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"2024 Approved Starting Out on YouTube - Top Gear Essentials"
Starting Out on YouTube - Top Gear Essentials
YouTube Equipment Starter Guide For Beginners
Sumia Rafique
Feb 19, 2024• Proven solutions
If you want to start creating videos and uploading them onto YouTube, you’ll need to have access to some basic equipment. This guide will go over everything you’ll need to be a YouTuber.
Part 1: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA
The best camera for beginners is the one you already have. Most smartphones these days already come equipped with a powerful camera that can record HD videos. If you still want to add a camera to your equipment list as a beginner YouTuber, you should look for a camera with the following eight qualities:
What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuber
1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)
2. Good continual auto focus while recording video
3. Good focus priority through face recognition
4. Touch to focus
5. Good low-light performance
6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket
7. optical image stabilization
8. good battery life
Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.
Best Cheap Vlogging Cameras
Below are the best cheap vlogging cameras that you can get for under $500. They all record at least 1080p HD video and all but the Sony Alpha a5100 come with optical image stabilization (if you want OIS with the Sony a5100, you’ll have it get it in the lens).
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | 4K | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yi 4KAction Camera |  |
February2017 | Action Camera | No | Yes | $169 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixA900 |  |
February2016 | Compact | Flip Up | Yes | $399 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixB500 |  |
February2016 | SLR-like (bridge) | Tilting | No | $250 (MSRP) |
| PolaroidCube+ |  |
June2015 | Action Camera | No | No | $99 (MSRP) |
| SonyAlphaa5100 |  |
August2014 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $450 (MSRP) |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $100: Polaroid Cube+ Even before GoPro released their GoPro Session, Polaroid was the first to come out with a 1.4-inch, cube-shaped action camera, small enough to mount on a bike or a helmet. This camera has built-in magnets so that you can attach them to metal surfaces. This action camera is water-resistant, shock-proof, and weather-proof. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps with its wide-angle lens. You can connect this camera with your phone to preview and take your shots. |
|---|---|
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $200: Yi 4K At $200, you can record 4K videos with the Yi 4K action camera. Like many other action cameras, this camera is small, durable, and shoots through a wide-angle lens. You won’t be able to take this camera underwater though because it isn’t waterproof. You’ll need to buy the right accessories for that. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $300: Nikon B500 The Nikon B500 gives you a non-interchangeable zoom lens so that you have more control over how you compose your shots. This camera records full HD 1080p videos at either 30 or 25 fps. You can only set its ISO as high as 3200, so it’s not going to perform the best in low-light conditions. The tilting LCD screen does not have touchscreen and cannot be fully flipped up or flipped to the side, it only tilts. For a camera in its price range, the Nikon B500 offers a lot of features. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $400: Nikon A900 The Nikon A900 not only comes with a non-interchangeable zoom lens, but it can also record videos in UHD 4K quality. Like the Nikon B500, the A900’s ISO goes only up to 3200, making it a weak performer in poorly lit conditions. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $500: Sony a5100 Among the cameras listed in our top cheap cameras list, the Sony a5100 is the only one you can interchange lenses with. All Sony E-mount lenses are compatible with this camera. This camera can record up to 1080p videos at 60 fps. Out of all of the above top cheap cameras, this one also auto focuses the best. |
Best Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras
If you have a bigger budget to work with, the following vlogging cameras are great options:
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | Mic Port | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CanonEOSM50 |  |
February2018 | Mirrorless | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOSM100 |  |
August2017 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelSL2 |  |
June2017 | Compact SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelT7i |  |
February2017 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOS80D |  |
February2016 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $$ |
|
Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon M100 is a small and powerful camera that can shoot full HD (1080p) videos up to 60 fps. The touchscreen LCD of this camera flips up so that you can see yourself as you vlog in selfie mode. |
|---|---|
|
Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps. You can also record 120 fps slow-motion videos at 720p. Unlike the M100, which only has a flip up screen, the M50 has a fully articulated screen, so you can use this camera in selfie mode, all while using an on-camera shotgun microphone attached to the camera hot/cold shoe. |
|
Best DSLR camera for daily vlogging: Canon EOS T7i The Canon EOS T7i is a great DSLR camera for daily vlogging. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps, it can create HDR and time-lapse movies, and it also has a fully articulated screen. |
|
Best entry-level DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS SL2 The Canon EOS SL2 delivers a lot of power at a low price. This DSLR camera can capture full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps. |
|
Best mid-range DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS 80D The Canon 80D is an exceptional mid-range DSLR vlogging camera with many features. Coming with a 45-point all cross phase detection autofocusing and a dual pixel CMOS AF system, the camera is great at finding the right focus while recording video. |
Part 2: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS
A lot of compact cameras already come with the lens as a part of the camera body. When it comes to these kinds of cameras, you won’t have to worry about which lens is right for you since the decision has already been made for you!
When you start looking into bigger cameras, though, you’ll have to think about which lens you want to shoot with.
The Wide-Angle Lens
Every YouTuber should have a wide-angle lens. With this kind of lens, you can fit much more of a scene into your camera frame, including your own face when you’re just an arm’s length away from your camera. This is especially important for YouTubers because most YouTubers have to operate their camera on their own, without the assistance of an additional camera person.
Optical Image Stabilization
You should also look for a lens with optical image stabilization if you’re shooting a lot of your YouTube videos handheld.
For more information on camera lenses, check out my Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses .
Part 3: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD
 |
Tripod If you plan to film yourself talking in front of the same, unchanging background for an extended period of time, it doesn’t make sense to film yourself handheld the entire time. You’ll just end up tiring your arm out and adding distracting shakiness to your footage. A tripod is a great solution to this problem. You can set up your framing once, press record, and leave your camera in its fixed position while you talk with both hands free. |
|---|---|
 |
Joby GorillaPod With Ballhead When you film yourself handheld, it’s difficult to keep your arm higher up so that your camera shoots down at an ideal angle. You may also notice that a lot of your arm gets into your shot, which you and other viewers might find distracting. Holding your camera up by a GorillaPod, however, can give you the extension you need to get that higher angle shot more easily, all without so much of your arm getting into your shot. |
Part 4: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE
Most vlogging cameras come with a built-in microphone that gets the job done. If you want higher quality audio recordings, though, you should check out the following list of top microphones.
| Top Condenser Mics For Music and Singing | Top Condenser Mics For Voiceovers-Podcasts, Interviews | Top On-Camera Shotgun Mics | Top Shotgun Mics | Top Low-Profile Lavalier Mics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio-Technica AT2035 Rode NT1-A AKG C214 | Apogee Mic 96K Blue Yeti Rode NT-USB Blue Snowball Audio-Technica AT2020 Rode Procaster | Rode VideoMic Go Shure VP83 Rode VideoMic Pro+ Sennheiser MKE 440 | Rode NTG-3 Audio-Technica AT4053B Sennheiser MKH416 | Rode SmartLav+ Audio-Technica ATR3350iS Sennheiser ME2 |
To read more about each of these microphones, check out our post on The 19 Best YouTube Microphones 2018 – Options for Music, Voiceovers, Vlogging, and more!
Part 5: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES
Using your smartphone’s camera to film your YouTube videos is a great idea since it’s light, portable, and most likely always with you. The following six smartphone accessories can help you make better YouTube videos:
- Arkon Tripod Mount
- FLII Selfie Ring Light
- RODE VideoMic Me
- Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
- iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
- Manfrotto TwistGrip System
Read about each one of these items and more in The 9 Best Smartphone Camera Accessories For Vloggers .
Part 6: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT
Lighting for home living and lighting for filming is very different. If you try to make use of just the lights you have at home, you may find that your footage is too dark, grainy, and orange-tinted.
The solution to this problem is getting additional video lighting equipment with daytime light bulbs.
 |
Daytime Light Bulbs Your home is most likely lit with incandescent light bulbs that illuminate orange-tinted light. You can remove those light bulbs and replace them with daytime light bulbs that illuminate more of a white colored light. |
|---|---|
 |
On-Camera LED Light If you need more light just in front of the camera and you need this light to be portable, LED lights that attach to your camera’s hot/cold shoe will do the job. |
 |
LED Ring Light If you need more light just in front of the camera, you don’t have a lot of space, and you don’t need this light to be small and portable, an LED ring light is the best piece of equipment for you. You can position your camera inside the circular space of the ring light. This kind of light also gives your eyes the circular shaped highlight that many people like to see. |
 |
Softbox Video Light If you need more light and have more space, another piece of lighting equipment good for beginners is a softbox video light. |
 |
Umbrella Video Light Umbrella video lights are very portable and affordable. The direction of the light from umbrella lights are more difficult to control than the light from softbox video lights. |
If you’re looking for recommendations on which piece of lighting equipment to buy, check out my list of the Top 17 Video Lighting Equipment For YouTubers .
Part 7: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER
After you’ve recorded all your footage, you’ll need a computer to edit your video clips together. You can perform basic video editing tasks and upload your video onto YouTube with any computer less than ten years old.
Laptop computers are popular among YouTubers because their portability allows you to work on your videos from anywhere. This way, you can finish and upload your videos more frequently, which is another important part of being a YouTuber.
The following three laptop computers handle video editing very well:
- MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
- Dell XPS 15
- Microsoft Surface Book 2
Read more about these laptop computers for 4K video editing in The Best Laptops for 4K Video Editing .
Part 8: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE
| FREE VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES | PAID VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES |
|---|---|
| OpenShot Video Editor (Windows, Mac, Linux) ShotCut (Windows, Mac, Linux) Hitfilm Express (Windows, Mac) VideoPad Video Editor (Windows) Lightworks (Windows, Mac, Linux) VSDC Video Editor (Windows) Machete Video Editor Lite (Windows) Avidemux (Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD) Read more about each of these softwares in our post about The Best Free Video Editing Software for YouTube . | Filmora Video Editor (Windows, Mac) - $40 one year license, $79.99 perpetual license. Free trial Final Cut Pro (Mac) - $299.99, Free trial Vegas Movie Studio (Windows) - $49.99 |
YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO
Music Libraries
Music is an important part of YouTube video creation. Here’s where you can get access to music:
| ROYALTY-FREE MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID SUBSCRIPTION MUSIC LIBRARIES |
|---|---|---|
| Audionautix Bensound dig.ccMixter Free Music Archive Free Stock Music Incompetech Josh Woodward Moby Gratis Musopen Purple Planet Music TeknoAXE YouTube Audio Library | Premium Beat Audio Jungle | Audio Network Audio Blocks Epidemic Sound |
Sound Effects
Free Sound Effect Sites
- Filmstock Sound Effects
- Freesound
- PacDV
- Sound Bible
- Sound Gator
- Sounds Crate
- Zapsplat
Sumia Rafique
Sumia Rafique is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Sumia Rafique
Sumia Rafique
Feb 19, 2024• Proven solutions
If you want to start creating videos and uploading them onto YouTube, you’ll need to have access to some basic equipment. This guide will go over everything you’ll need to be a YouTuber.
