A breakout means something here
A competitor's video with a million views says nothing if every video they post gets a million. So each tracked channel is measured against itself: a breakout is a video with at least three times that channel's median views, with Shorts and long-form counted separately.
And a video is only judged once it has had 28 days. Younger than that it is still collecting views, and comparing it with settled videos would rank its age — so it is marked as still counting instead.
Content gaps: what they win on that you have not made
The gap finder looks for topics where at least two of the channels you track had videos well above their own median — one and a half times or more — and that you have not covered. One competitor's hit could be luck; two is a pattern worth studying.
It reads the videos already stored, so finding gaps costs no extra YouTube calls.
Find competitors you did not know about
Not sure who to track? A scan suggests channels in your niche from your own video topics, and keeps the result for seven days. It is the most expensive call in the product, so it runs only when you press it, and the page tells you how many presses you have left.
From a gap to a plan
Any gap can go straight to your plan with the evidence it came from, and from there into the studio.
How it works
Add a channel
By @handle or channel URL — the cheapest way to add one. Track up to twelve.
See their uploads, breakouts marked
Each video against that channel's own median, once it has had 28 days to settle.
Read the gaps
Topics two or more of your competitors won on that your channel has not covered — one press from your plan.
What you get
- Up to 12 competitor channels in one place
- Breakouts at three times each channel's own median
- Shorts and long-form measured separately
- Videos under 28 days marked as still counting, never misjudged
- Content gaps backed by at least two competitors
- A niche scan that suggests channels to track, kept for 7 days
- Every gap one press from your plan
Who it is for
- Creators who check a rival's channel by hand every week.
- New channels working out which topics already work in their niche.
- Anyone who has watched a competitor's video take off and wondered whether it was the topic or the channel.
Frequently asked questions
How do I track a YouTube competitor?
Sign in to VidTraffic, connect your channel, and add the competitor by @handle or channel URL. You can track up to twelve channels.
What counts as a competitor breakout?
A video with at least three times that channel's median views, measured once the video is 28 days old. Shorts and long-form are compared against separate medians.
Why are brand-new competitor videos not flagged?
Because a video younger than 28 days is still collecting views. Judging it against settled videos would reward or punish its age, so it is marked as still counting until then.
What is a content gap?
A topic that at least two of your tracked competitors did well with — videos at one and a half times their own median or more — and that your channel has not covered yet.
Is the competitor tracker free?
Yes, on the free plan. Tracking draws on your share of YouTube's daily API quota, and the page tells you what you have left.
Can competitors see that I track them?
No. VidTraffic only reads public information about their channels and videos.