Top 10 Famous YouTubers Worldwide: Steal Their Secret to Success!

Posted: March 13, 2023 | Last updated: February 13, 2024

Believe it or not, there is no such thing as “overnight success,” especially for YouTuber stars enjoying all the perks and privileges of being in the spotlight. It only seems that way, but it took them many months and years, endless cycles of hit-and-miss before they finally mastered the formula of being a successful YouTuber. So exactly what makes them tick, you ask?

You’re about to find out because, in this post, we will discover who are the top 10 famous YouTubers and the things they have in common that catapulted them to fame and fortune. And in the process, we will see if the saying is true: luck is simply a combination of preparation and opportunity. Let’s get to it!

Try and check out some of the most famous YouTubers and their history, and you will notice a similar pattern. None of them started a YouTube channel wanting to become famous. They enjoyed what they were doing and were obsessed with creating content. Even MrBeast admitted that his earliest videos were horrible, silly, and even downright stupid. It took him over 100 tries to get the hang of it, and even then, they weren’t that great. But he kept on pushing, trying, and creating. Until one day, he became one of history’s most loved and famous YouTubers. Let’s see how his fellow YouTubers started their journey.

No. 10: Isaiah Photo (8.3 million subscribers)

YouTube Shorts has blown up and created tons of famous YouTubers since its TikTok copycat inception in 2020. It’s a great way to bring viewers back to your main YouTube channel, massively increasing a creator’s following. One of them who benefited was Isaiah Photo. He’s a social media content creator who makes MrBeast-inspired videos and blogs on YouTube. Isaiah covers everything from life adventures to content creation and his infamous “too easy” challenges.

This was a far cry from his work throughout his adolescent life- serving food, bussing tables, being a barista, and even selling bicycles. It wasn’t long before he realized he wanted to become something more and do something more significant with his life. And he did just that after discovering the magic of content creation. Today, Isaiah has 8.43 million YouTube subscribers and an estimated net worth of around $3 million.

No. 9: Luke Davidson (9.92 million subscribers)

Luke Davidson was born on January 28, 2003, in Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada. His rise to fame started on TikTok back in 2020 when several of his comic videos went viral. He started using the platform in late 2019, posting comedy skits and funny content that his followers truly enjoyed. This drove him to become one of the most popular TikTokers at this time and earned him a massive social media following.

He also has regular posts, vlogs, comedies, and even short-form videos on his YouTube channel. He also received the YouTube Golden Creator Award in 2022. As of writing, Luke has generated 9.92 million YouTube subscribers and an estimated net worth of around $5 million. Speaking of subscribers, start your YouTuber journey by using a social media management platform to help you manage your channel and bring them to a larger audience with higher engagement. Learn more from our SOCi review.

No. 8: Ian Boggs (10.1 million subscribers)

Ian Boggs is an American YouTuber, TikToker, and internet personality. His rise to online popularity began in 2019 following his viral comic TikToks. Fans loved his videos featuring personal interactions with his family played by him. Boggs joined YouTube in 2011, where he started uploading dance and freestyle videos, while he joined TikTok in 2015. His net worth is estimated to be around $400,000 and is expected to rise with his massive YouTube following reaching 10.1 million subscribers.

No. 7: Ryan Trahan (11.7 million subscribers)

In the summer of 2022, Ryan Trahan had to deliver a penny to fellow YouTuber MrBeast from California to North Carolina. He only had 30 days to do it and must start his journey with nothing but the penny to his name. All his food, lodging, supplies, and travel had to come from profits made starting from this penny- all in the name of charity. This 30-video series averaged over 7.5 million views and raised almost $1.5 million to give to Feeding America.

This was a non-profit organization whose goal was to end hunger in the United States. The stunt opened him up to a bigger audience. However, his YouTube channel began long before that. Initially, his channel focused on helping fellow runners improve their training habits. Today, however, his YouTube channel mainly focuses on self-imposed challenges such as running a marathon in skinny jeans or surviving the quietest room in the world. He has 11.7 million subscribers and an estimated net worth of around $5.3 million.

No. 6: Airrack (12 million subscribers)

Singaporean YouTuber Nicholai Perrett, a.k.a. Nick Lmao, was born on September 29, 2001. He is a skit creator and comedy vlogger who became popular on Instagram and YouTube. Nick’s “Boyfriend VS Girlfriend: Cup Game (Challenges)” short video has generated over 80 million views since July 2021. He became viral on YouTube with his “BEST OF NicLmao Challenge/Vine Compilation” videos and “PICK UP LINE Compilation 2”.

Born and raised in Singapore, Nick moved to Sweden in 2014. He often collaborates with fellow Instagrammer Zhongni Zhu and Australian social media star Jeffrey Yang, best known as Jefo. Nick has 12 million YouTube subscribers and an estimated net worth of around $4 million.

No 5: CoryxKenshin (15.6 million subscribers)

Cory Devante Williams, a.k.a CoryxKenshin, was born in Detroit City, Michigan, on November 9, 1992. He is a video game content creator who loves making comedy and fun gaming videos. The Halo game, in particular, made him famous on social media. His viral videos earned him the spotlight while doing Five Nights at Freddy’s and Mortal Kombat. Cory started his YouTube channel in April 2009 and dropped out of college to focus on his YouTube career.

