YouTube is the biggest money-making platform for video content creators/vloggers. Once your videos get views, you can start making money from them.

However, many people have an idea of starting a channel, and they literally failed/dropped the plan because of the fear of investment. Hence, to overcome this, I created this post to explain, “Really, how much does it cost to start a YouTube channel?”

How to start making money on YouTube now?
First of all, let me clarify for you, to start or create a YouTube channel (through an email account); there is no need to pay anything. It’s completely free to start a YouTube channel for anyone from anywhere.

However, to make videos, you need a few types of equipment called a camera, mic, editing software, recording software, and many more. That’s where the money goes.

Due to a lack of awareness, many YouTube creators buy useless products on their channels. Instead of spending too much money on unnecessary products/gadgets, I split this post into three zones.

Each zone requires only a few pieces of equipment to make videos. So, choose any one zone, invest in it, and create videos. The zones are,

Low-cost Channel ($249)
Medium-cost Channel ($280)
High-cost Channel ($500)
But the baseline line is that you can create videos and make money from your channel in whatever zone you choose. Ok, let me get into the topic.

Low-cost Channel ($249)
If you have the plan to start “tutorial,” “How-to,” or “presentation” kinds of videos, then choose this section as your investment zone.

For example, the channel niche is about teaching, like “How to learn JAVA programming language,” or “How to motivate yourself,” or any presentation video means this zone is your perfect investment.

For a bit more detail, watch Lauren McManus’s video,

She makes presentation slides, like tutorials, for their audiences. Here, no need to invest in cameras, tripods, lighting, and other kinds of stuff. However, the video is more informative.

To make this kind of video, what do you need to have?

The best Screen Recording Software like Camtasia.

That’s said.

A simple screen/monitor recording software is enough to make videos like this. Well, you may ask, after recording, how can I edit my videos? The answer is, Camtasia itself can also do it.

Screen recorder (Camtasia) – $249/lifetime fee
What is Camtasia, and is that worth it? Let’s see in the below section.

Camtasia
Camtasia is a high-quality screen recording software, including recording audio and editing the videos in this tool itself. The plus point is, no need to have any other editing software.

Above all, Camtasia costs $249; the jackpot is a one-time fee. We don’t need to renew monthly/yearly subscriptions like other software. Still hesitate to use this software, then try the 30-day free trial version.

Click the below link and get the free trial pack.

Free Download Camtasia

If you want to invest less and create YouTube channel videos, this is your idle approach.

Medium Cost Channel ($280)
Want to make videos without showcasing your face in front of the camera?

Yes, there is a chance here with the help of whiteboard animation videos.

Many people feel shy (or) about privacy, not willing to stand in front of the camera. If you think the same, making virtual representation videos (generally called animation videos) is helpful here.

For example, look at the below video; this is what animation videos look like.

From the above video, you might feel, “How can I make this kind of video”?.

Not only you, many of them asked the same. Firstly, you don’t require technical animation skills to make (whiteboard) animation videos.

With the help of trustworthy software, it’s simple as you think. In a nutshell, drag and drop things.

The question is, what’s that software? It’s none other than Doodly animation software.

Doodly
Doodly is the explainer video creation software. Generally called whiteboard animation software. Kindly look at the video on how to create videos from this handy software easily.

Besides, one can create any niche (topic) videos for their YouTube channel from Doodly.

In such a case, there is no need to invest in high-cost equipment like a camera, screen recording software, etc. It saves a lot of your money with the single software.

Few Doodly Features

Able to create a glass board, whiteboard, blackboard, and green-board animation videos.
Easy to use. Even a 7-year-old child can create a whole video from Doodly.
Drag and drop interfaces—no need to use any complex animation drawings.
Saves a lot of video creation time.
Money-saving software for content creators.
No other high-cost equipment requires.
Get Doodly

Doodly comes at two different prices.

$39/month and $240/year.
The downside of this software is, there is no trial version. But they have a 30-day money-back guarantee option if you don’t like this product.

I recommend a yearly plan, saving 49% of your money. Nearly half of your money.

Movavi
In this zone, you require another tool to edit the videos. It’s Movavi.

Movavi is an editing software to make quality videos. From Movavi, you can fine-tune your video and make it perfect for removing the noisy voice, adding filters, and speeding up and down properties.

It costs $39.95, which is a lifetime license. Also, it offers a 7-day free trial version. Click the below link to download.

That’s all about this zone. It costs $280 in total.

Doodly – $240/year (or) $39/month.
Movavi – $39.95/lifetime.
If the above two-zone strategies are not fit for you, then let’s get into the high-cost investment to start a YouTube channel.

High-cost channel ($500)
I understand you’re willing to invest a little more in making quality videos. If the channel requires making online marketing videos (sitting in front of the camera), then this investment zone is your better choice.

Overall, in this zone, it costs $500/year to invest and start a YouTube channel.

# Equipment Price Buy 1 Camera $100 Buy on Amazon 2 Microphone $150 Buy on Amazon 3 Tripods $170 Buy on Amazon
In addition to the above table, you need video editing software for around $80.

However, it costs much, but other than editing software, the remaining investments are one-time investments. Kindly read the articles below to learn more about the best cameras, microphones, and tripods.

Best Camera to buy for YouTubers under $200
Top 15 best Microphones for YouTubing
Best Tripods for YouTubers: Top 5
Generally, this investment zone and work to make videos are hard. If you have a great team or enough confidence to make videos on YouTube consistently, I suggest you take this section as your investment.

Yes, hard work never fails.

If you’re hesitating to invest or the situation is not on your side, make easy videos with the help of the above two (Low and medium cost) investment zones.

If you want to rank the videos, generate more views, and make decent money from YouTube, you must focus on YouTube SEO.

It’s nothing but optimizing titles, descriptions, tags, thumbnails, using keywords in the proper place, and so on.

To handle all this stuff in one place, you can use a free SEO tool called TubeBuddy. Let me explain clearly about this tool down here.

TubeBuddy
Firstly, TubeBuddy is a browser extension, channel management, and video SEO tool. Here the notable point is it’s a YouTube-certified tool.