OFFICIAL CATEGORY ID

YouTube Category Checker

Find any video's exact category instantly. Get category ID, RPM benchmarks, and bulk channel analysis - features no other tool offers.

Official YouTube API RPM Insights Bulk Channel Mode No Signup
Read the Complete 2026 Categories & RPM Guide
Check YouTube Category
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All YouTube Categories (2026)
Category ID Avg RPM Best For
🎬 Film & Animation1$2-$6Creative / Short films
🚗 Autos & Vehicles2$4-$12Car reviews
🎵 Music10$1-$4Wide reach / viral
🐾 Pets & Animals15$2-$5Cute / viral content
🏋 Sports17$2-$6Live fans / training
🌍 Travel & Events19$4-$12Tourism / guides
🎮 Gaming20$2-$8Young audience
👥 People & Blogs22$2-$5Vlogs / lifestyle
😄 Comedy23$2-$5Skits / entertainment
🎭 Entertainment24$2-$6Pop culture
📰 News & Politics25$3-$8Current events
🏠 Howto & Style26$4-$12DIY / Beauty
🎓 Education27$5-$15Tutorials / courses
💻 Science & Technology28$8-$18Devs / tech reviews
🤝 Nonprofits & Activism29$1-$3Social causes

RPM figures are industry averages. Actual earnings vary by audience location, watch time, and advertiser demand. Finance content (not a standard YouTube category) earns the highest RPM at $12-$45.

What Is a YouTube Video Category?

A YouTube video category is a classification system YouTube uses to organize content and match videos with the right audience. When a creator uploads a video, they choose a category from YouTube's official list of 15+ categories (such as Gaming, Education, or Music). This category ID is stored in the video's metadata and influences how YouTube's algorithm recommends the video to viewers.

Categories are distinct from tags and hashtags. While tags are flexible keywords the creator adds, the category is a fixed selection from YouTube's predefined list, identified by a numeric Category ID (e.g., Gaming = 20, Education = 27).

Single Video
snippet.categoryId = "20"
Category Name
20 = Gaming
Via API
videos?part=snippet

YouTube Categories by RPM - Which Pays the Most?

RPM (Revenue Per Mille) is the most accurate metric for comparing earnings between YouTube categories because it reflects the actual amount creators earn per 1,000 views after YouTube's cut. Here are the top-paying and lowest-paying categories:

#1
Science & Technology
$8 - $18 RPM
Developers, SaaS, and tech review audience attracts premium advertisers
#2
Education
$5 - $15 RPM
Professional skills and certification content has high advertiser demand
#3
Howto & Style
$4 - $12 RPM
DIY and beauty audiences are high-intent buyers
#6
Gaming
$2 - $8 RPM
Large audience but younger demographic with lower advertiser spend
#7
Music
$1 - $4 RPM
Content ID claims and low advertiser targeting options reduce RPM

How to Check a YouTube Video's Category

There are two ways to check a YouTube video's category:

Method 1
Use This Tool (Recommended)
  1. Paste the YouTube video URL above
  2. Click "Check Category"
  3. See category name, ID, and RPM insight instantly
Works for any public YouTube video, including Shorts
Method 2
Via YouTube Studio (Your Own Videos)
  1. Go to YouTube Studio
  2. Click Content in the left menu
  3. Click the pencil icon to edit a video
  4. Scroll to More Options
  5. Find the Category dropdown
Only works for videos on your own channel

How to Change Your YouTube Video Category

You can change the category of any of your YouTube videos at any time through YouTube Studio. Go to YouTube Studio - Content - click the edit pencil on any video - scroll to More Options - find the Category dropdown. YouTube recommends choosing the most specific and accurate category for your content, as it helps the recommendation algorithm place your video in front of the right audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find the category of a YouTube video?

Paste the YouTube video URL into the checker above and click "Check Category." The tool reads the official YouTube category set by the video creator - not a guess or AI classification. You'll get the exact category name and numeric ID instantly.

What are all the YouTube video categories?

YouTube has 15+ official categories: Film & Animation (1), Autos & Vehicles (2), Music (10), Pets & Animals (15), Sports (17), Travel & Events (19), Gaming (20), People & Blogs (22), Comedy (23), Entertainment (24), News & Politics (25), Howto & Style (26), Education (27), Science & Technology (28), and Nonprofits & Activism (29). See the full table above with RPM benchmarks.

Which YouTube category makes the most money?

Science & Technology is the highest-paying official YouTube category at $8-$18 RPM. Education follows at $5-$15, and Howto & Style earns $4-$12. Gaming averages $2-$8 and Music is the lowest at $1-$4 RPM. Finance content (not a standard category) typically earns the most at $12-$45 RPM.

Does YouTube category affect views and recommendations?

Yes. YouTube uses your selected category as one of many signals to determine which viewers to recommend your video to. Choosing the wrong category - for example, setting a gaming tutorial as Entertainment - may limit your reach to the specific audience most likely to engage with your content.

Can I check a YouTube channel's category in bulk?

Yes. Click Channel Bulk at the top of this tool, enter any YouTube channel URL or @handle, and select the last 5, 10, or 25 videos to analyze. You'll see a full category breakdown with confidence percentages and a video-by-video table.

What is the YouTube category ID for Gaming?

The YouTube category ID for Gaming is 20. Other common IDs: Music = 10, Education = 27, Science & Technology = 28, Entertainment = 24. You can verify any video's category using the YouTube Data API with videos?part=snippet&id=VIDEO_ID and reading the categoryId field.

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