When you go on YouTube, what kinds of videos do you watch?
Most people think that YouTube is a place for watching funny cat videos, or checking out the highlights from America's Got Talent. But over the last few years, there has been a massive shift in the type of content surfacing.
I was personally part of this trend, as I started my own channel back in 2016. The focus of my channel was, personal finance, investing and money.
YouTube shifted from not only a place to entertain yourself, but also a place to educate yourself.
Over the last few years, hundreds of money and finance related channels have popped up. I was one of the first to catch this trend, but now there is a wonderful and diverse mix of channels out there.
If you want to learn about money, real estate investing, stocks, credit score and more, YouTube is a fantastic place to do so.
My goal for this article is to compile a list of the best financial YouTube channels currently out there today. Since I am a financial YouTuber myself, I have excluded myself from this list due to the obvious conflict of interest.
I have seen many different lists like this before, but the reader often wonders if there is some degree of favoritism at play. For example, are these really the best channels out there? Or just the close friends of the author?
I wanted to remove all favoritism from this article, so I let my audience decide who was the best.
I sent around a survey to my YouTube audience last week asking them who their favorite financial YouTube channel is. Each participant could only pick one. I included a list of the top 20 channels, but I also included a box at the bottom where participants could submit a different channel if they were not listed.
Over the course of 24 hours, I ended up getting 903 responses.
I shared this survey with my own audience through my email list, but as mentioned earlier I excluded myself from the list of choices due to the conflict of interest.
So, that gives us a totally unbiased list of the best finance YouTube channels out there. No buddy system. No favoritism.
All that I ask is in return, please share this article with a friend.
If you happen to be one of the channels listed, consider linking to it from your own site/channel.
This took a great deal of effort, but it was well worth it!
Coming in at #1 is Graham Stephan, the YouTube finance G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time).
It is no surprise to me that Graham is the top channel for all things finance. Graham has accumulated a massive audience and is one of the only finance channels out there that has surpassed the coveted 1,000,000 subscriber mark.
I have to give Graham a lot of credit for actually being successful before starting out on YouTube. A lot of YouTubers (myself included) became successful as a result of YouTube. Graham started out at a real estate agent back in 2008 with no college experience. Since then, he has transacted over $120M in real estate earning hefty commissions.
The real estate brokerage he is a part of was even featured on Netflix in a show called Selling Sunset!
Despite his wild success, and making millions from his real estate transactions and channels, Graham claims to save 99% of his income. He takes that money in primarily invests it back into more real estate, compounding his wealth and success!
Here's what people had to say about Graham Stephan...
The key points that people like about Graham are his consistent and frequent upload schedule, his content being easy to understand and the fact that he is a practitioner of what he teaches.
"Holy smokers this ain't no jokers!" - Jeremy
Coming in at number two on the list is Jeremy from the Financial Education YouTube channel. I think Jeremy deserves a special award on this list simply based on the amount of content that he has created. Just on his main channel (he has 3), he has uploaded over 1,200 different videos.
Jeremy created his channel with the goal in mind of being a place where people from all different countries could learn the ins and outs of investing. At one point, Jeremy was working at a QuikTrip as a manager before becoming a full time YouTuber/Investor.
Now, Jeremy makes his living from his channel, his own investments and his different educational programs. He is very transparent about his investments and shares both his wins and losses with his audience. He is also a great source for comic relief and does a wonderful job at blending stock market news with entertainment.
Here's what people had to say about Jeremy...
Jeremy is well liked for his entertainment value, and he keeps his content both entertaining and informative. His fans also really appreciate his high level of transparency with his own investment accounts.
Here we have one of the most interesting channels on the list! Andrei Jikh has created the perfect blend between magic, cinematography and (wait for it) money. He calls this unique blend the "magic of finance."
If this mix confuses you, don't worry. It confused me too.
But simply put; it works.
Andrei has had a meteoric rise to success with his channel that was started far more recently than the others. Andrei calls himself a financial minimalist, and he used to be a card trick magician that was worried about money. Now, he has become massively successful with his YouTube channel.