Part 1: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA
The best camera for beginners is the one you already have. Most smartphones these days already come equipped with a powerful camera that can record HD videos. If you still want to add a camera to your equipment list as a beginner YouTuber, you should look for a camera with the following eight qualities:
What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuber
1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)
2. Good continual auto focus while recording video
3. Good focus priority through face recognition
4. Touch to focus
5. Good low-light performance
6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket
7. optical image stabilization
8. good battery life
Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.
Best Cheap Vlogging Cameras
Below are the best cheap vlogging cameras that you can get for under $500. They all record at least 1080p HD video and all but the Sony Alpha a5100 come with optical image stabilization (if you want OIS with the Sony a5100, you’ll have it get it in the lens).
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | 4K | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yi 4KAction Camera | |
February2017 | Action Camera | No | Yes | $169 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixA900 | |
February2016 | Compact | Flip Up | Yes | $399 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixB500 | |
February2016 | SLR-like (bridge) | Tilting | No | $250 (MSRP) |
| PolaroidCube+ | |
June2015 | Action Camera | No | No | $99 (MSRP) |
| SonyAlphaa5100 | |
August2014 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $450 (MSRP) |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $100: Polaroid Cube+ Even before GoPro released their GoPro Session, Polaroid was the first to come out with a 1.4-inch, cube-shaped action camera, small enough to mount on a bike or a helmet. This camera has built-in magnets so that you can attach them to metal surfaces. This action camera is water-resistant, shock-proof, and weather-proof. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps with its wide-angle lens. You can connect this camera with your phone to preview and take your shots. |
|---|---|
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $200: Yi 4K At $200, you can record 4K videos with the Yi 4K action camera. Like many other action cameras, this camera is small, durable, and shoots through a wide-angle lens. You won’t be able to take this camera underwater though because it isn’t waterproof. You’ll need to buy the right accessories for that. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $300: Nikon B500 The Nikon B500 gives you a non-interchangeable zoom lens so that you have more control over how you compose your shots. This camera records full HD 1080p videos at either 30 or 25 fps. You can only set its ISO as high as 3200, so it’s not going to perform the best in low-light conditions. The tilting LCD screen does not have touchscreen and cannot be fully flipped up or flipped to the side, it only tilts. For a camera in its price range, the Nikon B500 offers a lot of features. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $400: Nikon A900 The Nikon A900 not only comes with a non-interchangeable zoom lens, but it can also record videos in UHD 4K quality. Like the Nikon B500, the A900’s ISO goes only up to 3200, making it a weak performer in poorly lit conditions. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $500: Sony a5100 Among the cameras listed in our top cheap cameras list, the Sony a5100 is the only one you can interchange lenses with. All Sony E-mount lenses are compatible with this camera. This camera can record up to 1080p videos at 60 fps. Out of all of the above top cheap cameras, this one also auto focuses the best. |
Best Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras
If you have a bigger budget to work with, the following vlogging cameras are great options:
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | Mic Port | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CanonEOSM50 | |
February2018 | Mirrorless | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOSM100 | |
August2017 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelSL2 | |
June2017 | Compact SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelT7i | |
February2017 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOS80D | |
February2016 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $$ |
|
Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon M100 is a small and powerful camera that can shoot full HD (1080p) videos up to 60 fps. The touchscreen LCD of this camera flips up so that you can see yourself as you vlog in selfie mode. |
|---|---|
|
Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps. You can also record 120 fps slow-motion videos at 720p. Unlike the M100, which only has a flip up screen, the M50 has a fully articulated screen, so you can use this camera in selfie mode, all while using an on-camera shotgun microphone attached to the camera hot/cold shoe. |
|
Best DSLR camera for daily vlogging: Canon EOS T7i The Canon EOS T7i is a great DSLR camera for daily vlogging. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps, it can create HDR and time-lapse movies, and it also has a fully articulated screen. |
|
Best entry-level DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS SL2 The Canon EOS SL2 delivers a lot of power at a low price. This DSLR camera can capture full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps. |
|
Best mid-range DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS 80D The Canon 80D is an exceptional mid-range DSLR vlogging camera with many features. Coming with a 45-point all cross phase detection autofocusing and a dual pixel CMOS AF system, the camera is great at finding the right focus while recording video. |
Part 2: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS
A lot of compact cameras already come with the lens as a part of the camera body. When it comes to these kinds of cameras, you won’t have to worry about which lens is right for you since the decision has already been made for you!
When you start looking into bigger cameras, though, you’ll have to think about which lens you want to shoot with.
The Wide-Angle Lens
Every YouTuber should have a wide-angle lens. With this kind of lens, you can fit much more of a scene into your camera frame, including your own face when you’re just an arm’s length away from your camera. This is especially important for YouTubers because most YouTubers have to operate their camera on their own, without the assistance of an additional camera person.
Optical Image Stabilization
You should also look for a lens with optical image stabilization if you’re shooting a lot of your YouTube videos handheld.
For more information on camera lenses, check out my Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses .
Part 3: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD
|
Tripod If you plan to film yourself talking in front of the same, unchanging background for an extended period of time, it doesn’t make sense to film yourself handheld the entire time. You’ll just end up tiring your arm out and adding distracting shakiness to your footage. A tripod is a great solution to this problem. You can set up your framing once, press record, and leave your camera in its fixed position while you talk with both hands free. |
|---|---|
|
Joby GorillaPod With Ballhead When you film yourself handheld, it’s difficult to keep your arm higher up so that your camera shoots down at an ideal angle. You may also notice that a lot of your arm gets into your shot, which you and other viewers might find distracting. Holding your camera up by a GorillaPod, however, can give you the extension you need to get that higher angle shot more easily, all without so much of your arm getting into your shot. |
Part 4: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE
Most vlogging cameras come with a built-in microphone that gets the job done. If you want higher quality audio recordings, though, you should check out the following list of top microphones.
| Top Condenser Mics For Music and Singing | Top Condenser Mics For Voiceovers-Podcasts, Interviews | Top On-Camera Shotgun Mics | Top Shotgun Mics | Top Low-Profile Lavalier Mics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio-Technica AT2035 Rode NT1-A AKG C214 | Apogee Mic 96K Blue Yeti Rode NT-USB Blue Snowball Audio-Technica AT2020 Rode Procaster | Rode VideoMic Go Shure VP83 Rode VideoMic Pro+ Sennheiser MKE 440 | Rode NTG-3 Audio-Technica AT4053B Sennheiser MKH416 | Rode SmartLav+ Audio-Technica ATR3350iS Sennheiser ME2 |
To read more about each of these microphones, check out our post on The 19 Best YouTube Microphones 2018 – Options for Music, Voiceovers, Vlogging, and more!
Part 5: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES
Using your smartphone’s camera to film your YouTube videos is a great idea since it’s light, portable, and most likely always with you. The following six smartphone accessories can help you make better YouTube videos:
- Arkon Tripod Mount
- FLII Selfie Ring Light
- RODE VideoMic Me
- Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
- iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
- Manfrotto TwistGrip System
Read about each one of these items and more in The 9 Best Smartphone Camera Accessories For Vloggers .
Part 6: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT
Lighting for home living and lighting for filming is very different. If you try to make use of just the lights you have at home, you may find that your footage is too dark, grainy, and orange-tinted.
The solution to this problem is getting additional video lighting equipment with daytime light bulbs.
|
Daytime Light Bulbs Your home is most likely lit with incandescent light bulbs that illuminate orange-tinted light. You can remove those light bulbs and replace them with daytime light bulbs that illuminate more of a white colored light. |
|---|---|
|
On-Camera LED Light If you need more light just in front of the camera and you need this light to be portable, LED lights that attach to your camera’s hot/cold shoe will do the job. |
|
LED Ring Light If you need more light just in front of the camera, you don’t have a lot of space, and you don’t need this light to be small and portable, an LED ring light is the best piece of equipment for you. You can position your camera inside the circular space of the ring light. This kind of light also gives your eyes the circular shaped highlight that many people like to see. |
|
Softbox Video Light If you need more light and have more space, another piece of lighting equipment good for beginners is a softbox video light. |
|
Umbrella Video Light Umbrella video lights are very portable and affordable. The direction of the light from umbrella lights are more difficult to control than the light from softbox video lights. |
If you’re looking for recommendations on which piece of lighting equipment to buy, check out my list of the Top 17 Video Lighting Equipment For YouTubers .
Part 7: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER
After you’ve recorded all your footage, you’ll need a computer to edit your video clips together. You can perform basic video editing tasks and upload your video onto YouTube with any computer less than ten years old.
Laptop computers are popular among YouTubers because their portability allows you to work on your videos from anywhere. This way, you can finish and upload your videos more frequently, which is another important part of being a YouTuber.
The following three laptop computers handle video editing very well:
- MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
- Dell XPS 15
- Microsoft Surface Book 2
Read more about these laptop computers for 4K video editing in The Best Laptops for 4K Video Editing .
Part 8: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE
| FREE VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES | PAID VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES |
|---|---|
| OpenShot Video Editor (Windows, Mac, Linux) ShotCut (Windows, Mac, Linux) Hitfilm Express (Windows, Mac) VideoPad Video Editor (Windows) Lightworks (Windows, Mac, Linux) VSDC Video Editor (Windows) Machete Video Editor Lite (Windows) Avidemux (Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD) Read more about each of these softwares in our post about The Best Free Video Editing Software for YouTube . | Filmora Video Editor (Windows, Mac) - $40 one year license, $79.99 perpetual license. Free trial Final Cut Pro (Mac) - $299.99, Free trial Vegas Movie Studio (Windows) - $49.99 |
YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO
Music Libraries
Music is an important part of YouTube video creation. Here’s where you can get access to music:
| ROYALTY-FREE MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID SUBSCRIPTION MUSIC LIBRARIES |
|---|---|---|
| Audionautix Bensound dig.ccMixter Free Music Archive Free Stock Music Incompetech Josh Woodward Moby Gratis Musopen Purple Planet Music TeknoAXE YouTube Audio Library | Premium Beat Audio Jungle | Audio Network Audio Blocks Epidemic Sound |
Sound Effects
Free Sound Effect Sites
- Filmstock Sound Effects
- Freesound
- PacDV
- Sound Bible
- Sound Gator
- Sounds Crate
- Zapsplat
Sumia Rafique
Sumia Rafique is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Sumia Rafique
Sumia Rafique
Feb 19, 2024• Proven solutions
If you want to start creating videos and uploading them onto YouTube, you’ll need to have access to some basic equipment. This guide will go over everything you’ll need to be a YouTuber.
Part 1: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA
The best camera for beginners is the one you already have. Most smartphones these days already come equipped with a powerful camera that can record HD videos. If you still want to add a camera to your equipment list as a beginner YouTuber, you should look for a camera with the following eight qualities:
What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuber
1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)
2. Good continual auto focus while recording video
3. Good focus priority through face recognition
4. Touch to focus
5. Good low-light performance
6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket
7. optical image stabilization
8. good battery life
Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.