Initially, his channel was purely about comedy and vlogs. Then in 2014, he decided to add the gaming part to it. It is his wit and impressive gaming skills that made him a successful YouTuber, earning him a total of 15.6 million subscribers. He has an estimated net worth of over $2 million in 2020. Most of his income stems from brand deals, ad revenue, and sponsorships on his YouTube videos.

No. 4: Dan Rhodes (20.4 million subscribers)

Dan Rhodes is one of the most beloved and successful YouTubers and TikTok influencers of his time, with over 5 billion views on YouTube and over 300 million views for his most personal post ever. His magical adventures started when he received a magic kit from his parents when he was six. This set him on a lifelong journey from an amateur magician to a global TikTok and YouTube phenomenon. You can also be a YouTube phenomenon, mainly if you utilize influencer marketing software to help curate your brand’s most powerful content. Learn more from our Capssion review.

He got widely recognized after being a contestant in Britain’s Got Talent in 2019, after simultaneously impressing and entertaining the judges and the crowd with his magic tricks. Aside from this, he also joined the Little Big Shots (US) and Little Big Shots (UK). Today, the 19-year-old magician has 20.4 million YouTube subscribers and an estimated net worth of around $5 million.

No. 3: Brent Rivera (25.2 million subscribers)

Now we’re on to the best part, knowing who are the top 3 most famous YouTubers and starting with number three. Brent Rivera was born in Huntington Beach, California, on January 9, 1998. He is an American actor and social media personality who gained popularity through the now-defunct video-hosting service Vine. He has a massive following on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Rivera is the CEO and co-founder of Amp Studios, a content group that garnered 10 billion social media views each month back in 2020.

He also has his own clothing line called Relatable and began a pop-culture-centric podcast entitled So Relatable in 2021. Come 2015; he joined Coca-Cola’s #MakeItHappy campaign and Hollister Co. for their anti-bullying campaign in 2019. Rivera has 25.2 million subscribers and an estimated net worth of $6.5 million.

No. 2: PewDiePie (111 million subscribers)

Swedish YouTuber Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, a.k.a. PewDiePie, was born on October 24, 1989. Born and raised in Gothenburg, Felix started his YouTube channel in 2010, posting Let’s Play videos featuring horror and action video games. His channel became one of the fastest-growing YouTube channels in 2012 and 2013 and became the most subscribed on August 15, 2013. Then from December 29, 2014, up to February 14, 2017, PewDiePie’s channel became the most-viewed on the platform. From then on, he diversified his videos into comedy shorts, vlogs, music videos, and formatted shows.

PewDie pie is now semi-retired from YouTube and uploading mainly for fun. He also married his long-time Italian girlfriend and internet personality, Marzia. Felix has over 111 million subscribers and 28.8 billion views, making his channel one of the most viewed and subscribed on YouTube. Because of his online fame, he has been noted to rake in revenue for the video games he plays and helped him support charity fundraising drives. He was also named one of the world’s 100 Most Influential People by Time magazine in 2016. He has an estimated net worth of around $58 million.

No. 1: MrBeast (133 million subscribers)

So, who is the most watched YouTuber 2022? None other than MrBeast. Jimmy Donaldson, a.k.a. MrBeast, was born on May 7, 1998, in Wichita, Kansas, US He is an American YouTuber, businessman, and philanthropist. He became famous for creating a genre of YouTube videos involving expensive stunts. Jimmy started posting YouTube videos in 2012 at the tender age of 13. In 2017 he went viral after counting from 1-100,000. It garnered tens of thousands of views in a matter of days, and he has become very popular since then. Over time, his content style diversified to include challenge and donation videos that aim to reward thousands of dollars, survival challenges, and original vlogs.

More than his entertaining videos, his audience learned to love and respect him because of his extraordinary acts of philanthropy. He is the co-creator of Team Trees, a fundraiser for the Arbor Day Foundation, and raised $23 million. Consequently, Team Seas spawned from this endeavor, a fundraiser for the Ocean Conservancy and The Ocean Cleanup, which raised over $30 million. Jimmy won the Creator of the Year award for three consecutive years at the Streamy Awards in 2020, 2021, and 2022 and the Favorite Male Creator award during the 2022 Kid’s Choice Awards. He has an estimated net worth of around $105 million.

Famous YouTubers In The World: They Made It, So Can You!

How about you? Who are the top 20 most famous YouTubers on your list? Don’t they inspire you to jump on your feet and start doing the one thing you’ve been putting off for months? What is stopping you from becoming one of the most famous YouTubers in the world? There is no such thing as impossible.

Mr. Beast started with no money, equipment, or knowledge of shooting, creating, or editing videos. What he had, however, was sheer grit, passion, and determination to succeed in what he was doing. Moreover, he wasn’t afraid of failure, looking silly, or making tons of mistakes. He took them as learning opportunities to do better and improve at what he did every day.

In one of his earliest videos, you hear him being awestruck with PewDiePie for having over 7 million YouTube subscribers and earning so much money creating these videos. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he would one day surpass his idol and land on top of the list of the most famous YouTubers in the world.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to be included in the top 100 YouTubers one of these days. Five years from now, you will wish you started out your YouTube channel today. Thus, there’s no better time to start than now.

For more tips and tricks on how to become a YouTuber, check out our post, Separating Fact From Fiction: How Much Does YouTube Pay?