouTube videos. So, VidIQ is the clear winner!

Keyword Research – VidIQ vs TubeBuddy

Keyword Research – VidIQ

When you enter a keyword, VidIQ shows you its overall score along with search volume, related score, and competition. You can tap on the search volume to sort your results by search volume.

This approach is similar to the traditional SEO tools like Ahrefs, UberSuggest, etc that display the keyword’s search volume, competition, overall score, etc. I found VidIQ to be a simple and convenient tool for YouTube keyword research.

Keyword Research – TubeBuddy

TubeBuddy only displays the search volume of your main keyword. To find the search volume of the related keywords, you need to select them one by one, which is not a very convenient option.

Additionally, it also divides the overall score into weighted and unweighted scores which may be a little confusing for beginners.

I liked the keyword trend charts and the list of top-ranking videos displayed for each keyword on TubeBuddy. However, I found its monthly search estimate to be inaccurate.

Winner – Best Keyword Research

VidIQ is the winner because, in my personal experience, I found the results of VidIQ to be more accurate and straightforward.

Video Optimization – VidIQ vs TubeBuddy

Video Optimization – VidIQ

For optimizing your videos, you can find keyword suggestions in the Video Tags section of VidIQ. It also displays the overall score of the recommended tags to help you pick the better ones.

As you keep adding keywords, it automatically suggests relevant keywords that you can add in the description and the title to improve SEO. However, the suggestions are quite limited.

Video Optimization – TubeBuddy

While using TubeBuddy for YouTube optimization, it suggests a long list of keywords. You can sort these keywords by relevance, keyword score, or search traffic.

For additional functionality, like adding target keywords in titles and descriptions, you can make use of TubeBuddy SEO Studio.

Winner – Best Video Optimization

In my opinion, TubeBuddy wins for video optimization. This is because the number of tag suggestions offered by VidIQ is quite less compared to TubeBuddy. Additionally, TubeBuddy offers more relevant keywords.  

An important point to note here is that video tags are not that relevant in 2025. YouTube doesn’t consider them much for ranking your videos. But you can certainly save a lot of time by using recommended tags.

Competitor Analysis – VidIQ vs TubeBuddy

Competitor Analysis – VidIQ

With VidIQ, you get VPH (Views per hour) to keep track of the hourly views of any YouTube video. Additionally, you can also add your competitors and monitor their popular videos in a week, month, or past 48 hours.

With the Pro plan, you can even check out detailed performance graphs of your competitors for the number of views, subscribers, average daily views, subscribers, public videos, etc. Using all these tools, you can take inspiration from your competitors and improve your video content.

Competitor Analysis – TubeBuddy

TubeBuddy’s Keyword Research tool displays the top-ranking videos for a particular keyword. This can help you get a basic idea of your competitors.

Additionally, you can also use Brand Alerts and Search Rank Tracking features to monitor your competitor’s performance.

Winner – Best Competitor Analysis

Without a doubt, VidIQ is better for competitor analysis with its insightful tools like VPH, competitor VPH, graphical representations, etc. So, if you want to research your competitors’ performance on YouTube, you can go with VidIQ.

Ease of Use – VidIQ vs TubeBuddy

Ease of Use – VidIQ

VidIQ is extremely easy to use. It has a simple and friendly UI and all the options are easily accessible. It also offers a dark mode to prevent eye strain. Its website and Chrome extension work smoothly as well. However, the mobile app is pretty average.

Ease of Use – TubeBuddy

TubeBuddy has recently updated its user interface, which has improved its ease of use.

It directly integrates into the YouTube dashboard. So, you can access all the key features of TubeBuddy on your YouTube dashboard itself. Its website and Chrome extension work well too! But similar to VidIQ, its mobile app performs average.

Winner – Best Ease of Use

For ease of use, it’s a tie between VidIQ and TubeBuddy. Both tools are easy to use and offer simplified account management. They don’t require any technical knowledge. In about 7 days, you’ll be able to work with them perfectly.

Brand Alerts – VidIQ vs TubeBuddy

Brand Alerts – VidIQ

VidIQ features Trend Alerts where you can specify your keyword and the minimum VPH. Once any videos around the keyword cross that threshold, you will be notified via email.

You can also specify additional factors like category, language, competitors, etc. Even though the reports generated are not always accurate, it’s still a pretty good option.

Brand Alerts – TubeBuddy

The Brand Alerts feature is available on the TubeBuddy Legend plan.

It lets you enter a search phrase and set an email frequency from daily or weekly. All the videos using that keyword will be mailed to you.

Winner – Best Brand Alerts

With multiple filtering options, VidIQ is the clear winner for identifying trending videos.

Mobile Apps – VidIQ vs TubeBuddy

In my opinion, the mobile apps offered by both TubeBuddy and VidIQ are pretty average. They are not designed very well and are not super responsive or convenient. I won’t recommend you purchase these tools for their mobile apps. Their web interfaces are easier to use.

Unique Features – VidIQ vs TubeBuddy

Unique Features – VidIQ

VidIQ is loaded with some highly beneficial features that would help you give an essential boost to your YouTube channel. Some of them are:

1) Views Per Hour (VPH)

It shows you the number of views a YouTube video is receiving per hour. It’s a remarkable feature to analyze which videos are trending on a creator’s channel. It’s been one of my favorite VidIQ features for the last 4 years!

2) AI Features

VidIQ also offers tools like AI Content Generator, AI Coach, AI Thumbnail Builder, AI Description, and Title Generator. However, they are pretty average and you’ll find much better results using ChatGPT or other AI writers.

3) Comment Filters

This tool is super helpful for content research. You can use it to filter YouTube comments with/without replies, with questions, profanities or specific phrases, comments made by specific users, etc.