Best Cheap Vlogging Cameras
Below are the best cheap vlogging cameras that you can get for under $500. They all record at least 1080p HD video and all but the Sony Alpha a5100 come with optical image stabilization (if you want OIS with the Sony a5100, you’ll have it get it in the lens).
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | 4K | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yi 4KAction Camera | |
February2017 | Action Camera | No | Yes | $169 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixA900 | |
February2016 | Compact | Flip Up | Yes | $399 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixB500 | |
February2016 | SLR-like (bridge) | Tilting | No | $250 (MSRP) |
| PolaroidCube+ | |
June2015 | Action Camera | No | No | $99 (MSRP) |
| SonyAlphaa5100 | |
August2014 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $450 (MSRP) |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $100: Polaroid Cube+ Even before GoPro released their GoPro Session, Polaroid was the first to come out with a 1.4-inch, cube-shaped action camera, small enough to mount on a bike or a helmet. This camera has built-in magnets so that you can attach them to metal surfaces. This action camera is water-resistant, shock-proof, and weather-proof. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps with its wide-angle lens. You can connect this camera with your phone to preview and take your shots. |
|---|---|
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $200: Yi 4K At $200, you can record 4K videos with the Yi 4K action camera. Like many other action cameras, this camera is small, durable, and shoots through a wide-angle lens. You won’t be able to take this camera underwater though because it isn’t waterproof. You’ll need to buy the right accessories for that. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $300: Nikon B500 The Nikon B500 gives you a non-interchangeable zoom lens so that you have more control over how you compose your shots. This camera records full HD 1080p videos at either 30 or 25 fps. You can only set its ISO as high as 3200, so it’s not going to perform the best in low-light conditions. The tilting LCD screen does not have touchscreen and cannot be fully flipped up or flipped to the side, it only tilts. For a camera in its price range, the Nikon B500 offers a lot of features. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $400: Nikon A900 The Nikon A900 not only comes with a non-interchangeable zoom lens, but it can also record videos in UHD 4K quality. Like the Nikon B500, the A900’s ISO goes only up to 3200, making it a weak performer in poorly lit conditions. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $500: Sony a5100 Among the cameras listed in our top cheap cameras list, the Sony a5100 is the only one you can interchange lenses with. All Sony E-mount lenses are compatible with this camera. This camera can record up to 1080p videos at 60 fps. Out of all of the above top cheap cameras, this one also auto focuses the best. |
Best Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras
If you have a bigger budget to work with, the following vlogging cameras are great options:
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | Mic Port | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CanonEOSM50 | |
February2018 | Mirrorless | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOSM100 | |
August2017 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelSL2 | |
June2017 | Compact SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelT7i | |
February2017 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOS80D | |
February2016 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $$ |
|
Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon M100 is a small and powerful camera that can shoot full HD (1080p) videos up to 60 fps. The touchscreen LCD of this camera flips up so that you can see yourself as you vlog in selfie mode. |
|---|---|
|
Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps. You can also record 120 fps slow-motion videos at 720p. Unlike the M100, which only has a flip up screen, the M50 has a fully articulated screen, so you can use this camera in selfie mode, all while using an on-camera shotgun microphone attached to the camera hot/cold shoe. |
|
Best DSLR camera for daily vlogging: Canon EOS T7i The Canon EOS T7i is a great DSLR camera for daily vlogging. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps, it can create HDR and time-lapse movies, and it also has a fully articulated screen. |
|
Best entry-level DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS SL2 The Canon EOS SL2 delivers a lot of power at a low price. This DSLR camera can capture full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps. |
|
Best mid-range DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS 80D The Canon 80D is an exceptional mid-range DSLR vlogging camera with many features. Coming with a 45-point all cross phase detection autofocusing and a dual pixel CMOS AF system, the camera is great at finding the right focus while recording video. |
Part 2: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS
A lot of compact cameras already come with the lens as a part of the camera body. When it comes to these kinds of cameras, you won’t have to worry about which lens is right for you since the decision has already been made for you!
When you start looking into bigger cameras, though, you’ll have to think about which lens you want to shoot with.
The Wide-Angle Lens
Every YouTuber should have a wide-angle lens. With this kind of lens, you can fit much more of a scene into your camera frame, including your own face when you’re just an arm’s length away from your camera. This is especially important for YouTubers because most YouTubers have to operate their camera on their own, without the assistance of an additional camera person.
Optical Image Stabilization
You should also look for a lens with optical image stabilization if you’re shooting a lot of your YouTube videos handheld.
For more information on camera lenses, check out my Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses .
Part 3: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD
|
Tripod If you plan to film yourself talking in front of the same, unchanging background for an extended period of time, it doesn’t make sense to film yourself handheld the entire time. You’ll just end up tiring your arm out and adding distracting shakiness to your footage. A tripod is a great solution to this problem. You can set up your framing once, press record, and leave your camera in its fixed position while you talk with both hands free. |
|---|---|
|
Joby GorillaPod With Ballhead When you film yourself handheld, it’s difficult to keep your arm higher up so that your camera shoots down at an ideal angle. You may also notice that a lot of your arm gets into your shot, which you and other viewers might find distracting. Holding your camera up by a GorillaPod, however, can give you the extension you need to get that higher angle shot more easily, all without so much of your arm getting into your shot. |
Part 4: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE
Most vlogging cameras come with a built-in microphone that gets the job done. If you want higher quality audio recordings, though, you should check out the following list of top microphones.
| Top Condenser Mics For Music and Singing | Top Condenser Mics For Voiceovers-Podcasts, Interviews | Top On-Camera Shotgun Mics | Top Shotgun Mics | Top Low-Profile Lavalier Mics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio-Technica AT2035 Rode NT1-A AKG C214 | Apogee Mic 96K Blue Yeti Rode NT-USB Blue Snowball Audio-Technica AT2020 Rode Procaster | Rode VideoMic Go Shure VP83 Rode VideoMic Pro+ Sennheiser MKE 440 | Rode NTG-3 Audio-Technica AT4053B Sennheiser MKH416 | Rode SmartLav+ Audio-Technica ATR3350iS Sennheiser ME2 |
To read more about each of these microphones, check out our post on The 19 Best YouTube Microphones 2018 – Options for Music, Voiceovers, Vlogging, and more!
Part 5: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES
Using your smartphone’s camera to film your YouTube videos is a great idea since it’s light, portable, and most likely always with you. The following six smartphone accessories can help you make better YouTube videos:
- Arkon Tripod Mount
- FLII Selfie Ring Light
- RODE VideoMic Me
- Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
- iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
- Manfrotto TwistGrip System
Read about each one of these items and more in The 9 Best Smartphone Camera Accessories For Vloggers .
Part 6: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT
Lighting for home living and lighting for filming is very different. If you try to make use of just the lights you have at home, you may find that your footage is too dark, grainy, and orange-tinted.
The solution to this problem is getting additional video lighting equipment with daytime light bulbs.
|
Daytime Light Bulbs Your home is most likely lit with incandescent light bulbs that illuminate orange-tinted light. You can remove those light bulbs and replace them with daytime light bulbs that illuminate more of a white colored light. |
|---|---|
|
On-Camera LED Light If you need more light just in front of the camera and you need this light to be portable, LED lights that attach to your camera’s hot/cold shoe will do the job. |
|
LED Ring Light If you need more light just in front of the camera, you don’t have a lot of space, and you don’t need this light to be small and portable, an LED ring light is the best piece of equipment for you. You can position your camera inside the circular space of the ring light. This kind of light also gives your eyes the circular shaped highlight that many people like to see. |
|
Softbox Video Light If you need more light and have more space, another piece of lighting equipment good for beginners is a softbox video light. |
|
Umbrella Video Light Umbrella video lights are very portable and affordable. The direction of the light from umbrella lights are more difficult to control than the light from softbox video lights. |
If you’re looking for recommendations on which piece of lighting equipment to buy, check out my list of the Top 17 Video Lighting Equipment For YouTubers .
Part 7: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER
After you’ve recorded all your footage, you’ll need a computer to edit your video clips together. You can perform basic video editing tasks and upload your video onto YouTube with any computer less than ten years old.
Laptop computers are popular among YouTubers because their portability allows you to work on your videos from anywhere. This way, you can finish and upload your videos more frequently, which is another important part of being a YouTuber.
The following three laptop computers handle video editing very well:
- MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
- Dell XPS 15
- Microsoft Surface Book 2
Read more about these laptop computers for 4K video editing in The Best Laptops for 4K Video Editing .
Part 8: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE
| FREE VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES | PAID VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES |
|---|---|
| OpenShot Video Editor (Windows, Mac, Linux) ShotCut (Windows, Mac, Linux) Hitfilm Express (Windows, Mac) VideoPad Video Editor (Windows) Lightworks (Windows, Mac, Linux) VSDC Video Editor (Windows) Machete Video Editor Lite (Windows) Avidemux (Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD) Read more about each of these softwares in our post about The Best Free Video Editing Software for YouTube . | Filmora Video Editor (Windows, Mac) - $40 one year license, $79.99 perpetual license. Free trial Final Cut Pro (Mac) - $299.99, Free trial Vegas Movie Studio (Windows) - $49.99 |
YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO
Music Libraries
Music is an important part of YouTube video creation. Here’s where you can get access to music:
| ROYALTY-FREE MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID SUBSCRIPTION MUSIC LIBRARIES |
|---|---|---|
| Audionautix Bensound dig.ccMixter Free Music Archive Free Stock Music Incompetech Josh Woodward Moby Gratis Musopen Purple Planet Music TeknoAXE YouTube Audio Library | Premium Beat Audio Jungle | Audio Network Audio Blocks Epidemic Sound |
Sound Effects
Free Sound Effect Sites
- Filmstock Sound Effects
- Freesound
- PacDV
- Sound Bible
- Sound Gator
- Sounds Crate
- Zapsplat
Sumia Rafique
Sumia Rafique is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Sumia Rafique
Sumia Rafique
Feb 19, 2024• Proven solutions
If you want to start creating videos and uploading them onto YouTube, you’ll need to have access to some basic equipment. This guide will go over everything you’ll need to be a YouTuber.
Part 1: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA
The best camera for beginners is the one you already have. Most smartphones these days already come equipped with a powerful camera that can record HD videos. If you still want to add a camera to your equipment list as a beginner YouTuber, you should look for a camera with the following eight qualities:
What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuber
1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)
2. Good continual auto focus while recording video
3. Good focus priority through face recognition
4. Touch to focus
5. Good low-light performance
6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket
7. optical image stabilization
8. good battery life
Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.
Best Cheap Vlogging Cameras
Below are the best cheap vlogging cameras that you can get for under $500. They all record at least 1080p HD video and all but the Sony Alpha a5100 come with optical image stabilization (if you want OIS with the Sony a5100, you’ll have it get it in the lens).