Andrei saw a very interesting opportunity, which was to deliver important financial information in a way that was aesthetically pleasing. Most of the other channels out there are solely focused on information. Andrei is equally focused on lighting, visual effects and magic tricks to keep your attention throughout.
In April 2020, Andrei Jikh grew his audience by over 118,000 subscribers in a single month.Â
Here's what the survey participants had to say about Andrei...
Andrei is the perfect example of how doing something in a new and creative way can lead to massive success. His audience loves him for the simplicity of his content, his jokes and the exceptional editing and production.
Next up on the list, we have a man who I'm pretty sure does not sleep. This is none other than Meet Kevin.
Kevin is a full time real estate agent as well as a real estate investor. In his free time, which I assume is from skipping sleep, he manages to upload videos daily (or multiple times daily) on YouTube. He specializes in a specific type of real estate investing which is wedge deals. He buys a property below market value that needs repairs, fixes it up and refinances to capture the added value.
Kevin teaches this style of real estate investing on his channel for free as well as through his educational programs that he sells. He is a great resource on becoming a real estate agent, real estate investing, passive income and current events related topics.
Here's what people had to say about Meet Kevin...
Kevin is celebrated for being personable and very dedicated to his work. He puts a massive amount of research into his videos and programs, and it shows. He is yet another example of how well this blend of humor and education works well when delivering content on YouTube.
Marko from Whiteboard Finance has a diverse channel that covers an array of different topics. His most successful videos are related to one of his passions, and that is cars. His video on how car dealerships rip you off has amassed over 6 million views! Another popular car video, buying vs leasing, has over 1 million.
Beyond the car topics, you will find other personal finance related topics that range from budgeting tips to planning for a recession. Marko's goal with Whiteboard Finance is to provide viewers with actionable content that enables them to create financial wealth. He prides himself on creating high value content and avoiding the fluff, which is content that is not highly valuable or actionable.
In his videos, Marko leans on his real world experience in real estate/stock market investing, his finance background and entrepreneurship. After graduating with a finance degree in the peak of the great recession, he had to hustle to make it all work.
Here's what people like about the Whiteboard Finance channel on YouTube...
At the end of the day, Marko delivers value packed lessons on his whiteboard and that is what his audience likes. He trims out all the fat and respects your time, rather than wasting it with filler. He's not focused on jumping on trends that are short lived, he sticks to what he knows best and is well versed in.
Nate falls under the category of being a financial minimalist. When he isn't working on videos, or taking long walks to come up with video ideas (something he shared with me), he spends his time traveling the world.
Nate is the perfect example of what the dot com lifestyle can bring and he takes full advantage of it. On his channel, he covers important topics related to the stock market as well as tips from his own experience like traveling for cheap. Some of his most popular videos are about business ideas and side hustles that you can start to make extra money with ease.
In a recent video, Nate shared that his passive income sources allow him to earn over $40,000 per month.
Despite this high level of income, Nate keeps it low profile and spends very little money. When traveling, he takes advantage of cheap flights and often stays in hostels. He sees money as a means of freedom, not something to waste on belongings.
Here's what survey participants had to say about Nate...
Nate is commended for his easy to implement concepts. He is also one of the youngest people on this list, making him more relatable to people in their 20s. His videos are actionable with easy to implement strategies.
Next we have Jaspreet from The Minority Mindset channel. This channel follows a more scripted approach when it comes to the content which is enjoyed by many. The name for his channel comes from the fact that your success has nothing to do with the way you look. It is all about how you think.
In terms of the content on his channel, Jaspreet breaks it down very simply:
Jaspreet has created both a brand and a movement. He also has a popular blog and Instagram page that shares similar finance and money related content on a regular basis.
"The Minority Mindset is the mindset of thinking differently than the majority of people when it comes to your money." - Jaspreet Singh
Here's what people had to say about the channel...
Truth be told, there is a lot of regurgitated content online. Jaspreet is celebrated for having original and non-repetitive content. He also explains things in a manner that anyone can understand while adding tidbits of humor to keep things interesting.
