ChatGPT answers, unedited

For a DIY YouTube channel, vidIQ is probably the closest match to what you’re describing.

• vidiq.com — Its Competitors feature lets you add competing channels, sort their videos by views and views-per-hour, and export their top keywords. VidIQ vidIQ
• Its Tag Extractor can pull the public tags from any competitor video, which is useful for finding recurring phrases and topic terminology. vidIQ
• Its keyword research also provides estimated search volume, competition, related keywords, questions, and rising keywords. vidIQ Help Center

A good DIY-channel workflow:

1. Add 5–10 channels in your exact DIY niche to vidIQ.
2. Find their highest-viewed/outlier videos.
3. Export their recurring keywords.
4. Extract tags from the best-performing videos.
5. Cross-check those terms with vidIQ's search-volume/competition data.
6. Use the resulting topics in your titles and descriptions rather than simply copying competitors' tags.

One important caveat: YouTube says tags are a relatively minor discovery signal; titles, thumbnails, descriptions, and viewer behavior matter considerably more. vidIQ

Alternative: tubebuddy.com is also strong, particularly if you want competitor tag tracking plus keyword research. Its Rank & Tag Tracker specifically focuses on reverse-engineering competitor keyword/tag strategies. TubeBuddy

If you give me 2–3 DIY competitor channels, I can also show you exactly how I'd extract their recurring keywords/tags and turn them into a keyword strategy for your channel.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d look at vidiq.com first.

• Competitor analysis: track competitor channels and identify their top-performing videos. vidIQ
• Keyword extraction: export keywords used by competitors and research search volume/competition. vidIQ vidIQ
• Tag extraction: its free Tag Extractor lets you paste a competitor video and see its public tags. vidIQ
• DIY workflow: find 5–10 successful DIY channels → identify their highest-performing videos → extract recurring keywords/tags → compare those against your own topics rather than simply copying them.

Alternative: tubebuddy.com has Search Explorer, competitor insights, keyword research, and tools for viewing/copying video tags. tubebuddy.com tubebuddy.com

If you give me your DIY niche (woodworking, crafts, home improvement, electronics, etc.) and 2–3 competitor channels, I can also help you build a competitor-keyword research workflow.

For a DIY YouTube channel, vidIQ is a strong fit.

vidiq.com

It can:

• Analyze competitor channels and track their top-performing videos. vidIQ
• Export competitors' top keywords, which is particularly useful for building a DIY topic/keyword list. vidIQ
• Extract video tags from public YouTube videos, so you can inspect the tags used on successful DIY videos. vidIQ
• Research keyword search volume, competition, related searches, and trends before choosing what to target. vidIQ

A practical DIY workflow

1. Add 5–10 channels making similar DIY content to your vidIQ competitor list.
2. Sort their videos by views and identify recurring high-performing topics.
3. Export/extract the keywords and tags from those videos.
4. Group them into themes such as woodworking, home organization, DIY furniture, budget projects, etc.
5. Run those themes through vidIQ's keyword research to find related terms and assess demand/competition.
6. Use the resulting keywords to inform your titles and descriptions, rather than simply copying competitor tags.

One caveat: YouTube says tags themselves are a minor discovery signal; titles, thumbnails, descriptions, and viewer response matter considerably more. vidIQ

If you want a more specialized alternative: Younalyse specifically combines competitor-channel analysis with transcripts, keywords, tags, hooks, and comments, so it could be interesting if you want to analyze why competitors' DIY videos work, not just their SEO metadata. younalyse.com

younalyse.com

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d recommend vidIQ as the best fit.

vidiq.com

Why it stands out:

• Competitor analysis: add competing channels and identify their highest-performing videos. VidIQ
• Top keywords: vidIQ specifically lets you view and export competitors’ top keywords. VidIQ
• Tags: it can surface tags used by top-ranking videos, which is useful for reverse-engineering DIY topics. Ahrefs
• Outlier discovery: you can find competitor videos that are performing unusually well relative to the channel, which is excellent for spotting DIY ideas worth adapting. VidIQ

A strong alternative: TubeBuddy

tubebuddy.com

TubeBuddy is particularly good if you want keyword scores, competition, search volume, related keywords, tag suggestions, and competitor tracking in one workflow. Its Competitor Analysis can track up to 10 competing channels. TubeBuddy TubeBuddy

My pick for your use case: start with vidIQ if your main goal is “show me what successful DIY competitors are ranking for and which keywords/tags they're using.” Choose TubeBuddy if you also want heavier upload optimization and testing tools.

If you give me 2–5 DIY competitor channel names/URLs, I can also analyze them and build you a keyword + tag strategy for your channel.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d start with vidiq.com.

It’s particularly suited to what you described because it can:

• Analyze competitor channels and identify their strongest/outlier videos.
• Research keywords, search demand, competition, and related queries.
• Surface competitor video tags and keyword opportunities.
• Help turn competitor patterns into potential topics and titles. vidIQ vidIQ

My pick for your DIY channel

vidIQ → best overall for competitor research + keywords.

For example, you could enter 5–10 successful DIY channels and look for patterns such as:

“Dollar Tree DIY” → “home decor DIY” → “budget room makeover” → “DIY organization”

Then compare which topics repeatedly produce unusually high views relative to the channels' normal performance. That gives you a much better content strategy than simply copying individual tags.

Runner-up: tubebuddy.com — especially good if your priority is optimizing existing videos, tags, and metadata in bulk. vidIQ

One important caveat: don't over-focus on tags. They're supporting metadata; the bigger opportunity is identifying the keywords + topics + title patterns behind competitors' successful videos. TubeAnalytics

If you give me 3–5 DIY competitor channel names, I can also analyze them and build you a competitor keyword/tag strategy with content gaps and video ideas.

My pick: vidiq.com

For a DIY YouTube channel, vidIQ is probably the closest match to what you're asking for. Its Competitors tool lets you track other channels, identify their top-performing videos, and export the top keywords used by competitors. vidIQ VidIQ

It also has:

• Keyword research: search volume, competition, related keywords, and rising keywords. vidIQ Help Center
• Recommended tags: generates relevant tags for videos based on their metadata. vidIQ Help Center
• Competitor tracking: compare channels and sort competitors' videos by views, views/hour, etc. vidIQ
• Browser extension: surfaces competitor and keyword insights directly while you're browsing YouTube. vidIQ

How I'd use it for DIY

Pick 5–10 channels making similar DIY content. For each, pull their top-performing videos and keywords, then look for recurring phrases such as:

DIY furniture → DIY woodworking → small space furniture → budget furniture → IKEA hacks

Then cross-check those terms in vidIQ's keyword tool rather than blindly copying competitor tags.