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | 4K | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yi 4KAction Camera | |
February2017 | Action Camera | No | Yes | $169 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixA900 | |
February2016 | Compact | Flip Up | Yes | $399 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixB500 | |
February2016 | SLR-like (bridge) | Tilting | No | $250 (MSRP) |
| PolaroidCube+ | |
June2015 | Action Camera | No | No | $99 (MSRP) |
| SonyAlphaa5100 | |
August2014 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $450 (MSRP) |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $100: Polaroid Cube+ Even before GoPro released their GoPro Session, Polaroid was the first to come out with a 1.4-inch, cube-shaped action camera, small enough to mount on a bike or a helmet. This camera has built-in magnets so that you can attach them to metal surfaces. This action camera is water-resistant, shock-proof, and weather-proof. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps with its wide-angle lens. You can connect this camera with your phone to preview and take your shots. |
|---|---|
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $200: Yi 4K At $200, you can record 4K videos with the Yi 4K action camera. Like many other action cameras, this camera is small, durable, and shoots through a wide-angle lens. You won’t be able to take this camera underwater though because it isn’t waterproof. You’ll need to buy the right accessories for that. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $300: Nikon B500 The Nikon B500 gives you a non-interchangeable zoom lens so that you have more control over how you compose your shots. This camera records full HD 1080p videos at either 30 or 25 fps. You can only set its ISO as high as 3200, so it’s not going to perform the best in low-light conditions. The tilting LCD screen does not have touchscreen and cannot be fully flipped up or flipped to the side, it only tilts. For a camera in its price range, the Nikon B500 offers a lot of features. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $400: Nikon A900 The Nikon A900 not only comes with a non-interchangeable zoom lens, but it can also record videos in UHD 4K quality. Like the Nikon B500, the A900’s ISO goes only up to 3200, making it a weak performer in poorly lit conditions. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $500: Sony a5100 Among the cameras listed in our top cheap cameras list, the Sony a5100 is the only one you can interchange lenses with. All Sony E-mount lenses are compatible with this camera. This camera can record up to 1080p videos at 60 fps. Out of all of the above top cheap cameras, this one also auto focuses the best. |
Best Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras
If you have a bigger budget to work with, the following vlogging cameras are great options:
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | Mic Port | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CanonEOSM50 | |
February2018 | Mirrorless | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOSM100 | |
August2017 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelSL2 | |
June2017 | Compact SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelT7i | |
February2017 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOS80D | |
February2016 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $$ |
|
Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon M100 is a small and powerful camera that can shoot full HD (1080p) videos up to 60 fps. The touchscreen LCD of this camera flips up so that you can see yourself as you vlog in selfie mode. |
|---|---|
|
Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps. You can also record 120 fps slow-motion videos at 720p. Unlike the M100, which only has a flip up screen, the M50 has a fully articulated screen, so you can use this camera in selfie mode, all while using an on-camera shotgun microphone attached to the camera hot/cold shoe. |
|
Best DSLR camera for daily vlogging: Canon EOS T7i The Canon EOS T7i is a great DSLR camera for daily vlogging. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps, it can create HDR and time-lapse movies, and it also has a fully articulated screen. |
|
Best entry-level DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS SL2 The Canon EOS SL2 delivers a lot of power at a low price. This DSLR camera can capture full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps. |
|
Best mid-range DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS 80D The Canon 80D is an exceptional mid-range DSLR vlogging camera with many features. Coming with a 45-point all cross phase detection autofocusing and a dual pixel CMOS AF system, the camera is great at finding the right focus while recording video. |
Part 2: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS
A lot of compact cameras already come with the lens as a part of the camera body. When it comes to these kinds of cameras, you won’t have to worry about which lens is right for you since the decision has already been made for you!
When you start looking into bigger cameras, though, you’ll have to think about which lens you want to shoot with.
The Wide-Angle Lens
Every YouTuber should have a wide-angle lens. With this kind of lens, you can fit much more of a scene into your camera frame, including your own face when you’re just an arm’s length away from your camera. This is especially important for YouTubers because most YouTubers have to operate their camera on their own, without the assistance of an additional camera person.
Optical Image Stabilization
You should also look for a lens with optical image stabilization if you’re shooting a lot of your YouTube videos handheld.
For more information on camera lenses, check out my Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses .
Part 3: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD
|
Tripod If you plan to film yourself talking in front of the same, unchanging background for an extended period of time, it doesn’t make sense to film yourself handheld the entire time. You’ll just end up tiring your arm out and adding distracting shakiness to your footage. A tripod is a great solution to this problem. You can set up your framing once, press record, and leave your camera in its fixed position while you talk with both hands free. |
|---|---|
|
Joby GorillaPod With Ballhead When you film yourself handheld, it’s difficult to keep your arm higher up so that your camera shoots down at an ideal angle. You may also notice that a lot of your arm gets into your shot, which you and other viewers might find distracting. Holding your camera up by a GorillaPod, however, can give you the extension you need to get that higher angle shot more easily, all without so much of your arm getting into your shot. |
Part 4: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE
Most vlogging cameras come with a built-in microphone that gets the job done. If you want higher quality audio recordings, though, you should check out the following list of top microphones.
| Top Condenser Mics For Music and Singing | Top Condenser Mics For Voiceovers-Podcasts, Interviews | Top On-Camera Shotgun Mics | Top Shotgun Mics | Top Low-Profile Lavalier Mics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio-Technica AT2035 Rode NT1-A AKG C214 | Apogee Mic 96K Blue Yeti Rode NT-USB Blue Snowball Audio-Technica AT2020 Rode Procaster | Rode VideoMic Go Shure VP83 Rode VideoMic Pro+ Sennheiser MKE 440 | Rode NTG-3 Audio-Technica AT4053B Sennheiser MKH416 | Rode SmartLav+ Audio-Technica ATR3350iS Sennheiser ME2 |
To read more about each of these microphones, check out our post on The 19 Best YouTube Microphones 2018 – Options for Music, Voiceovers, Vlogging, and more!
Part 5: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES
Using your smartphone’s camera to film your YouTube videos is a great idea since it’s light, portable, and most likely always with you. The following six smartphone accessories can help you make better YouTube videos:
- Arkon Tripod Mount
- FLII Selfie Ring Light
- RODE VideoMic Me
- Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
- iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
- Manfrotto TwistGrip System
Read about each one of these items and more in The 9 Best Smartphone Camera Accessories For Vloggers .
Part 6: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT
Lighting for home living and lighting for filming is very different. If you try to make use of just the lights you have at home, you may find that your footage is too dark, grainy, and orange-tinted.
The solution to this problem is getting additional video lighting equipment with daytime light bulbs.
|
Daytime Light Bulbs Your home is most likely lit with incandescent light bulbs that illuminate orange-tinted light. You can remove those light bulbs and replace them with daytime light bulbs that illuminate more of a white colored light. |
|---|---|
|
On-Camera LED Light If you need more light just in front of the camera and you need this light to be portable, LED lights that attach to your camera’s hot/cold shoe will do the job. |
|
LED Ring Light If you need more light just in front of the camera, you don’t have a lot of space, and you don’t need this light to be small and portable, an LED ring light is the best piece of equipment for you. You can position your camera inside the circular space of the ring light. This kind of light also gives your eyes the circular shaped highlight that many people like to see. |
|
Softbox Video Light If you need more light and have more space, another piece of lighting equipment good for beginners is a softbox video light. |
|
Umbrella Video Light Umbrella video lights are very portable and affordable. The direction of the light from umbrella lights are more difficult to control than the light from softbox video lights. |
If you’re looking for recommendations on which piece of lighting equipment to buy, check out my list of the Top 17 Video Lighting Equipment For YouTubers .
Part 7: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER
After you’ve recorded all your footage, you’ll need a computer to edit your video clips together. You can perform basic video editing tasks and upload your video onto YouTube with any computer less than ten years old.
Laptop computers are popular among YouTubers because their portability allows you to work on your videos from anywhere. This way, you can finish and upload your videos more frequently, which is another important part of being a YouTuber.
The following three laptop computers handle video editing very well:
- MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
- Dell XPS 15
- Microsoft Surface Book 2
Read more about these laptop computers for 4K video editing in The Best Laptops for 4K Video Editing .
Part 8: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE
| FREE VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES | PAID VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES |
|---|---|
| OpenShot Video Editor (Windows, Mac, Linux) ShotCut (Windows, Mac, Linux) Hitfilm Express (Windows, Mac) VideoPad Video Editor (Windows) Lightworks (Windows, Mac, Linux) VSDC Video Editor (Windows) Machete Video Editor Lite (Windows) Avidemux (Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD) Read more about each of these softwares in our post about The Best Free Video Editing Software for YouTube . | Filmora Video Editor (Windows, Mac) - $40 one year license, $79.99 perpetual license. Free trial Final Cut Pro (Mac) - $299.99, Free trial Vegas Movie Studio (Windows) - $49.99 |
YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO
Music Libraries
Music is an important part of YouTube video creation. Here’s where you can get access to music:
| ROYALTY-FREE MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID SUBSCRIPTION MUSIC LIBRARIES |
|---|---|---|
| Audionautix Bensound dig.ccMixter Free Music Archive Free Stock Music Incompetech Josh Woodward Moby Gratis Musopen Purple Planet Music TeknoAXE YouTube Audio Library | Premium Beat Audio Jungle | Audio Network Audio Blocks Epidemic Sound |
Sound Effects
Free Sound Effect Sites
- Filmstock Sound Effects
- Freesound
- PacDV
- Sound Bible
- Sound Gator
- Sounds Crate
- Zapsplat
Sumia Rafique
Sumia Rafique is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Sumia Rafique
Free Tribe: 50 Branding Banners Ready to Unleash
50 FREE YouTube Banners - Come See Them All
Liza Brown
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
Having an attractive banner for your YouTube channel is important if you want to show the world you’re a serious creator. At filmora.io we want to help with every step of your YouTube journey, so we created 50 YouTube channel art templates which you can download for free here.
Click here to download 50 free YouTube banners, or keep reading to see them all!
Here’s what you’ll be getting:
- YouTube Banners for Beauty Channels
- Bright YouTube Banners
- YouTube Banners for Comedy Channels
- Comic Inspired YouTube Banners
- YouTube Banners for Education Channels
- Funky YouTube Banners
- Galaxy YouTube Banners Featuring Outer Space
- YouTube Banners for Gaming Channels
- Minimalist YouTube Banners
- YouTube Banners for Travel Channels
1. YouTube Banners for Beauty Channels
Beauty, makeup, fashion, and lifestyle YouTubers are always there with advice and tutorials, helping the world look and feel better with every video. These channel art templates reflect the different tones and messages found in the complex genre of beauty.
Beauty Banner 1: Simply Marble-ous
This clean-cut, pristine, marble patterned banner is perfect for the sophisticated beauty, lifestyle, or fashion YouTuber.
Beauty Banner 2: Diva On The Go
You’ve got a big personality, and this channel art will help it shine through! Perfect for bold, sassy, beautiful YouTubers.
Beauty Banner 3: Spa Day
This banner is simple, fun, and ideal for channels that have a positive message. It’s upbeat, but it’s not in your face.
