I still remember the first time I saw a huge spike in a YouTube channel’s subscriber count overnight. At first, I was impressed who wouldn’t be? But after digging a little deeper, it became obvious something wasn’t right. The views didn’t match the subs, the comments were strange, and the engagement was almost nonexistent. That’s when I realized: fake subscribers are more common than people think.
As someone who’s worked with content creators and managed online communities, I’ve seen how tempting it is to take shortcuts especially when you’re just starting out and growth feels slow. But here’s the truth: fake subscribers don’t help your channel grow. In fact, they can do serious damage. YouTube’s algorithm is smart. It knows when your numbers don’t add up, and it can hold your channel back or even flag it.
In this article, I’ll break down how to spot fake YouTube subscribers, why they’re a real threat to your success, and how to grow your channel the right way. Whether you’re a creator, a brand, or just curious, this guide is all about staying real and building something that actually lasts. Let’s get into it.
Contents
How To Spot Fake YouTube Subscribers:
These are some tools you can try to check YouTube fake subscribers:
1. Using HypeAuditor App
If you’re suspicious that a YouTube channel is using fake subscribers on its channel, you can find it out on your own using the HypeAuditor YouTube Auditor tool. This tool is very affordable and offers you a free demo plan too.
đź”— Link: https://hypeauditor.com/free-tools/youtube-channel-quality/
đź”´ Steps To Follow:
Step 1: Open the tool from the link.
Step 2: Then you need to click on Start Free to proceed with creating your account.
Step 3: Enter your work email.
Step 4: Click on Continue.
Step 5: Enter your password and name.
Step 6: Click on Continue.
Step 7: Verify your Gmail account with the verification code sent to your inbox.
Step 8: Next, you’ll be able to get into your account.
Step 9: In the input box of the webpage, enter the YouTube channel ID.
Step 10: Click on the Search button to let the tool analyze the channel.
In the results, you’ll be able to see if the channel is fake or not by seeing its detailed statistics.
2. Check for Low Engagement Compared to Subscriber Count
Just because a channel has 50,000 subscribers doesn’t mean they’re all real. A quick way to tell if something’s off is by comparing views, likes, and comments to the sub count.
- A real audience interacts with content fake followers don’t.
- If a video gets 100 views but the channel has 50K subs, it’s a red flag.
- Comments might also look generic or spammy (“Nice video!” or just emojis).
To Use: Use YouTube’s engagement rate formula:
(Likes + Comments) Ă· Number of Subscribers x 100 = Engagement Rate (%)
Anything below 1-2% should make you take a closer look.
3. Social Blade – YouTube Audit
Social Blade is another useful tool that can help you whether a YouTube channel is fake or not.
Its membership is available at a very reasonable rate. You can see the summary of any YouTube channel to know its details and insights.
đź”— Link: https://socialblade.com/youtube/user/audit
đź”´ Steps To Follow:
Step 1: Open the Social Blade – YouTube Audit tool.
Step 2: Then you need to click on Register from the top panel.
Step 3: Enter your email address.
Step 4: Next, you need to enter your display name and password.
Step 5: Confirm the password.
Step 6: Then perform the human verification process.
Step 7: Click on Register.
Step 8: Once your account is registered on the tool, you need to enter the YouTube channel ID in the input box located in the top right corner.
Step 9: Then click on the magnifying glass icon.
You’ll be able to check the results to find out if its subscribers are fake or real.
4. Analyze the Type of Comments and View Behavior
Fake subscribers (especially bots) either leave weird comments or none at all. If the comment section is filled with vague compliments or spam links, it’s a sign something’s off.
- Real followers comment based on your content—they ask questions, give feedback, or start conversations.
- Bot comments look random or repeated (“Good job!”, “Awesome vid!”).
- Check views: Are they consistent across recent videos or are there sharp drops?
đź“Ś TIP
If views and comments don’t align with your sub count, consider filtering your audience.
5. Speakerj YouTube Tracker
The free YouTube statistics tracker tool called Speakerj can help you check whether a YouTube channel is using fake subscribers or not.
đź”— Link: https://www.speakrj.com/audit/platform/youtube
đź”´ Steps To Follow:
Step 1: Open the Speakerj – YouTube Tracker tool.