One important caveat: YouTube says tags have relatively little impact on ranking; they're more useful for misspellings and clarifying context. I'd prioritize topic + title + thumbnail + viewer retention over stuffing tags. vidIQ Help Center

If you give me your DIY niche (woodworking, home decor, crafts, electronics, upcycling, etc.), I can also recommend the best competitor-analysis workflow and the specific channels to study.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d recommend starting with vidIQ. It is one of the stronger all-around options for competitor research because it can compare channels, surface competitors’ top-performing videos, and help extract keyword ideas and tags. Buffer vidIQ

Other good options depending on how deep you want to go:

• vidIQ — Best overall for DIY creators

• Analyze competitor channels and their winning videos.
• Find keyword opportunities and related search terms.
• Export competitor keyword data in supported workflows. vidIQ vidIQ
• Good for: woodworking, crafts, home improvement, maker projects, restoration, 3D printing, etc.
• TubeBuddy — Best for publishing optimization

• Useful after you identify competitor topics: title testing, SEO checks, tag suggestions, and upload optimization.
• Better as a “make my video rank better” tool than a pure competitor intelligence tool.
• OutlierKit — Best for finding what is taking off in your niche

• Maps competitor channels, identifies breakout videos, and provides keyword research around opportunities. OutlierKit OutlierKit
• Good if you want to answer: “What DIY videos are suddenly getting traction that I could make my own version of?”
• Tubelyst — Best simple/free tag extractor

• Can pull video tags, channel keywords, and recurring tags across uploads. Tubelyst
• Good for quickly studying 10–20 competitor videos.

My suggested workflow for a DIY channel:

1. Pick 5–10 successful channels in your niche.
2. Run them through vidIQ or OutlierKit.
3. Export: - recurring keywords
4. tags used on high-view videos
5. title patterns
6. video topics with unusually high views
7. Build a keyword bank like: - “beginner woodworking projects”
8. “DIY storage ideas”
9. “budget room makeover”
10. “handmade furniture”
11. “tool hacks”

(adapted to your exact DIY category)

5. Create videos around competitor gaps, not just copying their topics.

If you want a mostly free stack, I’d use:

• Tubelyst for tag extraction Tubelyst
• vidIQ free tools for keyword discovery vidIQ
• YouTube search autocomplete for validating ideas

If you tell me your DIY niche (woodworking, crafts, home renovation, electronics, gardening, etc.), I can suggest the best competitor-analysis setup and keyword categories for it.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d recommend starting with vidIQ as the all-around choice. It is built specifically for YouTube creators and can help you analyze competitor channels, find their top-performing videos, compare growth metrics, and export competitor keywords. vidIQ vidIQ

Here are some good options depending on how deep you want to go:

For a DIY channel, my workflow would be:

1. Pick 10–20 competitor channels:

• woodworking
• home renovation
• crafts
• 3D printing
• furniture builds
• restoration
• maker projects
• Use the tool to collect:

• Top 20 videos by views
• Repeated keywords in titles
• Tags used across successful videos
• Thumbnail patterns
• Video formats that outperform
• Build keyword clusters such as:

• “DIY [project]”
• “how to build [thing]”
• “cheap alternative to [product]”
• “I made [object] for $X”
• “beginner woodworking project”

A strong low-cost setup would be:

• vidIQ for ongoing channel strategy + keyword research vidIQ vidIQ
• Tubelyst or similar tag extractors for quick competitor tag mining Tubelyst
• A spreadsheet where you track competitor videos, keywords, views, and upload dates

For DIY specifically, I’d focus less on copying tags and more on finding repeatable video ideas that get unusually high views for the size of the channel—that’s usually the strongest signal. OutlierKit

If you tell me your DIY niche (woodworking, crafts, home improvement, electronics, etc.), I can suggest the best competitor-analysis setup and keyword categories for it.

For a DIY YouTube channel, vidiq.com would be my first choice.

Why vidIQ fits your use case

• Competitor analysis: Add competitor channels and compare their growth, views, and top-performing videos. vidIQ Help Center vidIQ
• Keyword extraction: It can surface and export keywords associated with competitors and their videos. vidIQ
• Tag extraction: Its free Tag Extractor lets you paste a competitor's YouTube video URL and see the video's public tags. vidIQ
• Keyword research: You can evaluate search volume, competition, related keywords, questions, and rising terms—useful for finding DIY topics with demand but less competition. vidIQ vidIQ Help Center
• Free starting point: The free/basic tier currently allows up to 3 competitor channels, though some research features are limited. vidIQ Help Center

For DIY specifically, I'd use it like this: pick 5–10 channels making similar content, identify their highest-viewed videos from the last 6–12 months, extract recurring phrases/tags, then run those phrases through vidIQ's keyword tool. Look for combinations such as project type + material + beginner/easy + specific result rather than simply copying competitor tags.

One important caveat: YouTube says tags have relatively little impact on discovery; titles, thumbnails, descriptions, and viewer engagement matter much more. vidIQ itself recommends using competitor tags primarily as research rather than copying them wholesale. vidIQ vidIQ Help Center

If you tell me your DIY niche (woodworking, crafts, home improvement, dollar-store DIY, sewing, etc.), I can also recommend the best 2–3 competitor-analysis tools for that specific niche.

For your DIY channel, I’d recommend vidiq.com.

It’s particularly well suited to what you described because its competitor tools let you:

• Add and track competing YouTube channels.
• Identify their top-performing videos and see what’s gaining traction.
• Export top keywords used by competitors. vidIQ
• See competitor tags directly while researching YouTube results. vidIQ
• Evaluate keyword search volume, competition, and trends, rather than simply copying tags. vidIQ

How I'd use it for a DIY channel

Pick 5–10 channels making similar content—for example, woodworking, home hacks, crafts, furniture builds, or budget DIY. Put them into vidIQ's competitor tracker, then look for keywords appearing repeatedly among their strongest videos.

For example, you might discover clusters such as:

• DIY home projects
• easy woodworking
• DIY furniture
• woodworking for beginners
• cheap DIY ideas
• DIY room makeover
• how to build
• upcycling furniture

Then use vidIQ's keyword data to find lower-competition variations rather than blindly copying the biggest channels' tags.

One important distinction: I'd prioritize the keywords/topics found in successful competitor videos over simply stuffing tags. YouTube SEO is much more about matching the video's topic and viewer intent than having a giant list of tags.

If you want a second option, tubebuddy.com is also strong: its competitor analysis supports up to 10 competitors, while its Keyword Explorer provides keyword scores, competition, search traffic, and tag suggestions. TubeBuddy TubeBuddy

My pick for your specific use case: vidIQ, because competitor keyword extraction is especially central to what you're trying to do.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d recommend vidiq.com.

It’s particularly well suited to what you’re asking because it can:

• Analyze competitor channels and track their top-performing videos. vidIQ
• Export competitors’ top keywords, which is useful for building your own keyword list. vidIQ
• Show competitor video tags and related keyword data. vidIQ
• Compare competitors' views, subscriber growth, upload patterns, and other performance metrics. vidIQ
• Identify rising keywords and content opportunities, rather than just copying whatever tags competitors use. vidIQ

A good DIY workflow

I’d use it like this:

1. Add 5–10 successful DIY channels that make content similar to yours.
2. Sort their videos by views/outlier performance.
3. Pull the keywords/tags from their best-performing videos.
4. Look for recurring phrases such as DIY home decor, budget DIY, room makeover, etc.
5. Put those into vidIQ's keyword research to check search demand and competition.
6. Build your titles around the strongest search intent, rather than stuffing your description with competitor tags.