Beauty Banner 4: Hello, Sunshine
Bright, upbeat, and sunshiney! This cheerful banner background feels young and fresh.
Beauty Banner 5: Cool Watercolors
Makeup is about creativity, and beauty can be about wellness. This restful, artistic, banner can communicate either of those messages clearly.
2. Bright YouTube Banners
These banners have pizazz! They aren’t designed for specific genres, but anyone who takes a positive, exciting, approach to their videos will probably find something to love in this section.
Bright Banner 1: Tropical Sunset
Hot pink and warm tangerine dusted with soft clouds. Whether you think it looks more like a sunset or a fruit smoothie, this banner is great for any channel with an upbeat message.
Bright Banner 2: Unicorn Swirl
This magical banner will let the world know there’s something special about your channel. Perfect for just about any type of channel!
Bright Banner 3: Sugary Goodness
This banner might be a donut, a cake with pink icing, or a yellow cliff at the edge of a field of sugar. Whatever it is, it’s quirky – just like you!
Bright Banner 4: Full Quirk
Denim and funky doodles are the perfect combinations for showing off your fun, creative, personality. This channel art is ideal for lifestyle and vlogging channels.
Bright Banner 5: Color Splat
Creative, colorful, splatters might be the best way to let your viewers know they can expect fantastical things from you. This one’s great for any type of channel, but especially great for crafts and lifestyle.
3. YouTube Banners for Comedy Channels
A lot of viewers go to YouTube to laugh, and the banner for a comedy channel is all about letting someone who found one of your videos funny know there’s more like it on the way. There are banners here for different styles of comedy, so you can choose the one that fits your brand of funny.
Comedy Banner 1: This Cat Is Judging You
This funny-faced cat knows what you did, and he does not approve. This banner is a great way to show viewers you don’t take things too seriously.
Comedy Banner 2: Pizza Forever
All of the pizza, all of the time. This banner might be good for a cooking channel, but it’s great for comedy YouTubers who like pizza.
Comedy Banner 3: Bold Splotches
These bold dabs of color will work well with bold styles of comedy. This banner could also be great for edgier lifestyle channels.
Comedy Banner 4: Duck Invasion
In an endless sea of identical rubber duckies, you’re that wonderful bird that stands out! That’s what this banner means.
Comedy Banner 5: The Theater
This is a serious business comedy banner. It’s such serious business that it might actually be good for a short film channel.
4. Comic-Inspired YouTube Banners
These channel art templates were inspired by comic book artwork. They’ll be great for channels that talk about comics or comic book movies, but there’s also some great stuff here for comedy or gaming channels.
Comic Banner 1: Comic Chaos
Thought bubbles, speech bubbles, and punch doodles abound! Whether you’re interested in comedy or media, this bold and bright banner certainly makes a statement.
Comic Banner 2: Epic Frames
This bright, exciting, banner is inspired by comic book panels. Whether you review all of the superhero movies, create your own epic comedy sketches, or have a particularly heroic life you like to vlog about – this channel art is for you.
Comic Banner 3: Heroic Flare
Are you a hero in your own mind? This banner could be perfect for any type of channel, so long as the person running it has a larger-than-life personality.
Comic Banner 4: Defender of the City
This skyline drawn in a comic-book style would be perfect for any channel that focuses on life in a city, but it’s also great for comedy or media (tv, comics, gaming) focused channels.
Comic Banner 5: Mystical Rainbow Farts
There’s not much explaining to do here. Either you look at this unicorn, filling the sky with rainbow farts and loving it, and think ‘yes, that’s me or you don’t.
5. YouTube Banners for Education Channels
Whether you’re a teacher with a class you want to make videos for, or just someone with a lot of knowledge you want to share, you’ll find something in this section that’ll be perfect for your channel.
Education Banner 1: Thinkpiece
Whatever kind of knowledge you’re serving up, this banner shows that you want to get the gears in your viewers’ brains going.
Education Banner 2: Science Rules
Having a science channel means teaching viewers on the internet, whether they’re kids or adults, about the world and how it works. This banner will let viewers know to trust you for anything to do with science.
Education Banner 3: Creative Chalkboard
This banner says that you think learning should be fun! This is a better choice for a channel targeted toward kids or young people than the previous 2, but it’ll still work for something targeted at grownups.
Education Banner 4: Classroom
This banner was designed with teachers in mind, but it’s a good choice for anyone who wants to educate kids.
Education Banner 5: Creative Learning
Another great choice for teachers, this banner suggests you might be teaching subjects like art or music in addition to math and science.
6. Funky YouTube Banners
You’ll find a little bit of everything in this category. These banners weren’t designed for different types of YouTube channels; they were designed for different types of personalities. If you’re looking for something that communicates who you are loud and clear, you might find it in this section.
Funky Banner 1: Urban Graffiti
If this slightly punky banner matches your slightly edgy self then it could be perfect for vlogging, lifestyle, or even comedy.
Funky Banner 2: Minty Fresh
This cool, crisp, channel art template is great for lifestyle or vlogging channels that are just a bit outside the norm.
Funky Banner 3: Hypno-Cloud
The perfect banner if you want to hypnotize people into subscribing to you. It’s also a great way to show that you’re different. Or that you’re some kind of clown. Is clowning a genre on YouTube? If it is: here’s your banner!
Funky Banner 4: Prismatic
A bright, modern, banner for bright, modern, YouTubers. It’s fun, but it’s smart. It’s quirky, but you should still take it seriously. If the tone of your channel is more complex than ‘upbeat’ or ‘serious’ then this could be your channel art.
Funky Banner 5: Pineapple Paradise
This summer-inspired banner is both very on-trend, and a great seasonal choice for any lifestyle, beauty, or vlog channel.
7. Galaxy YouTube Banners Featuring Outer Space
Space-themed banners have become popular with a lot of different types of channels, from gaming to vlogging to comedy. We’ve put together some awesome space scenes for you to choose from.
Galaxy Banner 1: Colorful Space
Space can be beautiful and colorful, and it certainly is in this banner. You don’t have to be into science or sci-fi for this to be the perfect choice for you.
Galaxy Banner 2: Moonrise
Whether you’re a gamer, sci-fi enthusiast, or just someone whose content is out of this world, writing your channel name on the surface of that moon will let everyone here on earth know you mean business.
Galaxy Banner 3: Mysterious Signs
Do you ever look up at the stars and just think about how tiny we are? This banner could work for almost any type of channel (besides makeup or fashion).
Galaxy Banner 4: Space Doodles
This banner would be great for an educational space or science channel. It could be fun for comedy too.
Galaxy Banner 5: Nebula
An epic, gorgeous, space scene that is both cool and inspiring. Are you cool or inspiring? Consider using this in your channel art.
8. YouTube Banners for Gaming Channels
Gaming is a huge category on YouTube! We’ve put together a selection of channel art templates for different kinds of games and gamers.
Gaming Banner 1: Inspired by Minecraft
Inspired by the creative, blocky, game that’s taken the internet by storm! This is a channel art template for gamers whose channels focus on Minecraft.
Gaming Banner 2: Commando
It’s kill or be killed out there, but your mission is important and you’re going to see it through. Choose the channel art template that shows you’re serious about your work.
Gaming Banner 3: Special Ops
Mount the perfect tactical strike against YouTube viewers’ eyeballs with this gaming-themed channel art template.
Gaming Banner 4: Firepower
Choose a banner that says you’ve got real skills to show off. This channel art template is inspired by shooters and tactical games.
Gaming Banner 5: Esports Champ
This victorious blue banner will serve as a bright, confident, welcome to your channel.
9. Minimalist YouTube Banners
Sometimes the best way to express yourself doesn’t involve lots of images or crazy patterns. Sometimes, the best way to let your personality shine through is to get rid of all those distractions. These modern, minimalist, channel art templates were designed for YouTubers who like to keep things simple.
Minimalist Banner 1: Clean & Airy
This tidy white and baby blue banner will be great for anybody who stresses balance and simplicity on their channels. It’s great for beauty, vlogging, lifestyle, and more.
Minimalist Banner 2: Serious Business
Darker colors can make viewers think about power, efficiency, and sleekness. This is a great banner for a creator who wants to be taken seriously.
Minimalist Banner 3: Wood Grain
This clean, white-painted wood, background perfectly captures the minimalist aesthetic that has become so popular in design.
Minimalist Banner 4: Zen
This serene channel art template will be ideal for anyone who champions wellness and good living on their channel.
Minimalist Banner 5: Parentheses
Minimalism doesn’t have to be soft. This bold, simple, red banner is for YouTubers who want to be a bit louder.
10. YouTube Banners for Travel Channels
These channel art templates were made for every type of travel channel, from sunny vacations to outdoor adventures to trips around the world.
Travel Banner 1: Alpine Getaway
This channel art template is for creators who are also adventurers. Do you love going out into the big wild world and climbing mountains, hiking through forests, and riding rapids? This banner is for you.
Travel Banner 2: Wanderlust
This postcard-themed banner is for the globetrotting travel vlogger. Backpackers, and anyone else determined to see the world and make videos about it, might want to consider this channel art.
Travel Banner 3: Beachy
If your ideal getaway involves beaches, sunshine, and fruity drinks with umbrellas in them – and that’s reflected in your videos – then it’ll be hard for you to find a more perfect banner.
Travel Banner 4: Rugged Living
You are a trailblazer. Literally. You probably consider ‘ruggedness’ an important factor when picking out camera gear, because anything that travels with you is going to see its fair share of wear and tear.
Travel Banner 5: Globetrotter
This channel art template is for YouTubers who want to go everywhere and see everything. No viewer who clicks on your channel and sees this banner could mistake you for anything but a travel vlogger.
Which of these YouTube banners is your favorite? And which video editing software will you use to create YouTube videos? Here, I recommend you to try Wondershare Filmora video editor.
Liza Brown
Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Liza Brown
Liza Brown
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
Having an attractive banner for your YouTube channel is important if you want to show the world you’re a serious creator. At filmora.io we want to help with every step of your YouTube journey, so we created 50 YouTube channel art templates which you can download for free here.
Click here to download 50 free YouTube banners, or keep reading to see them all!
Here’s what you’ll be getting:
- YouTube Banners for Beauty Channels
- Bright YouTube Banners
- YouTube Banners for Comedy Channels
- Comic Inspired YouTube Banners
- YouTube Banners for Education Channels
- Funky YouTube Banners
- Galaxy YouTube Banners Featuring Outer Space
- YouTube Banners for Gaming Channels
- Minimalist YouTube Banners
- YouTube Banners for Travel Channels
1. YouTube Banners for Beauty Channels
Beauty, makeup, fashion, and lifestyle YouTubers are always there with advice and tutorials, helping the world look and feel better with every video. These channel art templates reflect the different tones and messages found in the complex genre of beauty.
Beauty Banner 1: Simply Marble-ous
This clean-cut, pristine, marble patterned banner is perfect for the sophisticated beauty, lifestyle, or fashion YouTuber.