Step 2: Then you need to click on Sign Up.
Step 3: Enter your username.
Step 4: Enter a name, email address, and password.
Step 5: Perform the human verification process.
Step 6: Click on Submit.
Step 7: Enter your YouTube username or the channel name in the search bar.
Step 8: Then you need to click on the red Search button.
Step 9: It will show you the results where you’ll be able to see the fake subscribers of the channel.
6. VidIQ
The tool called VidIQ is very popular and can help you see the real subscriber count of a YouTube channel to find out if the channel is fake or real.
đź”— Link: https://vidiq.com/
đź”´ Steps To Follow:
Step 1: Open the tool from the link.
Step 2: Then you need to click on Sign up for free.
Step 3: Next, you need to enter your email address and password.
Step 4: Click on the Sign Up button.
Step 5: Once your account is created, enter the YouTube channel ID in the input box.
Step 6: It will show you the fake subscribers list and help you know if the channel is fake or real.
7. TubeRanker
The TubeRanker tool is another tool to check whether a YouTube channel is fake or real. It can help you see the real subscriber count of any YouTube channel by analyzing it.
Moreover, you can use the trial plan of the tool to know how effective the tool is. It offers a basic plan for $19/ month and then an advanced plan for $49/ month.
đź”— Link: https://tuberanker.com/
đź”´ Steps To Follow:
Step 1: Open the tool from the link.
Step 2: Then you need to click on Premium – FREE TRIAL.
Step 3: Enter your first name, last name, email address, and password.
Step 4: Agree to the conditions and perform the human verification.
Step 5: Click on Next.
Step 6: Select a plan by clicking on Free Trial.
Step 7: Once your account is created, you need to enter the YouTube ID of the channel that you think might have fake subscribers and then click on the Search button.
In the results, you’ll be able to see if the channel is fake or not.
Conclusion:
Fake subscribers may seem like a quick boost, but in reality, they do more harm than good. They distort your engagement metrics, damage your credibility, and can even put your channel at risk of penalties from YouTube. Real growth on the platform comes from consistent effort, quality content, and meaningful interactions with your audience.
By learning how to spot fake followers—through analytics, engagement patterns, comment quality, and traffic sources you protect not just your numbers, but your brand. Focus on building a genuine community that values what you create. That’s the kind of audience that supports long term success, helps grow your presence organically, and opens doors to real monetization opportunities.
Stay focused, stay authentic, and let your content speak for itself. The results will come—with real people, real engagement, and real impact.
Why Fake Subscribers Are a Serious Problem
Fake subscribers aren’t just harmless fluff—they actively hurt your growth. YouTube’s algorithm watches for engagement. If it sees tons of subs but no watch time, poor click-through rate (CTR), and low retention, it assumes your content isn’t valuable. That means:
- Your videos stop being recommended.
- Monetization can be delayed—or denied.
- You risk getting penalized or even removed from the platform
Frequently Asked Questions:
One of the best ways to spot fake subscribers is by looking at engagement. If your videos have a lot of views but very few likes, that’s a warning sign. Also, real subscribers tend to comment on videos, so a lack of comments on high-view videos can suggest fake followers. Checking these ratios helps reveal if your subscriber count is genuine.
Fake views usually show up when a video has thousands of views but very little interaction. For example, if a video has lots of views but only a few likes or comments, it’s likely that bots are inflating those numbers. Genuine viewers typically engage by liking, sharing, or commenting on videos they enjoy.
Yes, some people do purchase subscribers to jumpstart their channels. While certain services can provide quick subscriber growth, it’s important to choose reputable providers. Keep in mind, purchased subscribers often don’t engage with your content and may disappear over time, so this method has risks.
Yes, YouTube regularly audits accounts and activities on its platform to maintain fairness. This process removes spam accounts, bots, and inactive users to keep subscriber counts accurate and protect creators from fraudulent activity.
To view your subscriber count on the YouTube mobile app, open the app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner. Then select “Your Channel,” and under your channel name, tap “See your subscribers.” This will show a list of subscribers who have their subscriptions set to public. For more detailed analytics, using YouTube Studio is recommended.