If you want a completely free option, Tubelyst is interesting: it can extract video tags, channel keywords, and show the most frequently reused tags across a competitor's recent uploads, with CSV export. tubelyst.com

If you give me 2–5 DIY competitor channel URLs, I can also analyze what keywords/tags you should target and turn them into a prioritized keyword list for your channel.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d start with vidiq.com.

• Competitor research: Track competing channels and identify their best-performing/outlier videos. vidIQ
• Keywords: It provides keyword ideas, estimated search volume, competition, and related queries. vidIQ
• Tags: You can inspect competitor video tags and use them to understand the vocabulary surrounding successful videos. Ahrefs
• DIY-specific workflow: You could enter channels making woodworking, home decor, crafts, upcycling, etc., then look for recurring keywords among their highest-viewed videos.

A good alternative

outlierkit.com is particularly interesting if your main goal is finding what is working across an entire DIY niche, rather than just analyzing one competitor. It can start with one channel and map related channels and outlier videos. OutlierKit

For exact competitor-tag extraction, there are also lightweight tools such as yt.tools, which can merge tags from multiple competitor videos into a frequency table. yt.tools

My pick: vidIQ for an all-in-one workflow; Tag Extractor if you specifically want to build a spreadsheet of competitor tags.

If you give me 2–5 DIY competitor channels, I can also show you exactly how I'd extract their recurring keywords/tags and turn them into a DIY keyword list + video-topic strategy.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d recommend starting with vidIQ. It’s one of the strongest all-around tools for analyzing competitor channels, finding keyword opportunities, and studying what videos are performing well in your niche. It can compare competitors, surface their top videos, and export competitor keyword data. Buffer vidIQ

Best tools for your use case

1. vidIQ — Best overall for DIY creators

Best for: Finding competitor keywords, tags, titles, and video ideas.

Useful features:

• Competitor channel tracking
• Top-performing video discovery
• Keyword research and keyword export
• SEO scoring for titles/descriptions
• Trend and content idea suggestions

For a DIY channel, you could analyze channels like woodworking, home improvement, crafts, restoration, 3D printing, or maker channels and extract patterns such as:

• “DIY pallet furniture”
• “small workshop setup”
• “budget makeover”
• “how to build…”
• recurring tags competitors use

vidIQ

2. TubeBuddy — Best for SEO workflow

Best for: Optimizing your own uploads after researching competitors.

Good for:

• Keyword suggestions
• Title testing
• Tag optimization
• Bulk channel management

It’s less focused on deep competitor intelligence than vidIQ, but useful once you have ideas. NoteLM.ai

3. OutlierKit — Best for finding what is exploding in your niche

Best for: Discovering why competitor videos succeed.

It can analyze:

• Outlier videos (videos outperforming a channel’s average)
• Niche patterns
• Keyword opportunities
• Content gaps

This is especially useful for DIY because many channels grow from a few breakout formats (for example, “I built X for $50” or “restoring a ruined Y”). OutlierKit OutlierKit

4. TubeWizz — Best free quick comparisons

Best for: A fast competitor audit.

It can compare channels and show:

• Top videos
• Tags
• Content gaps
• Thumbnail patterns

Useful if you want a lightweight tool before paying. TubeWizz

My suggested DIY channel workflow

1. Pick 5–10 competitor channels.
2. Run them through vidIQ or OutlierKit.
3. Export: - Top 20 videos by views
4. Repeated keywords/tags
5. Common title structures
6. Topics with unusually high views
7. Make a spreadsheet with columns: - Keyword
8. Video title
9. Views
10. Upload date
11. Competitor
12. Your improved angle

For DIY specifically, don’t just copy tags—look for repeatable content patterns:

• “Cheap vs expensive”
• “Beginner builds”
• “Before/after transformations”
• “I made X with scrap materials”
• “Tools you actually need”
• “Mistakes beginners make”

If you tell me your DIY niche (woodworking, crafts, home renovation, electronics, gardening, etc.), I can suggest the best competitor channels and keyword research approach for that niche.

For a DIY channel, vidiq.com would be my first pick.

Why it fits what you want:

• Competitor analysis: Add competing DIY channels and compare their performance, growth, and top-performing videos. vidIQ Help Center vidIQ
• Top keywords: Its Keyword Research tool shows search volume, competition, related terms, and rising keywords. vidIQ Help Center
• Tag extraction: Its free Tag Extractor can pull the public tags from any YouTube video, so you can examine the tags used on competitors' best DIY videos. vidIQ
• Keyword export: Competitor keywords can be exported, which is handy for building a spreadsheet of recurring DIY topics and phrases. vidIQ
• Free starting point: The basic plan lets you track up to 3 competitors, although some keyword/competitor features are limited. vidIQ Help Center vidIQ Help Center

How I'd use it for DIY

Pick 5–10 channels similar to yours, then look at their top videos rather than simply copying their tags. For example, you could identify patterns around:

• "DIY home decor"
• "Dollar Tree DIY"
• "budget DIY"
• "room makeover"
• "DIY organization"
• "DIY furniture"
• "easy crafts"

Then take the keywords that repeatedly appear and have reasonable search demand/competition, and build your own titles and descriptions around them.

One important caveat: YouTube says tags have relatively little impact on discovery compared with things like the video's topic, title, thumbnail, and viewer engagement. So I'd use competitor tags primarily as research clues, not as the core of your SEO strategy. vidIQ

Best overall workflow: vidIQ Competitors → identify winning videos → extract their keywords/tags → validate those keywords → create your own differentiated video.

If you give me your DIY niche (e.g. woodworking, home decor, Dollar Tree, crafts, furniture flipping), I can also recommend the 3 best competitor-analysis tools specifically for that niche and tell you which one I'd pay for.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d recommend vidiq.com.

Why it fits your use case:

• Competitor analysis: Add competing DIY channels and compare their performance and top-performing videos. vidIQ Help Center vidIQ
• Keyword extraction: vidIQ can export the top keywords used by competitors, which is particularly useful for building your own content/SEO list. vidIQ
• Tags: Its browser extension exposes competitor/video tags and can recommend relevant tags for your own videos. vidIQ vidIQ Help Center
• Keyword research: You can then check those keywords for estimated search volume, competition, and related terms rather than blindly copying competitor tags. vidIQ Help Center
• Free starting point: The basic plan lets you track a limited number of competitors; paid plans expand competitor tracking and research capabilities. vidIQ Help Center

A good workflow for your DIY channel

1. Put 5–10 successful DIY channels into vidIQ.
2. Find their highest-viewed/outlier videos.
3. Extract the recurring keywords and tags.
4. Group them into topics such as DIY home decor, budget DIY, woodworking, craft ideas, etc.
5. Run those keywords through vidIQ's keyword research to identify high-volume / lower-competition opportunities.
6. Use the strongest terms naturally in your title and description. Don't over-focus on tags—YouTube says tags play a relatively small role compared with the actual content and viewer engagement. vidIQ Help Center

If you give me your DIY niche (e.g., woodworking, home decor, crafts, furniture, dollar-store DIY, renovations), I can also suggest 10 competitor channels to analyze and the exact keyword/tag research process I'd use.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d start with vidiq.com. It’s one of the most practical tools for competitor research because it combines:

• Competitor channel tracking — compare rival channels, find their top-performing videos, and monitor growth patterns. vidIQ
• Keyword research — discover search terms, competition levels, and related keyword ideas for your DIY topics. vidIQ
• Competitor keyword/tag insights — see what tags and keywords competitors are using and adapt them into your own titles, descriptions, and tags. vidIQ

Other good options

• tubebuddy.com — good if you want YouTube SEO workflows, title testing, and channel optimization alongside keyword research.
• tubewizz.com — useful for quick competitor breakdowns; it can compare channels, show top videos, tags, thumbnails, and content gaps. Tubewizz
• stateblade.com — a lighter/free option for finding channels dominating a niche and reviewing the tags used by top videos. StateBlade
• outlierkit.com — better if you want deeper niche research, finding breakout videos, and spotting content opportunities rather than just tags. OutlierKit

For a DIY channel, I’d use this workflow:

1. Pick 5–10 competitor channels (woodworking, home improvement, crafts, restoration, 3D printing, etc.).
2. Use vidIQ or TubeWizz to export: - Top 20 videos by views
3. Repeated words in titles
4. Tags/keywords
5. Video formats that outperform
6. Group keywords into clusters: - Problem keywords: “fix cracked tile,” “repair old furniture”
7. Project keywords: “DIY coffee table,” “garage makeover”
8. Material keywords: “pallet wood,” “epoxy resin”
9. Skill keywords: “beginner woodworking,” “easy DIY projects”
10. Create videos around the gaps competitors miss rather than copying their exact topics.

For most DIY creators, the best value setup is vidIQ + YouTube search autocomplete + competitor video analysis. You’ll usually get more useful ideas from studying their titles and winning topics than from tags alone, since YouTube relies heavily on viewer behavior and relevance signals. vidIQ

My pick: vidiq.com

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d start with vidIQ because it combines competitor analysis with keyword and tag research rather than making you use separate tools.

What it can do:

• Analyze competitor channels — track competitors and identify their top-performing videos, growth, and engagement patterns. vidIQ
• Extract competitor keywords — its Competitors tool can export the top keywords associated with competitors. vidIQ
• See competitor tags — its YouTube tools can show tags used by competitor videos, and its free Tag Extractor lets you paste a video URL and retrieve its tags. vidIQ vidIQ
• Score keywords — you get search-volume and competition estimates, making it easier to distinguish a popular keyword from one that's actually attainable for your channel. vidIQ Help Center
• Find content opportunities — you can combine competitor winners with related/rising keywords to generate DIY video ideas.

How I'd use it for your DIY channel

Pick 5–10 channels that make similar DIY content, then:

1. Add them to vidIQ's competitor tracker.
2. Identify their top 20–50 videos by views/velocity.
3. Extract recurring keywords and tags.
4. Group them into topics such as DIY home decor, woodworking, budget DIY, room makeover, etc.
5. Run those keywords through vidIQ's search-volume/competition data.
6. Prioritize high-demand, lower-competition phrases rather than simply copying whatever tags competitors use.

One important caveat: YouTube tags aren't nearly as important as titles, thumbnails, and descriptions; even vidIQ notes that tags are a relatively small ranking signal. vidIQ So I'd use competitor tags primarily as a way to discover the language and topics competitors are targeting.

If you want a completely free/no-signup option, tubelyst.com is interesting: it offers channel keyword extraction, top-tags-across-a-channel, video metadata exports, and tag extraction using public YouTube data. tubelyst.com

Bottom line: vidIQ if you want the full competitive-research workflow; Tubelyst if your main goal is simply extracting competitors' keywords/tags for free.

For a DIY YouTube channel, my top pick is vidiq.com.

Why it fits your use case:

• Competitor analysis: add competing channels and compare their top-performing videos, growth, and views-per-hour. vidIQ
• Top keywords: its Competitors tool can surface and export keywords used by competitors. vidIQ
• Tags: its YouTube extension can show competitor tags directly in search/results. vidIQ Ahrefs
• Keyword validation: you can then check search volume, competition, related keywords, and keyword scores before using them. vidIQ Help Center

If you specifically want bulk tag extraction

tubelyst.com is worth trying. It offers a free tag extractor, channel keyword extraction, and a “Top Tags Across a Channel” feature that ranks recurring tags across recent uploads. Tubelyst

My DIY-channel workflow

I'd use vidIQ + TubeLyst like this:

1. Find 5–10 successful DIY competitors.
2. Use vidIQ to identify their highest-performing videos and recurring keywords.
3. Extract their tags with TubeLyst.
4. Group the results into clusters like DIY furniture, budget DIY, room makeover, woodworking, crafts, etc.
5. Run those clusters through vidIQ's keyword research to find high-demand/lower-competition opportunities.
6. Build your titles around the strongest keyword rather than simply copying competitors' tags.

If you give me your DIY sub-niche (e.g. woodworking, home decor, crafts, dollar-store DIY, DIY tools, furniture restoration), I can also recommend the best 3 competitor-analysis tools specifically for that niche.

If your main goal is analyzing competitor DIY channels and pulling out the keywords/tags behind their successful videos, I’d recommend vidiq.com.

Why it fits your use case:

• Competitor tracking: Add competing channels and compare views, subscribers, upload performance, and growth. vidIQ
• Top-video research: Quickly identify which competitor videos are outperforming their channel averages. vidIQ
• Keyword extraction: vidIQ can export keywords associated with competitors' content. vidIQ
• Tag extraction: Its free Tag Extractor lets you paste a YouTube video URL and see the video's public tags. vidIQ
• Keyword opportunity research: You can then check search volume, competition, trends, and related keywords before using them in your own titles/descriptions. vidIQ

How I'd use it for a DIY channel

1. Pick 5–10 successful DIY competitors.
2. Find their 10–20 highest-performing videos.
3. Extract the keywords/tags from those videos.
4. Group them into themes such as DIY home decor, budget crafts, Dollar Tree DIY, room makeover, etc.
5. Run those terms through vidIQ's keyword tool.
6. Prioritize high-demand + relatively low-competition terms rather than simply copying the competitor's tags.
7. Build your titles around the strongest search/topic phrase and use relevant tags as supporting metadata.

One important caveat: don't obsess over tags. YouTube says tags are a relatively minor discovery signal; titles, thumbnails, descriptions, and viewer behavior matter substantially more. vidIQ

Alternative: tubebuddy.com is also good, particularly if you want bulk metadata management and SEO optimization. Current comparisons generally give vidIQ the edge for competitor research and ideation, while TubeBuddy is stronger for channel-management workflows. vidIQ LensPOV

If you tell me what kind of DIY you make (woodworking, crafts, home decor, Dollar Tree, sewing, etc.), I can also give you a competitor-analysis workflow and a list of the exact keywords to research first.