Beauty Banner 2: Diva On The Go
You’ve got a big personality, and this channel art will help it shine through! Perfect for bold, sassy, beautiful YouTubers.
Beauty Banner 3: Spa Day
This banner is simple, fun, and ideal for channels that have a positive message. It’s upbeat, but it’s not in your face.
Beauty Banner 4: Hello, Sunshine
Bright, upbeat, and sunshiney! This cheerful banner background feels young and fresh.
Beauty Banner 5: Cool Watercolors
Makeup is about creativity, and beauty can be about wellness. This restful, artistic, banner can communicate either of those messages clearly.
2. Bright YouTube Banners
These banners have pizazz! They aren’t designed for specific genres, but anyone who takes a positive, exciting, approach to their videos will probably find something to love in this section.
Bright Banner 1: Tropical Sunset
Hot pink and warm tangerine dusted with soft clouds. Whether you think it looks more like a sunset or a fruit smoothie, this banner is great for any channel with an upbeat message.
Bright Banner 2: Unicorn Swirl
This magical banner will let the world know there’s something special about your channel. Perfect for just about any type of channel!
Bright Banner 3: Sugary Goodness
This banner might be a donut, a cake with pink icing, or a yellow cliff at the edge of a field of sugar. Whatever it is, it’s quirky – just like you!
Bright Banner 4: Full Quirk
Denim and funky doodles are the perfect combinations for showing off your fun, creative, personality. This channel art is ideal for lifestyle and vlogging channels.
Bright Banner 5: Color Splat
Creative, colorful, splatters might be the best way to let your viewers know they can expect fantastical things from you. This one’s great for any type of channel, but especially great for crafts and lifestyle.
3. YouTube Banners for Comedy Channels
A lot of viewers go to YouTube to laugh, and the banner for a comedy channel is all about letting someone who found one of your videos funny know there’s more like it on the way. There are banners here for different styles of comedy, so you can choose the one that fits your brand of funny.
Comedy Banner 1: This Cat Is Judging You
This funny-faced cat knows what you did, and he does not approve. This banner is a great way to show viewers you don’t take things too seriously.
Comedy Banner 2: Pizza Forever
All of the pizza, all of the time. This banner might be good for a cooking channel, but it’s great for comedy YouTubers who like pizza.
Comedy Banner 3: Bold Splotches
These bold dabs of color will work well with bold styles of comedy. This banner could also be great for edgier lifestyle channels.
Comedy Banner 4: Duck Invasion
In an endless sea of identical rubber duckies, you’re that wonderful bird that stands out! That’s what this banner means.
Comedy Banner 5: The Theater
This is a serious business comedy banner. It’s such serious business that it might actually be good for a short film channel.
4. Comic-Inspired YouTube Banners
These channel art templates were inspired by comic book artwork. They’ll be great for channels that talk about comics or comic book movies, but there’s also some great stuff here for comedy or gaming channels.
Comic Banner 1: Comic Chaos
Thought bubbles, speech bubbles, and punch doodles abound! Whether you’re interested in comedy or media, this bold and bright banner certainly makes a statement.
Comic Banner 2: Epic Frames
This bright, exciting, banner is inspired by comic book panels. Whether you review all of the superhero movies, create your own epic comedy sketches, or have a particularly heroic life you like to vlog about – this channel art is for you.
Comic Banner 3: Heroic Flare
Are you a hero in your own mind? This banner could be perfect for any type of channel, so long as the person running it has a larger-than-life personality.
Comic Banner 4: Defender of the City
This skyline drawn in a comic-book style would be perfect for any channel that focuses on life in a city, but it’s also great for comedy or media (tv, comics, gaming) focused channels.
Comic Banner 5: Mystical Rainbow Farts
There’s not much explaining to do here. Either you look at this unicorn, filling the sky with rainbow farts and loving it, and think ‘yes, that’s me or you don’t.
5. YouTube Banners for Education Channels
Whether you’re a teacher with a class you want to make videos for, or just someone with a lot of knowledge you want to share, you’ll find something in this section that’ll be perfect for your channel.
Education Banner 1: Thinkpiece
Whatever kind of knowledge you’re serving up, this banner shows that you want to get the gears in your viewers’ brains going.
Education Banner 2: Science Rules
Having a science channel means teaching viewers on the internet, whether they’re kids or adults, about the world and how it works. This banner will let viewers know to trust you for anything to do with science.
Education Banner 3: Creative Chalkboard
This banner says that you think learning should be fun! This is a better choice for a channel targeted toward kids or young people than the previous 2, but it’ll still work for something targeted at grownups.
Education Banner 4: Classroom
This banner was designed with teachers in mind, but it’s a good choice for anyone who wants to educate kids.
Education Banner 5: Creative Learning
Another great choice for teachers, this banner suggests you might be teaching subjects like art or music in addition to math and science.
6. Funky YouTube Banners
You’ll find a little bit of everything in this category. These banners weren’t designed for different types of YouTube channels; they were designed for different types of personalities. If you’re looking for something that communicates who you are loud and clear, you might find it in this section.
Funky Banner 1: Urban Graffiti
If this slightly punky banner matches your slightly edgy self then it could be perfect for vlogging, lifestyle, or even comedy.
Funky Banner 2: Minty Fresh
This cool, crisp, channel art template is great for lifestyle or vlogging channels that are just a bit outside the norm.
Funky Banner 3: Hypno-Cloud
The perfect banner if you want to hypnotize people into subscribing to you. It’s also a great way to show that you’re different. Or that you’re some kind of clown. Is clowning a genre on YouTube? If it is: here’s your banner!
Funky Banner 4: Prismatic
A bright, modern, banner for bright, modern, YouTubers. It’s fun, but it’s smart. It’s quirky, but you should still take it seriously. If the tone of your channel is more complex than ‘upbeat’ or ‘serious’ then this could be your channel art.
Funky Banner 5: Pineapple Paradise
This summer-inspired banner is both very on-trend, and a great seasonal choice for any lifestyle, beauty, or vlog channel.
7. Galaxy YouTube Banners Featuring Outer Space
Space-themed banners have become popular with a lot of different types of channels, from gaming to vlogging to comedy. We’ve put together some awesome space scenes for you to choose from.
Galaxy Banner 1: Colorful Space
Space can be beautiful and colorful, and it certainly is in this banner. You don’t have to be into science or sci-fi for this to be the perfect choice for you.
Galaxy Banner 2: Moonrise
Whether you’re a gamer, sci-fi enthusiast, or just someone whose content is out of this world, writing your channel name on the surface of that moon will let everyone here on earth know you mean business.
Galaxy Banner 3: Mysterious Signs
Do you ever look up at the stars and just think about how tiny we are? This banner could work for almost any type of channel (besides makeup or fashion).
Galaxy Banner 4: Space Doodles
This banner would be great for an educational space or science channel. It could be fun for comedy too.
Galaxy Banner 5: Nebula
An epic, gorgeous, space scene that is both cool and inspiring. Are you cool or inspiring? Consider using this in your channel art.
8. YouTube Banners for Gaming Channels
Gaming is a huge category on YouTube! We’ve put together a selection of channel art templates for different kinds of games and gamers.
Gaming Banner 1: Inspired by Minecraft
Inspired by the creative, blocky, game that’s taken the internet by storm! This is a channel art template for gamers whose channels focus on Minecraft.
Gaming Banner 2: Commando
It’s kill or be killed out there, but your mission is important and you’re going to see it through. Choose the channel art template that shows you’re serious about your work.
Gaming Banner 3: Special Ops
Mount the perfect tactical strike against YouTube viewers’ eyeballs with this gaming-themed channel art template.
Gaming Banner 4: Firepower
Choose a banner that says you’ve got real skills to show off. This channel art template is inspired by shooters and tactical games.
Gaming Banner 5: Esports Champ
This victorious blue banner will serve as a bright, confident, welcome to your channel.
9. Minimalist YouTube Banners
Sometimes the best way to express yourself doesn’t involve lots of images or crazy patterns. Sometimes, the best way to let your personality shine through is to get rid of all those distractions. These modern, minimalist, channel art templates were designed for YouTubers who like to keep things simple.
Minimalist Banner 1: Clean & Airy
This tidy white and baby blue banner will be great for anybody who stresses balance and simplicity on their channels. It’s great for beauty, vlogging, lifestyle, and more.
Minimalist Banner 2: Serious Business
Darker colors can make viewers think about power, efficiency, and sleekness. This is a great banner for a creator who wants to be taken seriously.
Minimalist Banner 3: Wood Grain
This clean, white-painted wood, background perfectly captures the minimalist aesthetic that has become so popular in design.
Minimalist Banner 4: Zen
This serene channel art template will be ideal for anyone who champions wellness and good living on their channel.
Minimalist Banner 5: Parentheses
Minimalism doesn’t have to be soft. This bold, simple, red banner is for YouTubers who want to be a bit louder.
10. YouTube Banners for Travel Channels
These channel art templates were made for every type of travel channel, from sunny vacations to outdoor adventures to trips around the world.
Travel Banner 1: Alpine Getaway
This channel art template is for creators who are also adventurers. Do you love going out into the big wild world and climbing mountains, hiking through forests, and riding rapids? This banner is for you.
Travel Banner 2: Wanderlust
This postcard-themed banner is for the globetrotting travel vlogger. Backpackers, and anyone else determined to see the world and make videos about it, might want to consider this channel art.
Travel Banner 3: Beachy
If your ideal getaway involves beaches, sunshine, and fruity drinks with umbrellas in them – and that’s reflected in your videos – then it’ll be hard for you to find a more perfect banner.
Travel Banner 4: Rugged Living
You are a trailblazer. Literally. You probably consider ‘ruggedness’ an important factor when picking out camera gear, because anything that travels with you is going to see its fair share of wear and tear.
Travel Banner 5: Globetrotter
This channel art template is for YouTubers who want to go everywhere and see everything. No viewer who clicks on your channel and sees this banner could mistake you for anything but a travel vlogger.
Which of these YouTube banners is your favorite? And which video editing software will you use to create YouTube videos? Here, I recommend you to try Wondershare Filmora video editor.
Liza Brown
Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Liza Brown
Liza Brown
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
Having an attractive banner for your YouTube channel is important if you want to show the world you’re a serious creator. At filmora.io we want to help with every step of your YouTube journey, so we created 50 YouTube channel art templates which you can download for free here.
Click here to download 50 free YouTube banners, or keep reading to see them all!
Here’s what you’ll be getting:
- YouTube Banners for Beauty Channels
- Bright YouTube Banners
- YouTube Banners for Comedy Channels
- Comic Inspired YouTube Banners
- YouTube Banners for Education Channels
- Funky YouTube Banners
- Galaxy YouTube Banners Featuring Outer Space
- YouTube Banners for Gaming Channels
- Minimalist YouTube Banners
- YouTube Banners for Travel Channels
1. YouTube Banners for Beauty Channels
Beauty, makeup, fashion, and lifestyle YouTubers are always there with advice and tutorials, helping the world look and feel better with every video. These channel art templates reflect the different tones and messages found in the complex genre of beauty.