This is by far one of the biggest channels out there related to money with over 2 million subscribers!
Serial entrepreneur Patrick Bet-David started this channel as source of knowledge for people looking to learn about entrepreneurship. Patrick's family immigrated to the United States when he was just 10 years old. After serving his country in the military, he started an insurance sales, marketing and distribution company called PHP Agency Inc.
Patrick shares insights and tips from his experience as a successful entrepreneur.
He aims for his channel to be a mix of value and entertainment, hence the name Valuetainment.
Here's what people had to say...
People love Patrick because he is an inspiration to others. He is a perfect example of what is possible, and he shares actionable advice on how you can follow in his footsteps. Not only does he talk the talk, he also walks the walk as a successful entrepreneur.
Gary Vaynerchuk is a popular channel for entrepreneurs and those looking for motivation. He prides himself on his hustle and work ethic, encouraging others to put their heads down and grind in their twenties.
On his channel, you will find a wide variety of content. A few highlights are:
Gary has truly shown us the power of social media through the brand he has built. He has grown a massive following on pretty much any platform that matters these days, even on new and emerging social media sites like TikTok. If you are looking to stay motivated while working on a business venture, this is your go to channel.
Back when I was still working my 9 to 5, I would watch DailyVee (which is now WeeklyVee) to motivate myself to succeed with my own venture one day. While some disagree with his "grind" mentality, you certainly cannot argue with the results. He also offers his content advertisement free, which is a plus for viewers!
Here's what people love about Gary...
At the end of the day, Gary will be a serious kick in the butt to get started with something. If you are struggling with motivation, start consuming his content. His channel is like a free business coach that we could all benefit from.
Joseph Hogue is a CFA (financial analyst) who creates a variety of money related content on his channel "Let's Talk Money" as well as the numerous blogs he owns. He shares ideas on how to make money online, how to invest and paying off debt.
For those looking for stock picks and ideas, Joseph is a great resource for this. A few of the popular videos on his channel are top 5 tech, utility and oil stocks. This is a great way to learn about new investments to research on your own. He is also very transparent about his earnings, sharing what he makes from his different business ventures.
In a recent video, he shared about how he makes $2,137 a month with Amazon Self Publishing!
Here's what people had to say about Joseph...
Yes, the bow tie is a unique look! But I think it works for Joseph. He is providing his audience with great insight that helps them to make better informed investment decisions. His videos are geared towards average investors, so there isn't any complicated lingo that goes over your head.
Years ago, would you ever have guessed that there would be a YouTube channel about credit cards? Not to mention, one with over 100,000 subscribers?
Sebastian from Ask Sebby covers all of the bases when it comes to credit cards. He reviews cards and tells you how to get the most out of the money you spend based on your lifestyle and goals. He is able to travel the world free from his everyday spending and he shares these strategies with others on his channel.
Here's what people had to say about his channel...
If you are looking to build credit as a young person, repair your credit score, apply for your first card, do anything related to credit cards, Sebby is your guy.
Lastly, we wrap up this list with Joseph Carlson. On this channel, Joseph is documenting the process of building a dividend growth portfolio for the purpose of building an alternate source of passive income. Each week, Joseph does an update video sharing exactly what is going on in his portfolio as well as relevant market news. He shares this on YouTube as well as on his podcast "The Joseph Carlson Show."
Joseph's videos are very thorough, and each one includes a short Q&A session with his viewers. He does a great job keeping his audience engaged and making them feel valued and listened to.
At the end of the day, this is an ordinary person building a portfolio from scratch. His videos motivate others, showing them what is possible when you have discipline and direct a lot of your income towards investment. He uses the M1 Finance brokerage, which is popular among dividend investors.
Here's what people think about Joseph Carlson...
Joseph is appreciated for his transparency. He shows you his wins and his losses in consistent, weekly updates. His long form content is very thorough, sharing insights with his viewers. Since he is just a regular guy investing his money, he motivates others by showing the growth of his portfolio over time.