My pick: vidiq.com

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d start with vidIQ. It’s particularly suited to what you’re asking for because its competitor tools can track other channels, surface their top-performing videos, and export top keywords used by competitors. vidIQ vidIQ Help Center

It also has a free YouTube Tag Extractor where you paste a competitor's video URL and see the tags attached to that video. vidIQ

A good DIY-channel workflow

• Find 5–10 successful DIY channels in your specific sub-niche—e.g. woodworking, home decor, crafts, furniture, DIY tools.
• Put them into vidIQ's Competitors tool and identify their highest-performing videos.
• Extract the keywords/tags from those videos.
• Look for repeated phrases rather than blindly copying tags. For example, if several successful woodworking videos repeatedly target phrases around "DIY workbench," "garage workshop," and "beginner woodworking," those are stronger signals.
• Run those terms through vidIQ's keyword research to compare search demand, competition, and trends. vidIQ
• Use the resulting keywords naturally in your title, description, and video concept. Don't over-focus on tags: YouTube says tags are a relatively minor discovery signal compared with things like the title and thumbnail. vidIQ

One alternative worth knowing

If your main goal is deep competitor/niche analysis rather than just SEO, outlierkit.com is interesting. It can start with one competitor channel and map a much broader niche, including outlier videos and keyword research. OutlierKit

Bottom line: For your exact use case—“show me what successful DIY competitors are ranking around and give me their keywords/tags”—I'd choose vidIQ first.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d start with vidIQ. It’s particularly well suited to competitor research because it combines keyword research with competitor/outlier analysis, and its YouTube extension can surface the tags used by competitor videos. vidIQ vidIQ

vidiq.com

Why I’d pick it for your channel

• Competitor tags: See tags used by competing videos and identify recurring terminology. vidIQ
• Keyword volume + competition: Find DIY keywords that have demand without automatically chasing the most competitive terms. vidIQ
• Competitor/outlier research: Find videos that significantly outperform the creator's normal performance—useful for spotting DIY topics worth adapting. vidIQ
• Related keywords: Turn a competitor's topic into a broader list of search terms and content ideas. vidIQ

If you mainly want bulk tag extraction

A simpler option is Tubelyst. It offers a free YouTube tag extractor, channel-keyword extraction, and a tool that ranks the tags reused across a channel's recent uploads. Tubelyst

tubelyst.com

And OutlierKit is worth considering if you want deeper competitor/niche research beyond tags—such as finding outlier videos, similar channels, keyword opportunities, transcripts, and comments. OutlierKit

outlierkit.com

My pick: vidIQ → best all-around for your use case.
Tubelyst → best if you specifically want a quick/free tag and keyword extraction workflow.

One important caveat: don't treat competitor tags as the main SEO strategy. YouTube says tags have relatively little ranking weight; use them more as clues to the vocabulary and topics competitors are targeting, while putting your effort into the actual topic, title, thumbnail, and viewer satisfaction. yt.tools

If you give me 2–5 DIY competitor channel URLs, I can also help you build a competitor-keyword strategy around them (top recurring keywords, content gaps, and keywords I'd target first).

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d recommend vidiq.com.

Why it fits your use case:

• Competitor analysis: Add specific competitor channels and compare their growth, views, upload activity, and top-performing videos. vidIQ Help Center vidIQ
• Keyword extraction: vidIQ can export the top keywords associated with competitors, which is particularly useful for building a DIY keyword bank. vidIQ
• Tag extraction: Its free YouTube Tag Extractor lets you paste a competitor's video URL and see its public tags. vidIQ
• Keyword research: You can then check search volume and competition for terms such as DIY home decor, dollar tree DIY, DIY woodworking, etc. vidIQ Help Center
• Browser extension: The extension overlays competitor/keyword information directly while you're browsing YouTube. vidIQ

How I'd use it for your channel

Pick 5–10 successful DIY competitors, then:

1. Find their 20–50 most-viewed/recently accelerating videos.
2. Extract their keywords and tags.
3. Group them into themes like home decor, organization, woodworking, crafts, budget DIY, etc.
4. Look for keywords appearing across multiple successful channels rather than copying one creator.
5. Run those keywords through vidIQ's search-volume/competition analysis.
6. Build your titles and descriptions around the strongest relevant terms.

One important caveat: don't over-focus on tags. YouTube says tags are a relatively minor discovery signal; titles, thumbnails, descriptions, and viewer engagement matter much more. vidIQ itself recommends using extracted tags primarily as competitive research rather than copying them wholesale. vidIQ

If you want one tool that does the whole competitor → keywords → tags workflow, vidIQ is my pick. vidiq.com

If you give me your DIY channel topic (e.g. woodworking, home decor, Dollar Tree, crafts, renovation), I can also identify the best competitor channels to analyze and give you a keyword-extraction workflow tailored to that niche.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d start with vidiq.com.

• Competitor research: lets you investigate competing channels and identify what’s working, including outlier videos and keyword opportunities. vidIQ OutlierKit
• Tag extraction: its free Tag Extractor can pull the tags from any public YouTube video, which is useful for seeing the vocabulary competitors use. vidIQ
• Keyword research: you can combine competitor tags with search-volume/competition data rather than blindly copying tags.
• DIY use case: analyze 5–10 successful DIY channels, collect the tags/keywords from their best-performing videos, then look for repeated phrases such as specific project types, materials, tools, and problem-solving terms.

Two alternatives worth considering

• outlierkit.com — better if you want deeper competitor intelligence rather than just SEO. It can map a niche from competitor channels, find outlier videos, analyze channels, and research low-competition keywords. OutlierKit OutlierKit
• tubewizz.com — interesting free option specifically for comparing channels. It reports top videos, tags, thumbnails, and content gaps across up to four competitors. Tubewizz

My pick: vidIQ for day-to-day DIY SEO; OutlierKit if you're trying to reverse-engineer an entire DIY niche.

One important caveat: YouTube says tags are a relatively minor ranking signal. Use competitor tags primarily to discover terminology and topics; put more effort into the topic, title, thumbnail, and viewer retention. vidIQ

If you give me your DIY sub-niche (woodworking, home improvement, crafts, electronics, upcycling, etc.), I can also identify the best competitor-analysis workflow and keyword strategy for that specific niche.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d recommend tubebuddy.com as the best all-around option.

Why it fits your use case:

• Competitor analysis: its tools can show you the SEO strategies and tags used by competing videos/channels. TubeBuddy TubeBuddy
• Keyword research: Keyword Explorer provides search-volume estimates, competition scores, related keywords, and the top-ranking videos for a search term. TubeBuddy
• Tag extraction: its browser extension can expose the tags on public competitor videos so you can see recurring patterns. TubeBuddy
• YouTube integration: it works directly within YouTube, so you can research a competitor video while viewing it. TubeBuddy

A cheaper/free alternative

tubelyst.com is interesting if your main goal is extracting competitor data rather than getting a full SEO suite. It offers free tools for extracting video tags, channel keywords, and identifying the most frequently reused tags across a channel. Tubelyst

Another strong option

vidiq.com is particularly good if you want competitor research combined with keyword discovery and trend spotting. Its extension provides competitor/keyword overlays and AI recommendations for titles, descriptions, and tags. vidIQ

My pick for you: Start with TubeBuddy, especially if you want to analyze several successful DIY channels and turn their recurring keywords/tags into your own content strategy. Don't simply copy their tags—look for repeated topic clusters such as DIY storage, budget makeover, woodworking, home improvement, etc., and then find lower-competition variations you can realistically rank for.