Beauty Banner 1: Simply Marble-ous
This clean-cut, pristine, marble patterned banner is perfect for the sophisticated beauty, lifestyle, or fashion YouTuber.
Beauty Banner 2: Diva On The Go
You’ve got a big personality, and this channel art will help it shine through! Perfect for bold, sassy, beautiful YouTubers.
Beauty Banner 3: Spa Day
This banner is simple, fun, and ideal for channels that have a positive message. It’s upbeat, but it’s not in your face.
Beauty Banner 4: Hello, Sunshine
Bright, upbeat, and sunshiney! This cheerful banner background feels young and fresh.
Beauty Banner 5: Cool Watercolors
Makeup is about creativity, and beauty can be about wellness. This restful, artistic, banner can communicate either of those messages clearly.
2. Bright YouTube Banners
These banners have pizazz! They aren’t designed for specific genres, but anyone who takes a positive, exciting, approach to their videos will probably find something to love in this section.
Bright Banner 1: Tropical Sunset
Hot pink and warm tangerine dusted with soft clouds. Whether you think it looks more like a sunset or a fruit smoothie, this banner is great for any channel with an upbeat message.
Bright Banner 2: Unicorn Swirl
This magical banner will let the world know there’s something special about your channel. Perfect for just about any type of channel!
Bright Banner 3: Sugary Goodness
This banner might be a donut, a cake with pink icing, or a yellow cliff at the edge of a field of sugar. Whatever it is, it’s quirky – just like you!
Bright Banner 4: Full Quirk
Denim and funky doodles are the perfect combinations for showing off your fun, creative, personality. This channel art is ideal for lifestyle and vlogging channels.
Bright Banner 5: Color Splat
Creative, colorful, splatters might be the best way to let your viewers know they can expect fantastical things from you. This one’s great for any type of channel, but especially great for crafts and lifestyle.
3. YouTube Banners for Comedy Channels
A lot of viewers go to YouTube to laugh, and the banner for a comedy channel is all about letting someone who found one of your videos funny know there’s more like it on the way. There are banners here for different styles of comedy, so you can choose the one that fits your brand of funny.
Comedy Banner 1: This Cat Is Judging You
This funny-faced cat knows what you did, and he does not approve. This banner is a great way to show viewers you don’t take things too seriously.
Comedy Banner 2: Pizza Forever
All of the pizza, all of the time. This banner might be good for a cooking channel, but it’s great for comedy YouTubers who like pizza.
Comedy Banner 3: Bold Splotches
These bold dabs of color will work well with bold styles of comedy. This banner could also be great for edgier lifestyle channels.
Comedy Banner 4: Duck Invasion
In an endless sea of identical rubber duckies, you’re that wonderful bird that stands out! That’s what this banner means.
Comedy Banner 5: The Theater
This is a serious business comedy banner. It’s such serious business that it might actually be good for a short film channel.
4. Comic-Inspired YouTube Banners
These channel art templates were inspired by comic book artwork. They’ll be great for channels that talk about comics or comic book movies, but there’s also some great stuff here for comedy or gaming channels.
Comic Banner 1: Comic Chaos
Thought bubbles, speech bubbles, and punch doodles abound! Whether you’re interested in comedy or media, this bold and bright banner certainly makes a statement.
Comic Banner 2: Epic Frames
This bright, exciting, banner is inspired by comic book panels. Whether you review all of the superhero movies, create your own epic comedy sketches, or have a particularly heroic life you like to vlog about – this channel art is for you.
Comic Banner 3: Heroic Flare
Are you a hero in your own mind? This banner could be perfect for any type of channel, so long as the person running it has a larger-than-life personality.
Comic Banner 4: Defender of the City
This skyline drawn in a comic-book style would be perfect for any channel that focuses on life in a city, but it’s also great for comedy or media (tv, comics, gaming) focused channels.
Comic Banner 5: Mystical Rainbow Farts
There’s not much explaining to do here. Either you look at this unicorn, filling the sky with rainbow farts and loving it, and think ‘yes, that’s me or you don’t.
5. YouTube Banners for Education Channels
Whether you’re a teacher with a class you want to make videos for, or just someone with a lot of knowledge you want to share, you’ll find something in this section that’ll be perfect for your channel.
Education Banner 1: Thinkpiece
Whatever kind of knowledge you’re serving up, this banner shows that you want to get the gears in your viewers’ brains going.
Education Banner 2: Science Rules
Having a science channel means teaching viewers on the internet, whether they’re kids or adults, about the world and how it works. This banner will let viewers know to trust you for anything to do with science.
Education Banner 3: Creative Chalkboard
This banner says that you think learning should be fun! This is a better choice for a channel targeted toward kids or young people than the previous 2, but it’ll still work for something targeted at grownups.
Education Banner 4: Classroom
This banner was designed with teachers in mind, but it’s a good choice for anyone who wants to educate kids.
Education Banner 5: Creative Learning
Another great choice for teachers, this banner suggests you might be teaching subjects like art or music in addition to math and science.
6. Funky YouTube Banners
You’ll find a little bit of everything in this category. These banners weren’t designed for different types of YouTube channels; they were designed for different types of personalities. If you’re looking for something that communicates who you are loud and clear, you might find it in this section.
Funky Banner 1: Urban Graffiti
If this slightly punky banner matches your slightly edgy self then it could be perfect for vlogging, lifestyle, or even comedy.
Funky Banner 2: Minty Fresh
This cool, crisp, channel art template is great for lifestyle or vlogging channels that are just a bit outside the norm.
Funky Banner 3: Hypno-Cloud
The perfect banner if you want to hypnotize people into subscribing to you. It’s also a great way to show that you’re different. Or that you’re some kind of clown. Is clowning a genre on YouTube? If it is: here’s your banner!
Funky Banner 4: Prismatic
A bright, modern, banner for bright, modern, YouTubers. It’s fun, but it’s smart. It’s quirky, but you should still take it seriously. If the tone of your channel is more complex than ‘upbeat’ or ‘serious’ then this could be your channel art.
Funky Banner 5: Pineapple Paradise
This summer-inspired banner is both very on-trend, and a great seasonal choice for any lifestyle, beauty, or vlog channel.
7. Galaxy YouTube Banners Featuring Outer Space
Space-themed banners have become popular with a lot of different types of channels, from gaming to vlogging to comedy. We’ve put together some awesome space scenes for you to choose from.
Galaxy Banner 1: Colorful Space
Space can be beautiful and colorful, and it certainly is in this banner. You don’t have to be into science or sci-fi for this to be the perfect choice for you.
Galaxy Banner 2: Moonrise
Whether you’re a gamer, sci-fi enthusiast, or just someone whose content is out of this world, writing your channel name on the surface of that moon will let everyone here on earth know you mean business.
Galaxy Banner 3: Mysterious Signs
Do you ever look up at the stars and just think about how tiny we are? This banner could work for almost any type of channel (besides makeup or fashion).
Galaxy Banner 4: Space Doodles
This banner would be great for an educational space or science channel. It could be fun for comedy too.
Galaxy Banner 5: Nebula
An epic, gorgeous, space scene that is both cool and inspiring. Are you cool or inspiring? Consider using this in your channel art.
8. YouTube Banners for Gaming Channels
Gaming is a huge category on YouTube! We’ve put together a selection of channel art templates for different kinds of games and gamers.
Gaming Banner 1: Inspired by Minecraft
Inspired by the creative, blocky, game that’s taken the internet by storm! This is a channel art template for gamers whose channels focus on Minecraft.
Gaming Banner 2: Commando
It’s kill or be killed out there, but your mission is important and you’re going to see it through. Choose the channel art template that shows you’re serious about your work.
Gaming Banner 3: Special Ops
Mount the perfect tactical strike against YouTube viewers’ eyeballs with this gaming-themed channel art template.
Gaming Banner 4: Firepower
Choose a banner that says you’ve got real skills to show off. This channel art template is inspired by shooters and tactical games.
Gaming Banner 5: Esports Champ
This victorious blue banner will serve as a bright, confident, welcome to your channel.
9. Minimalist YouTube Banners
Sometimes the best way to express yourself doesn’t involve lots of images or crazy patterns. Sometimes, the best way to let your personality shine through is to get rid of all those distractions. These modern, minimalist, channel art templates were designed for YouTubers who like to keep things simple.
Minimalist Banner 1: Clean & Airy
This tidy white and baby blue banner will be great for anybody who stresses balance and simplicity on their channels. It’s great for beauty, vlogging, lifestyle, and more.
Minimalist Banner 2: Serious Business
Darker colors can make viewers think about power, efficiency, and sleekness. This is a great banner for a creator who wants to be taken seriously.
Minimalist Banner 3: Wood Grain
This clean, white-painted wood, background perfectly captures the minimalist aesthetic that has become so popular in design.
Minimalist Banner 4: Zen
This serene channel art template will be ideal for anyone who champions wellness and good living on their channel.
Minimalist Banner 5: Parentheses
Minimalism doesn’t have to be soft. This bold, simple, red banner is for YouTubers who want to be a bit louder.
10. YouTube Banners for Travel Channels
These channel art templates were made for every type of travel channel, from sunny vacations to outdoor adventures to trips around the world.
Travel Banner 1: Alpine Getaway
This channel art template is for creators who are also adventurers. Do you love going out into the big wild world and climbing mountains, hiking through forests, and riding rapids? This banner is for you.
Travel Banner 2: Wanderlust
This postcard-themed banner is for the globetrotting travel vlogger. Backpackers, and anyone else determined to see the world and make videos about it, might want to consider this channel art.
Travel Banner 3: Beachy
If your ideal getaway involves beaches, sunshine, and fruity drinks with umbrellas in them – and that’s reflected in your videos – then it’ll be hard for you to find a more perfect banner.
Travel Banner 4: Rugged Living
You are a trailblazer. Literally. You probably consider ‘ruggedness’ an important factor when picking out camera gear, because anything that travels with you is going to see its fair share of wear and tear.
Travel Banner 5: Globetrotter
This channel art template is for YouTubers who want to go everywhere and see everything. No viewer who clicks on your channel and sees this banner could mistake you for anything but a travel vlogger.
Which of these YouTube banners is your favorite? And which video editing software will you use to create YouTube videos? Here, I recommend you to try Wondershare Filmora video editor.
Liza Brown
Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Liza Brown
Liza Brown
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
Having an attractive banner for your YouTube channel is important if you want to show the world you’re a serious creator. At filmora.io we want to help with every step of your YouTube journey, so we created 50 YouTube channel art templates which you can download for free here.
Click here to download 50 free YouTube banners, or keep reading to see them all!
