MrBeast is the channel with the most subscribers on YouTube: about 518 million as of late September 2026, after becoming the first to pass 500 million on 12 June 2026. The Indian music label T-Series is second with about 315 million, and the kids' channel Cocomelon third with about 203 million.
Below you'll find the top 20, how first place changed hands, and a data table on what the leaders actually upload, which is the most useful part if you run a channel yourself.
Top 20 most subscribed YouTube channels (as of September 2026)
YouTube shows public counts in rounded form, so the figures below are approximate. They are the channels' public counts as of 28 September 2026.
| # | Channel | Subscribers (approx.) | Content | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MrBeast | 518 million | Challenges, giveaways | USA |
| 2 | T-Series | 315 million | Music (Hindi) | India |
| 3 | Cocomelon – Nursery Rhymes | 203 million | Kids' songs | USA |
| 4 | SET India | 190 million | TV shows | India |
| 5 | Vlad and Niki | 151 million | Kids' entertainment | USA |
| 6 | Stokes Twins | 146 million | Pranks, challenges | USA |
| 7 | Kids Diana Show | 138 million | Kids' entertainment | USA |
| 8 | KIMPRO | 135 million | Short comedy | South Korea |
| 9 | Like Nastya | 133 million | Kids' entertainment | USA |
| 10 | Zee Music Company | 123 million | Music (Hindi) | India |
| 11 | Alejo Igoa | 122 million | Challenges (Spanish) | Argentina |
| 12 | WWE | 114 million | Sports entertainment | USA |
| 13 | Goldmines | 110 million | Films (Hindi) | India |
| 14 | PewDiePie | 109 million | Vlogs, commentary | Sweden/Japan |
| 15 | Sony SAB | 106 million | TV shows | India |
| 16 | Alan's Universe | 102 million | Short dramas | USA |
| 17 | BLACKPINK | 101 million | Music (K-pop) | South Korea |
| 18 | Zee TV | 99 million | TV shows | India |
| 19 | ChuChu TV Nursery Rhymes | 98 million | Kids' songs | India |
| 20 | Topper Guild | 95 million | Short entertainment | USA |
BLACKPINK is the most subscribed music artist. Among creators who run their own channel, MrBeast is far ahead, followed by the Stokes Twins, KIMPRO and Alejo Igoa.
Most subscribers vs most views
Subscribers and views are separate races. T-Series is second by subscribers but first by total views, at about 357 billion. Cocomelon follows with about 228 billion, while MrBeast sits only around sixth by views (about 141 billion). Music labels and kids' channels have thousands of videos that people replay endlessly, so their view totals run far ahead of their subscriber counts.
Who was number one before MrBeast?
First place has changed hands only a few times:
- 2006–2013: early stars such as Smosh, Fred and nigahiga swapped the lead.
- 2013–2019: PewDiePie led for most of this period; his longest unbroken run lasted 1,920 days.
- 2018–2019: the "PewDiePie vs T-Series" race, which T-Series won for good in April 2019.
- 29 May 2019: T-Series was the first channel ever to hit 100 million subscribers.
- 2 June 2024: MrBeast passed T-Series and has led ever since.
MrBeast's pace remains unusual: his public subscriber count grew about 17% over the past twelve months, faster than any other channel in the top five.
What the leaders actually upload
Lists usually stop at the rankings. We looked at the channels' public numbers for the last 12 months (as of 28 September 2026) to see how some of the leaders publish and how fast they grow:
| Channel | Long videos, last 12 months | Shorts, last 12 months | Subscriber growth, 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alejo Igoa | 53 | 73 | +32.6% |
| Topper Guild | 81 | 259 | +21.9% |
| MrBeast | 26 | 74 | +17.2% |
| KIMPRO | 10 | 909 | +10.7% |
| T-Series | 2,129 | 545 | +3.6% |
| SET India | 14,260 | 1,887 | +2.2% |
| PewDiePie | 18 | 0 | −0.9% |
Three lessons stand out:
- Volume alone doesn't drive growth. SET India published over 16,000 videos and grew about 2%. MrBeast posted about 100 and grew about 17%.
- Shorts plus a few big videos is the fastest mix. The three fastest growers pair Shorts with a steady flow of longer videos. Shorts reach people who have never seen you; long videos turn them into subscribers.
- Few uploads and no Shorts is the slowest route. PewDiePie, with 18 videos and no Shorts, is the only channel in this table that shrank. One channel proves little, but the contrast is clear.
They speak to the whole world
MrBeast dubs his main videos into many languages. KIMPRO, Alan's Universe and Topper Guild make short videos that need almost no words, and kids' channels rely on simple songs and bright visuals. A channel people can follow without translation has a far higher ceiling.
They serve a huge home market
Seven of the top 20 are Indian channels. Labels like T-Series and Zee Music release film songs, trailers and devotional tracks there first, for one of YouTube's largest audiences.
They give people a reason to come back
Subscribing is a bet that the next upload will be good. Series, recurring formats and clear promises give viewers that reason.
How to get more subscribers on your own channel
You don't need 500 million. The YouTube Partner Program opens ad revenue sharing at 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 public watch hours in 12 months or 10 million Shorts views over the last 90 days, and our guide to how many subscribers you need to get paid breaks down every tier. What helps at every level:
- Pick one clear topic so viewers know what subscribing gets them.
- Mix Shorts and long videos, as the fastest growers above do.
- Ask at the right moment, after you've delivered value, not in the first seconds.
- Use end screens and playlists to keep people on your channel.
- Give new uploads a strong first day. Early views and engagement help YouTube decide to test a video with more viewers; some creators add a first push of YouTube views.
For fifteen more tactics, see our YouTube subscriber growth guide.
How it works at LikeMan
Small channels have a trust problem: people hesitate to subscribe to a channel with 40 subscribers. Some creators use LikeMan's YouTube subscribers as social proof while they build a real audience. The service works like this:
- we only need your channel URL, and your login stays with you;
- the calculator shows the full price up front;
- the order starts automatically as soon as payment is confirmed;
- subscribers who drop within 365 days are refilled without charge.
Bought subscribers don't watch, don't count toward monetization on their own and don't replace good videos. They make a new channel look established so that real viewers are more willing to take the step.
FAQ
Who has the most subscribers on YouTube in 2026?
MrBeast, with about 518 million subscribers as of September 2026. He became the first channel to pass 500 million on 12 June 2026.
Which channel was number one before MrBeast?
T-Series held first place from April 2019 until MrBeast overtook it on 2 June 2024. Before that, PewDiePie led for most of 2013–2019.
How many subscribers does PewDiePie have?
About 109 million, which puts him 14th. His 1,920-day unbroken run at number one is still the longest.
Who is the most subscribed musician on YouTube?
BLACKPINK, with just over 100 million. Among music channels overall, the label T-Series leads with about 315 million.
Can I see exact subscriber counts?
Not on public pages. YouTube rounds counts above 1,000 (for example, 518 million rather than the exact number). Channel owners see the precise figure in YouTube Studio.
The bottom line
MrBeast leads YouTube with more than half a billion subscribers, followed by T-Series and Cocomelon. The upload data shows that the fastest growers don't publish the most; they pair Shorts with fewer, stronger long videos and give people a reason to return. More channel-growth guides are on our YouTube page.
Prepared with AI assistance and fact-checked by the LikeMan editorial team. Last reviewed: 2026-09-28.