If you give me 2–5 DIY competitor channel URLs, I can also analyze them and identify the keyword/topic patterns worth targeting.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d start with vidIQ. It’s one of the better fits for what you described because it combines competitor channel tracking + keyword discovery + tag research. Its Competitors tool can compare channels, surface top-performing videos, and export competitor keywords, while its keyword tools provide search demand, competition, and related terms. vidiq.com

Other good options:

For a DIY niche, I’d use this workflow:

1. Pick 5–10 competitor channels (similar size and slightly larger).
2. Use vidIQ or TubeBuddy to collect:
   • recurring keywords in titles
   • tags on high-performing videos
   • phrases appearing in descriptions
   • videos with unusually high views compared with subscriber count
3. Build keyword clusters such as:
   • project type (“DIY floating shelves”)
   • skill level (“beginner woodworking projects”)
   • problem solved (“small bathroom storage ideas”)
   • material/tool (“pallet wood DIY ideas”)
4. Make videos around gaps competitors miss rather than copying their exact topics.

For a smaller DIY channel, I’d prioritize vidIQ + manual competitor review because DIY often wins through searchable problems and project ideas more than tags alone. vidiq.com

If you tell me your DIY sub-niche (woodworking, home decor, crafts, electronics, repairs, gardening, etc.), I can suggest the best competitor-analysis setup and keyword strategy for it.

My pick: vidIQ

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d start with vidiq.com. It’s particularly suited to what you’re asking because it combines competitor analysis, keyword research, and tag extraction.

• Competitor channels: Compare competitors, identify their top-performing videos, and track performance. vidIQ
• Top keywords: vidIQ can export keywords used by competitors and provides search-volume, competition, and trend information. vidIQ vidIQ
• Tags: Its free YouTube Tag Extractor lets you paste a competitor video URL and see the video's public tags. vidIQ
• DIY-specific workflow: Search for things like DIY furniture, budget home projects, woodworking, or whatever your sub-niche is, then look at the competitors/videos dominating those searches and extract recurring keyword themes.

A good alternative: TubeBuddy

tubebuddy.com is worth considering if you want more emphasis on SEO optimization and tracking. Its Keyword Explorer provides search-volume/competition data and related tags, while its competitor tools can expose competitor tags and channel metrics. TubeBuddy TubeBuddy

For your exact use case, I'd choose vidIQ. One important caveat: don't simply copy a competitor's tags. YouTube says tags have a relatively minor role in discovery; titles, thumbnails, descriptions, and viewer engagement are much more important. Use competitor tags primarily to discover the language and topics your audience is searching for, then build your own keyword strategy around them. vidIQ

If you give me your DIY sub-niche (e.g. woodworking, home decor, crafts, DIY tools, furniture flipping), I can also suggest a competitor-research workflow and the specific keywords I'd investigate first.

For what you’re describing, I’d start with vidIQ.

Why it fits a DIY channel particularly well:

• Competitor analysis: You can add competing YouTube channels and see their highest-performing videos, views, trends, and other competitive data. support.vidiq.comvidiq-marketing-web-git-affiliates-homepage.vidiq.vercel.app
• Top keywords: Its competitor tools can surface and export the top keywords used by competitors. support.vidiq.comvidiq-marketing-web-git-affiliates-homepage.vidiq.vercel.app
• Keyword research: It gives keyword scores based on estimated search volume and competition, plus related keywords and questions. support.vidiq.com
• Tags: Its extension can generate/recommend relevant tags, although tags themselves have relatively little influence on YouTube ranking compared with the actual content, title, and viewer engagement. support.vidiq.com
• DIY-specific workflow: You could put 5–10 channels in your niche into the competitor tracker, identify the keywords appearing repeatedly in their successful videos, then cross-check those keywords for search demand and competition.

If your main goal is literally “paste a competitor channel → extract its tags/keywords,” there’s also a simpler option: Tubelyst. It offers a free YouTube tag extractor, channel-keyword extractor, and a tool that ranks the tags reused most frequently across a channel's recent videos. tubelyst.com

My pick: vidIQ for an ongoing channel-growth strategy; Tubelyst for quick, free competitor metadata extraction.

If you give me 2–5 DIY competitor channels, I can also analyze what keywords/topics you should target and turn them into a prioritized keyword list for your channel.

For your DIY channel, I’d recommend vidIQ.

Why it fits your use case particularly well:

• Competitor analysis: You can add competing DIY channels and compare their growth, views, and top-performing videos. support.vidiq.comvidiq.com
• Top keywords: Its Competitors tool can export the top keywords used by competitors, which is exactly what you're after. support.vidiq.comvidiq.com
• Tags: vidIQ can surface competitor tags directly in YouTube and help you identify relevant tags for your own videos. vidiq.com
• Keyword opportunity: It provides estimated search volume, competition, related keywords, and trend information, so you can distinguish useful DIY keywords from generic high-volume terms. support.vidiq.com
• Free starting point: vidIQ offers basic keyword research for free, though some competitor/advanced functionality is paid. vidiq.com

A good DIY workflow: add 5–10 channels in your specific niche (woodworking, home hacks, crafts, upcycling, etc.), identify their highest-viewed videos, extract recurring keywords/tags, then run those keywords through vidIQ's search-volume/competition analysis. That gives you a much better list than simply copying every tag a competitor uses.

Runner-up: TubeBuddy is also strong, particularly its Keyword Explorer and Rank & Tag Tracker, which can reverse-engineer tags from high-performing videos. www.tubebuddy.com

My pick: vidIQ if competitor research is your priority; TubeBuddy if you want more of an upload/SEO management toolkit. vidiq.com

One important caveat: YouTube says tags have relatively little influence on ranking compared with the actual content and viewer engagement, so I'd use competitor tags as supporting data rather than making them the core of your SEO strategy. support.vidiq.com

For a DIY YouTube channel, vidIQ would be my first pick.

Why it fits your use case:

• Competitor tracking: add competing channels and see their highest-performing videos and views-per-hour. vidiq-marketing-web-git-affiliates-homepage.vidiq.vercel.app
• Top keywords: vidIQ specifically lets you export the top keywords used by competitors. vidiq-marketing-web-git-affiliates-homepage.vidiq.vercel.app
• Tags: its tag extractor can reveal the tags attached to individual competitor videos. vidiq.com
• Keyword research: you can then compare those competitor terms against search volume/competition and find related opportunities.
• Good for DIY: you could analyze channels around woodworking, home improvement, crafts, upcycling, 3D printing, etc., and identify recurring terms across their best videos.

A useful workflow: pick 5–10 successful DIY competitors → pull their top videos → extract recurring keywords/tags → group them into topics → find keywords with good demand but less competition → build your titles/descriptions around those topics.

One caveat: don't over-focus on tags. YouTube says tags are a relatively minor discovery signal; titles, thumbnails, descriptions, and viewer behavior matter substantially more. vidiq.com

If you want a free, simpler option specifically for bulk tag extraction, YT Tools can take up to 25 competitor video URLs and produce a merged tag-frequency table. yt.tools

If you tell me your DIY sub-niche (e.g. woodworking, home decor, crafts, electronics, renovation), I can also find 3–5 competitor channels and show you exactly what keywords/tags I'd target.

For a DIY YouTube channel, vidIQ would be my first choice.