Here’s what you’ll be getting:
- YouTube Banners for Beauty Channels
- Bright YouTube Banners
- YouTube Banners for Comedy Channels
- Comic Inspired YouTube Banners
- YouTube Banners for Education Channels
- Funky YouTube Banners
- Galaxy YouTube Banners Featuring Outer Space
- YouTube Banners for Gaming Channels
- Minimalist YouTube Banners
- YouTube Banners for Travel Channels
1. YouTube Banners for Beauty Channels
Beauty, makeup, fashion, and lifestyle YouTubers are always there with advice and tutorials, helping the world look and feel better with every video. These channel art templates reflect the different tones and messages found in the complex genre of beauty.
Beauty Banner 1: Simply Marble-ous
This clean-cut, pristine, marble patterned banner is perfect for the sophisticated beauty, lifestyle, or fashion YouTuber.
Beauty Banner 2: Diva On The Go
You’ve got a big personality, and this channel art will help it shine through! Perfect for bold, sassy, beautiful YouTubers.
Beauty Banner 3: Spa Day
This banner is simple, fun, and ideal for channels that have a positive message. It’s upbeat, but it’s not in your face.
Beauty Banner 4: Hello, Sunshine
Bright, upbeat, and sunshiney! This cheerful banner background feels young and fresh.
Beauty Banner 5: Cool Watercolors
Makeup is about creativity, and beauty can be about wellness. This restful, artistic, banner can communicate either of those messages clearly.
2. Bright YouTube Banners
These banners have pizazz! They aren’t designed for specific genres, but anyone who takes a positive, exciting, approach to their videos will probably find something to love in this section.
Bright Banner 1: Tropical Sunset
Hot pink and warm tangerine dusted with soft clouds. Whether you think it looks more like a sunset or a fruit smoothie, this banner is great for any channel with an upbeat message.
Bright Banner 2: Unicorn Swirl
This magical banner will let the world know there’s something special about your channel. Perfect for just about any type of channel!
Bright Banner 3: Sugary Goodness
This banner might be a donut, a cake with pink icing, or a yellow cliff at the edge of a field of sugar. Whatever it is, it’s quirky – just like you!
Bright Banner 4: Full Quirk
Denim and funky doodles are the perfect combinations for showing off your fun, creative, personality. This channel art is ideal for lifestyle and vlogging channels.
Bright Banner 5: Color Splat
Creative, colorful, splatters might be the best way to let your viewers know they can expect fantastical things from you. This one’s great for any type of channel, but especially great for crafts and lifestyle.
3. YouTube Banners for Comedy Channels
A lot of viewers go to YouTube to laugh, and the banner for a comedy channel is all about letting someone who found one of your videos funny know there’s more like it on the way. There are banners here for different styles of comedy, so you can choose the one that fits your brand of funny.
Comedy Banner 1: This Cat Is Judging You
This funny-faced cat knows what you did, and he does not approve. This banner is a great way to show viewers you don’t take things too seriously.
Comedy Banner 2: Pizza Forever
All of the pizza, all of the time. This banner might be good for a cooking channel, but it’s great for comedy YouTubers who like pizza.
Comedy Banner 3: Bold Splotches
These bold dabs of color will work well with bold styles of comedy. This banner could also be great for edgier lifestyle channels.
Comedy Banner 4: Duck Invasion
In an endless sea of identical rubber duckies, you’re that wonderful bird that stands out! That’s what this banner means.
Comedy Banner 5: The Theater
This is a serious business comedy banner. It’s such serious business that it might actually be good for a short film channel.
4. Comic-Inspired YouTube Banners
These channel art templates were inspired by comic book artwork. They’ll be great for channels that talk about comics or comic book movies, but there’s also some great stuff here for comedy or gaming channels.
Comic Banner 1: Comic Chaos
Thought bubbles, speech bubbles, and punch doodles abound! Whether you’re interested in comedy or media, this bold and bright banner certainly makes a statement.
Comic Banner 2: Epic Frames
This bright, exciting, banner is inspired by comic book panels. Whether you review all of the superhero movies, create your own epic comedy sketches, or have a particularly heroic life you like to vlog about – this channel art is for you.
Comic Banner 3: Heroic Flare
Are you a hero in your own mind? This banner could be perfect for any type of channel, so long as the person running it has a larger-than-life personality.
Comic Banner 4: Defender of the City
This skyline drawn in a comic-book style would be perfect for any channel that focuses on life in a city, but it’s also great for comedy or media (tv, comics, gaming) focused channels.
Comic Banner 5: Mystical Rainbow Farts
There’s not much explaining to do here. Either you look at this unicorn, filling the sky with rainbow farts and loving it, and think ‘yes, that’s me or you don’t.
5. YouTube Banners for Education Channels
Whether you’re a teacher with a class you want to make videos for, or just someone with a lot of knowledge you want to share, you’ll find something in this section that’ll be perfect for your channel.
Education Banner 1: Thinkpiece
Whatever kind of knowledge you’re serving up, this banner shows that you want to get the gears in your viewers’ brains going.
Education Banner 2: Science Rules
Having a science channel means teaching viewers on the internet, whether they’re kids or adults, about the world and how it works. This banner will let viewers know to trust you for anything to do with science.
Education Banner 3: Creative Chalkboard
This banner says that you think learning should be fun! This is a better choice for a channel targeted toward kids or young people than the previous 2, but it’ll still work for something targeted at grownups.
Education Banner 4: Classroom
This banner was designed with teachers in mind, but it’s a good choice for anyone who wants to educate kids.
Education Banner 5: Creative Learning
Another great choice for teachers, this banner suggests you might be teaching subjects like art or music in addition to math and science.
6. Funky YouTube Banners
You’ll find a little bit of everything in this category. These banners weren’t designed for different types of YouTube channels; they were designed for different types of personalities. If you’re looking for something that communicates who you are loud and clear, you might find it in this section.
Funky Banner 1: Urban Graffiti
If this slightly punky banner matches your slightly edgy self then it could be perfect for vlogging, lifestyle, or even comedy.
Funky Banner 2: Minty Fresh
This cool, crisp, channel art template is great for lifestyle or vlogging channels that are just a bit outside the norm.
Funky Banner 3: Hypno-Cloud
The perfect banner if you want to hypnotize people into subscribing to you. It’s also a great way to show that you’re different. Or that you’re some kind of clown. Is clowning a genre on YouTube? If it is: here’s your banner!
Funky Banner 4: Prismatic
A bright, modern, banner for bright, modern, YouTubers. It’s fun, but it’s smart. It’s quirky, but you should still take it seriously. If the tone of your channel is more complex than ‘upbeat’ or ‘serious’ then this could be your channel art.
Funky Banner 5: Pineapple Paradise
This summer-inspired banner is both very on-trend, and a great seasonal choice for any lifestyle, beauty, or vlog channel.
7. Galaxy YouTube Banners Featuring Outer Space
Space-themed banners have become popular with a lot of different types of channels, from gaming to vlogging to comedy. We’ve put together some awesome space scenes for you to choose from.
Galaxy Banner 1: Colorful Space
Space can be beautiful and colorful, and it certainly is in this banner. You don’t have to be into science or sci-fi for this to be the perfect choice for you.
Galaxy Banner 2: Moonrise
Whether you’re a gamer, sci-fi enthusiast, or just someone whose content is out of this world, writing your channel name on the surface of that moon will let everyone here on earth know you mean business.
Galaxy Banner 3: Mysterious Signs
Do you ever look up at the stars and just think about how tiny we are? This banner could work for almost any type of channel (besides makeup or fashion).
Galaxy Banner 4: Space Doodles
This banner would be great for an educational space or science channel. It could be fun for comedy too.
Galaxy Banner 5: Nebula
An epic, gorgeous, space scene that is both cool and inspiring. Are you cool or inspiring? Consider using this in your channel art.
8. YouTube Banners for Gaming Channels
Gaming is a huge category on YouTube! We’ve put together a selection of channel art templates for different kinds of games and gamers.
Gaming Banner 1: Inspired by Minecraft
Inspired by the creative, blocky, game that’s taken the internet by storm! This is a channel art template for gamers whose channels focus on Minecraft.
Gaming Banner 2: Commando
It’s kill or be killed out there, but your mission is important and you’re going to see it through. Choose the channel art template that shows you’re serious about your work.
Gaming Banner 3: Special Ops
Mount the perfect tactical strike against YouTube viewers’ eyeballs with this gaming-themed channel art template.
Gaming Banner 4: Firepower
Choose a banner that says you’ve got real skills to show off. This channel art template is inspired by shooters and tactical games.
Gaming Banner 5: Esports Champ
This victorious blue banner will serve as a bright, confident, welcome to your channel.
9. Minimalist YouTube Banners
Sometimes the best way to express yourself doesn’t involve lots of images or crazy patterns. Sometimes, the best way to let your personality shine through is to get rid of all those distractions. These modern, minimalist, channel art templates were designed for YouTubers who like to keep things simple.
Minimalist Banner 1: Clean & Airy
This tidy white and baby blue banner will be great for anybody who stresses balance and simplicity on their channels. It’s great for beauty, vlogging, lifestyle, and more.
Minimalist Banner 2: Serious Business
Darker colors can make viewers think about power, efficiency, and sleekness. This is a great banner for a creator who wants to be taken seriously.
Minimalist Banner 3: Wood Grain
This clean, white-painted wood, background perfectly captures the minimalist aesthetic that has become so popular in design.
Minimalist Banner 4: Zen
This serene channel art template will be ideal for anyone who champions wellness and good living on their channel.
Minimalist Banner 5: Parentheses
Minimalism doesn’t have to be soft. This bold, simple, red banner is for YouTubers who want to be a bit louder.
10. YouTube Banners for Travel Channels
These channel art templates were made for every type of travel channel, from sunny vacations to outdoor adventures to trips around the world.
Travel Banner 1: Alpine Getaway
This channel art template is for creators who are also adventurers. Do you love going out into the big wild world and climbing mountains, hiking through forests, and riding rapids? This banner is for you.
Travel Banner 2: Wanderlust
This postcard-themed banner is for the globetrotting travel vlogger. Backpackers, and anyone else determined to see the world and make videos about it, might want to consider this channel art.
Travel Banner 3: Beachy
If your ideal getaway involves beaches, sunshine, and fruity drinks with umbrellas in them – and that’s reflected in your videos – then it’ll be hard for you to find a more perfect banner.
Travel Banner 4: Rugged Living
You are a trailblazer. Literally. You probably consider ‘ruggedness’ an important factor when picking out camera gear, because anything that travels with you is going to see its fair share of wear and tear.
Travel Banner 5: Globetrotter
This channel art template is for YouTubers who want to go everywhere and see everything. No viewer who clicks on your channel and sees this banner could mistake you for anything but a travel vlogger.
Which of these YouTube banners is your favorite? And which video editing software will you use to create YouTube videos? Here, I recommend you to try Wondershare Filmora video editor.
Liza Brown
Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Liza Brown
- Title: "2024 Approved Starting Out on YouTube - Top Gear Essentials"
- Author: Joseph
- Created at : 2024-05-31 13:41:48
- Updated at : 2024-06-01 13:41:48
- Link: https://youtube-stream.techidaily.com/2024-approved-starting-out-on-youtube-top-gear-essentials/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