4) Channel Audit

With Channel Audit, you can view your YouTube analytics in a simplified form. It shows you a list of your videos performing well, having a good engagement rate, or needing improvement. This is great to get a deeper insight into the kind of content you should be creating.

Unique Features – TubeBuddy

TubeBuddy is also equipped with a range of unique tools to simplify YouTube management. Let’s look at them below.

1) Thumbnail A/B Testing

CTR is an important metric for your videos to rank higher. A good thumbnail can increase your CTR to a large extent. 

TubeBuddy’s Thumbnail A/B Testing tool is the most intriguing feature I’ve ever seen in an SEO tool. It helps you test out variations of your thumbnails and analyze which generates better results. However, you will soon get this tool built into the YouTube Studio itself for free!

2) Bulk Editing Tools

The Bulk Editing tool helps you add, remove, or replace specific text or phrases from multiple cards, end screens, and video descriptions in one go! However, its usage is limited to once per month.

3) Rank Tracking

The Ranking Report helps you monitor your search position for the keywords chosen. It scans through Google and YouTube and shows how your video’s rank changes for a particular keyword. It’s great for analyzing your performance and constantly improving your video content.

4) Click Magnet

It offers you helpful insights into what type of videos you should create based on certain factors. You can check out your top-performing videos with their CTR, clicks, and overall strength.

With this tool, you can also identify CTR Opportunities and the kind of elements driving more clicks to your videos.

Winner – Best Unique Features

In my opinion, this is a tie because both VidIQ and TubeBuddy offer distinct features. These tools have their strengths, which is why they are not comparable. You can pick a winner as per the features you prefer.

Pricing – VidIQ vs TubeBuddy

Both VidIQ and TubeBuddy have free plans comprising some decent features. If you’re an absolute beginner, you can start with the free plans right now. If you are a budding YouTube creator or an established one, let’s see which plan would be the most beneficial for you. 

1) VidIQ Boost vs TubeBuddy Legend

Both VidIQ Boost and TubeBuddy Legend are almost priced the same. However, they differ in their features and use cases.

VidIQ’s Boost plan is priced at $17.50/month (annually) and lets you connect up to 5 channels. Besides keyword research, competitor analysis, video optimization, and trend alerts, it also offers multiple AI tools to simplify your optimization process.

Whereas, TubeBuddy’s Legend plan is priced at $14.50/month, which lets you connect 3+ channels. Apart from thumbnail A/B testing, video tags, and SEO studio, you also get unlimited bulk editing, scheduled publishing, video A/B testing, Brand alerts, and unlimited keyword research.

2) VidIQ Pro vs TubeBuddy Pro

The Pro plan of TubeBuddy is priced at $2.25/month (annually) and primarily unlocks the keyword research tool. Additionally, it also offers unlimited canned responses, channel backups, and SEO Studio. VidIQ’s Pro plan has been discontinued as of now.

When Should You Use VidIQ?

In my opinion, VidIQ is a great tool for new YouTube creators. Its features like VPH, competitor analysis, keyword research, brand alerts, and trending topics can provide key insights for growing a YouTube channel.

So, if you are a newbie or an established user who will benefit from these tools, you should go with VidIQ.

When Should You Use TubeBuddy?

TubeBuddy has very specific use cases. TubeBuddy can be a great choice if you want to

• A/B test your thumbnails.
• Track the ranks of your keywords.
• Bulk update your cards and end screens.

However, these tools will only be effective when you have a significant number of subscribers on your channel. TubeBuddy is better for more established creators with over 10-20k subscribers and a decent amount of videos and views on their channel.

VidIQ vs TubeBuddy – Which one Should You Buy?

Well, if you are just starting with your YouTube journey, you can use the free plans of VidIQ and TubeBuddy. But if you have a growing YouTube channel and are doubtful about investing in SEO tools right now, I have some special offers for you!

If you are more inclined towards VidIQ, you can use my link and enter the coupon code “kripeshadwani” to get 90% off on your purchase for the first month.

Whereas, if you are more impressed with TubeBuddy’s advanced features, you can use my link and get a 30-day free trial of TubeBuddy’s paid plans.

With these special offers, you can thoroughly use all the features of VidIQ and TubeBuddy and track your channel analytics for a month. This will help you understand whether the features of the paid plans are worth it for your channel and your niche.

P.S. Even the free YouTube Analytics tool has become quite polished in 2025. So, if you don’t have the budget to purchase any tools separately, you can start with YouTube Analytics and then move on to paid options.

Who Should Not Use These Tools?

No SEO tools can rank your videos if your content isn’t good enough. I know it’s a hard pill to swallow, but it’s the truth! Your videos won’t magically start ranking on YouTube if your content is of poor quality. 

VidIQ and TubeBuddy are just tools to help you optimize your videos. They can’t assist you in creating impactful content! Thus, they are not recommended when your content quality is below par.

You should start by comparing your videos with other creators and analyze their way of presentation, clarity, content gaps, etc. Then you can create videos that provide more value to your audience and move on to SEO tools for improved results.

Conclusion

I hope this article helped you discover the key features of VidIQ and TubeBuddy and identify which tool best suits your needs. If you are a beginner, you can always start with the free plan. But if you’re unsure about investing, you can check out my coupon codes for some extra discounts!

I have personally been using both VidIQ and TubeBuddy to grow and optimize my YouTube channel for the last 4 years. Both the tools have their own strengths and weaknesses. But if I had to pick just one, I’d recommend you to opt for VidIQ.

Anyway, if you have any doubts regarding these tools, leave them in the comments section below. I would be glad to help you out! And, if you enjoy reading my content, consider subscribing to my Newsletter to stay updated with the latest AI tools, AI news, and more!

This is Kripesh signing off! Take care, stay home, and keep learning. I’ll see you soon in another article. 🙂