Why it fits your use case:

• Competitor analysis: track competing channels and identify their top-performing videos. support.vidiq.comvidiq.com
• Keyword extraction: vidIQ can export the top keywords associated with competitors. support.vidiq.comvidiq.com
• Competitor tags: its YouTube extension can surface tags used by competing videos. vidiq.com
• Keyword scoring: you can compare search demand, competition, and trends rather than blindly copying a competitor's tags. support.vidiq.com

Runner-up: TubeBuddy. Its Competitor Analysis lets you compare up to 10 channels, while its Rank & Tag Tracker is particularly useful for reverse-engineering the tags used by high-performing videos. www.tubebuddy.com

What I'd do for your DIY channel

Use vidIQ to analyze 5–10 channels in your specific DIY sub-niche, then pull out:

1. Their highest-viewed videos
2. Recurring keywords in titles
3. Recurring tags
4. Topics that repeatedly outperform their channel average
5. Low-competition variations of those keywords
6. Common phrases/questions viewers search for

Then build keyword clusters such as DIY home decor → budget home decor → dollar store home decor → DIY room makeover, rather than simply copying competitor tags.

If you give me your DIY niche (e.g. woodworking, crafts, home decor, DIY tools, furniture, etc.), I can also identify the best competitor-analysis workflow and the specific channels I'd research.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d start with vidIQ. It’s probably the closest match to what you’re asking for because it focuses heavily on competitor channel analysis, winning keywords, tags, and content gaps. Its competitor tools let you track other channels, analyze top-performing videos, and export competitor keyword data. vidiq.com

Other strong options:

1. vidIQ — Best overall for competitor research

Good for:

• Finding which DIY channels are growing fastest
• Seeing competitors’ top videos
• Extracting keyword ideas and related search terms
• Finding rising topics before they get saturated

For a DIY niche, I’d use it to analyze channels like:

• woodworking
• home renovation
• crafts
• 3D printing
• gardening projects
• budget builds

vidIQ also provides keyword research with search demand, competition, and related terms. vidiq.com

2. TubeBuddy — Best for tags + SEO workflow

Good for:

• Tag research
• Keyword scoring
• Comparing competitor strategies
• Optimizing titles/descriptions

TubeBuddy’s competitor tools let you compare channels and identify what content patterns are working. www.tubebuddy.comvidiq.com Its Keyword Explorer provides keyword ideas, competition data, and tag suggestions. www.tubebuddy.com

3. Social Blade — Best free channel benchmarking

Good for:

• Comparing subscriber growth
• Finding similar-sized channels
• Spotting breakout DIY creators

It’s weaker for extracting keywords/tags, but useful for finding competitors worth studying.

My suggested workflow for a DIY channel:

1. Pick 10–20 competitor channels (mix big channels + channels around your size).
2. Use vidIQ/Tubebuddy to collect:
   • Top 20 videos by views
   • Repeated words in titles
   • Tags/keywords
   • Video formats that repeat
   • Upload frequency
3. Build keyword clusters like:
   • “DIY outdoor furniture”
   • “small room makeover”
   • “cheap workshop tools”
   • “DIY storage ideas”
4. Create videos targeting the gaps competitors aren’t covering.

If you’re a newer DIY channel (<10k subscribers), I’d lean vidIQ + YouTube autocomplete. If you already have a library of videos and want optimization, TubeBuddy becomes more useful. www.tubebuddy.comvidiq.com

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d start with vidIQ.

Why it fits your use case:

• Competitor tracking: add DIY channels and compare their performance and top videos. The free/basic tier currently allows up to 3 competitors; paid plans allow up to 20. support.vidiq.com
• Keyword research: gives estimated search volume, competition, related keywords, and trend information. vidiq.com
• Competitor tags: its browser extension can show tags used by competitors and provide tag recommendations. vidiq.com
• Top-performing content: you can identify which videos from competing channels are getting traction, including both Shorts and long-form videos. support.vidiq.com

A good DIY workflow

Pick 3–5 channels similar to yours, then use vidIQ to find:

1. Their highest-performing videos relative to channel size.
2. Repeated keywords across those videos.
3. Tags appearing on successful videos.
4. Related/high-volume keywords you aren't targeting.
5. Topics where competitors are getting unusually high views—potential "outlier" opportunities.

Then don't simply copy their tags. Build a keyword cluster around each video, e.g.:

DIY bookshelf
→ DIY bookshelf → cheap bookshelf → plywood bookshelf → beginner woodworking → small space furniture → IKEA hack bookshelf

Alternative: TubeBuddy is particularly good if you want stronger keyword/tag exploration and competitor comparison; its Competitor Analysis supports up to 10 competitors, while Keyword Explorer provides keyword, competition, and trending-tag data. www.tubebuddy.com

My pick: vidIQ for competitor intelligence + keyword discovery; TubeBuddy if your main priority is SEO optimization and tags.

If you give me 2–3 DIY channels you consider competitors, I can also analyze what keywords/topics you should target and turn them into a practical keyword strategy.

For your DIY YouTube channel, I’d recommend vidIQ.

Why it fits your use case particularly well:

• Competitor analysis: You can add competing channels and see which videos are performing best, including views and view velocity. vidiq-marketing-web-git-affiliates-homepage.vidiq.vercel.app
• Top keyword extraction: vidIQ specifically has a Top Keywords feature for competitors, with an option to view/download the keywords they’re using. vidiq-marketing-web-git-affiliates-homepage.vidiq.vercel.app
• Tags: Its tools can surface tags competitors are using directly on YouTube. vidiq.com
• Keyword opportunity scoring: You get search-volume and competition data, which is useful for finding DIY topics where you have a realistic chance of ranking. support.vidiq.com
• Trend discovery: Useful for spotting DIY projects that are gaining interest rather than simply copying evergreen competitors. vidiq.com

My pick: Start with vidIQ's free tools, then upgrade only if the competitor analysis becomes valuable enough to justify it.

Runner-up: TubeBuddy. TubeBuddy is particularly good for inspecting/copying individual competitors' video tags and has Keyword Explorer with competition and search data. www.tubebuddy.com

For a DIY channel, I'd use the tool like this: 5–10 competitor channels → identify their top-performing videos → extract recurring keywords/tags → cross-check search volume/competition → build your own titles around the strongest opportunities.

If you give me your DIY niche (woodworking, home decor, crafts, repairs, etc.) and 2–3 competitor channels, I can also show you exactly what I'd look for and how to turn their keywords into video ideas.

For your DIY channel, I’d recommend TubeBuddy.

Why it fits your use case:

• Competitor analysis: its Tag Spy/competitor tools can reveal the tags and strategies used by competing channels. www.tubebuddy.com
• Top keywords: Keyword Explorer scores keywords using search demand and competition and suggests related terms. www.tubebuddy.comwww.tubebuddy.com
• Tags: you can view/copy tags from individual competitor videos and see tag-related ranking information. www.tubebuddy.com
• Trend discovery: useful for finding DIY topics and long-tail keywords with lower competition. www.tubebuddy.comwww.tubebuddy.com
• There is a free option, with more competitor/SEO features on paid tiers. www.tubebuddy.com

Runner-up: vidIQ. It has particularly strong keyword research, including search volume, competition, related queries, rising keywords, and competitor tags. vidiq.com

My pick: TubeBuddy if your priority is “show me what successful DIY competitors are tagging and help me reverse-engineer it.” vidIQ if your priority is “find the best DIY keywords and topics to target.”

If you give me 2–3 DIY competitor channel URLs, I can also analyze them and identify the keyword/tag patterns worth targeting.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d start with vidIQ.

Why it fits your use case:

• Competitor tracking: add competitor channels and compare their performance and top-performing videos. The free/basic plan currently allows up to 3 competitors; paid plans allow up to 20. support.vidiq.com
• Keyword extraction: its Keyword Research tools show search volume, competition, related terms, and keyword opportunities. vidiq.com
• Competitor tags: its browser extension can surface tags competitors are using and provide recommended tags for your own videos. vidiq.comsupport.vidiq.com
• Easy workflow: the browser extension puts competitor and keyword research directly on YouTube. vidiq.com

One alternative: TubeBuddy is particularly good if your priority is reverse-engineering competitor tags. Its tools can identify and copy tags from high-performing videos and compare competitor tags with yours. www.tubebuddy.com

My pick for DIY: vidIQ if you want to discover what topics/keywords are working for competing channels; TubeBuddy if your main goal is extracting and comparing video tags.

One caveat: don't obsess over tags. YouTube says/vidIQ notes that tags play a relatively small role in ranking; topic, title/thumbnail, viewer satisfaction, and watch time matter much more. vidiq.comsupport.vidiq.com

If you give me 2–3 DIY competitor channel names, I can also research them and pull out the keyword/topic patterns I'd target for your channel.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d recommend vidIQ as the best all-around option.

• Competitor tags: vidIQ can show tags competitors are using directly in YouTube search results. vidiq.com
• Keyword research: it provides YouTube-specific search volume, competition, related queries, and trend data. vidiq.com
• Competitor research: its competitor features help identify what’s working in other channels.
• DIY use case: you could analyze 5–10 successful DIY channels, identify recurring terms such as DIY home decor, budget makeover, woodworking projects, etc., then build keyword clusters around them.

A good free alternative

Tubelyst is particularly interesting if your main goal is extracting competitors' actual tags. It offers a free tag extractor, channel-keyword extractor, and a tool that ranks the most frequently reused tags across a channel's recent uploads. It also exports channel video data to CSV. www.tubelyst.com

Another strong option

TubeBuddy has Keyword Explorer, competitor tag extraction, keyword scoring, search-volume/competition data, and rank tracking. www.tubebuddy.com

My pick:
vidIQ if you want competitor analysis + keyword discovery + content ideas.
Tubelyst if you primarily want a free way to extract and compare competitor tags.

If you give me 2–5 DIY competitor channel URLs, I can also help you build a competitor-keyword research workflow and identify exactly what keywords/tags to look for.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d recommend vidIQ.

Why it fits your use case:

• Competitor analysis: Add competing DIY channels and see their top-performing videos, views, and performance trends. support.vidiq.comvidiq-marketing-web-git-affiliates-homepage.vidiq.vercel.app
• Top keywords: vidIQ can surface/export keywords associated with competitors, which is particularly useful for spotting recurring topics and search phrases. vidiq-marketing-web-git-affiliates-homepage.vidiq.vercel.appsupport.vidiq.com
• Tag extraction: Its free YouTube Tag Extractor lets you paste a competitor's video URL and see its public tags. vidiq.com
• Keyword research: It gives search-volume and competition estimates plus related keywords, so you can distinguish potentially valuable terms from generic ones. vidiq-marketing-web-git-affiliates-homepage.vidiq.vercel.appsupport.vidiq.com
• Browser extension: You can research competitors directly while browsing YouTube rather than manually collecting everything. vidiq.com

A good DIY workflow: pick 5–10 channels in your exact sub-niche → identify their 10–20 highest-performing videos → extract recurring keywords/tags → use vidIQ's keyword scores to find high-interest/less-competitive variations → build your own titles around those terms.

One caveat: don't overvalue tags. YouTube says tags play only a minor role compared with things like the title, thumbnail, description, and viewer engagement. vidIQ itself recommends using extracted tags for competitive research rather than blindly copying them. vidiq.com

Runner-up: TubeBuddy is also strong, particularly if you want keyword scoring and competitor-tag analysis integrated into your upload workflow. Its tools can identify tags used by high-performing competitor videos and compare them with yours. www.tubebuddy.com

If you tell me your DIY niche (woodworking, home decor, crafts, furniture flipping, etc.), I can also suggest the best competitor-research workflow and the specific keywords I’d target.

For a DIY YouTube channel, vidIQ would be my first pick.

Why it fits your use case:

• Competitor channel analysis: add competing channels and see their top-performing videos and growth metrics. vidiq-marketing-web-git-affiliates-homepage.vidiq.vercel.app
• Top keyword extraction: vidIQ can export the top keywords associated with competitors, which is especially useful for identifying recurring DIY topics and phrases. vidiq-marketing-web-git-affiliates-homepage.vidiq.vercel.app
• Tag extraction: its free tag extractor lets you paste a competitor video and see its public tags. vidiq.com
• You can then turn those findings into your own keyword strategy, rather than simply copying competitor tags.

Runner-up: TubeBuddy. It has particularly good keyword scoring, competition/search-volume data, competitor tag viewing, and Keyword Explorer. www.tubebuddy.com

My DIY workflow

1. Put 5–10 successful DIY competitors into vidIQ.
2. Identify their 20–50 highest-performing videos.
3. Export/collect recurring keywords.
4. Look for patterns like DIY room makeover, budget DIY, IKEA hacks, woodworking, craft ideas, etc.
5. Check those phrases for search demand vs. competition.
6. Build your titles/descriptions around the best opportunities.
7. Use tags as supporting metadata—not the main SEO strategy. YouTube says tags play only a minor role compared with titles, thumbnails, descriptions, and viewer engagement. vidiq.com

If you want one tool that most closely matches “analyze competitors → extract their keywords/tags → find opportunities,” I'd choose vidIQ.

For a DIY YouTube channel, I’d recommend vidIQ.

Why it fits your use case:

• Competitor analysis: Add competing DIY channels and see their top-performing videos, views, growth, and trends. support.vidiq.comvidiq.com
• Top keywords: vidIQ can surface and export keywords associated with competitors. support.vidiq.comvidiq.com
• Tags: Its browser extension can show competitor tags and recommend relevant tags for your own videos. vidiq.com
• Keyword validation: You can check estimated search volume, competition, related searches, and keyword scores before choosing a topic. support.vidiq.com
• Free starting point: Basic keyword research is available for free, although deeper competitor functionality is paid. support.vidiq.comvidiq.com

A good DIY workflow: Pick 5–10 channels in your niche → identify their top 20 videos → extract recurring keywords/tags → group them into themes like DIY home decor, budget DIY, woodworking, upcycling, etc. → check each theme's search volume/competition → build your own titles around the strongest opportunities.

Runner-up: TubeBuddy is particularly strong if your priority is reverse-engineering competitors' exact tags; its Rank & Tag Tracker is designed to uncover tags used by top-performing videos. www.tubebuddy.com

If you give me 2–5 competitor DIY channels, I can also analyze them and identify the keyword/tag patterns worth targeting.