Morningfame vs TubeBuddy (2026): which should you pick?
As of Oct 23, 2026, Morningfame grades higher than TubeBuddy: 2.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 23, 2026 · graded Oct 23, 2026 by ToolGPA
Morningfame grades higher on value for money and ease of use. TubeBuddy grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Morningfame
Invite-only YouTube analytics and keyword research for small channels
Free trial · from $4.90/mo
TubeBuddy
YouTube browser extension for keyword research, SEO and A/B tests
Free plan
Which one is for you
Pick Morningfame if
- Fits if your channel is small and you want its numbers set against channels like it
- Makes sense if you plan videos in a batch every couple of weeks, which matches Basic's research window
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you have no invite code, as sign-up is invitation only and seats can run out for the day
- Tight if you research keywords often, since Basic opens that tool for 24 hours up to every 12 days
- Pricey if you run several channels, as each one needs its own account and subscription
- Skip it if you want a free plan, because there isn't one and the account closes when you stop paying
- Too light for anyone wanting tools on YouTube itself, as there's no extension or app
Pick TubeBuddy if
- Fits if you want title and tag scores while you upload in YouTube Studio on Chrome or Edge
- Works for creators testing two thumbnails or titles against each other on the same live video
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: no US price could be read, as the pricing page fills it in by script and showed regional prices
- Skip it if you use Firefox or Safari, as the extension no longer supports Firefox and never supported Safari
- Not for you if you have 50k+ subscribers, several channels or 3+ managers, which TubeBuddy steers to Enterprise
- Tight if you share the work, since Pro has one user and Legend two seats, on one channel each
- Tight if you're staying free, as Starter opens a limited set of tools and bulk editing waits on Legend
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAMorningfameFair | 2.0GPATubeBuddyFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | ABasic is $4.90 a month with taxes included, well under the $7.20 that's 60% of this category's cheaper quarter. Plus, with keyword research and Niche Spy open all the time, is $12.90, just above that quarter's $12. | CNo US price is on record. The pricing page fills its prices in by script, and the copy served to us showed regional prices, so it can't be placed against this category's $19 middle. A license covers one channel. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan. A one-month trial comes through an invite link and works like Basic; the listing doesn't say whether it needs a card. When a subscription ends, the account is closed. | CEvery channel added gets a free Starter license, but it opens a limited set of tools, and the rest wait on Pro or Legend. No trial is listed. |
| Features | CChannel analytics against similar-sized channels, which videos worked, guided keyword research, Niche Spy and a weekly email. That's the basics, with no A/B tests or thumbnail help on record, and Basic opens research for only 24 hours every 12 days. | BKeyword Explorer with search volume, SEO Studio scoring as you write, thumbnail and title A/B tests on live videos, channel analytics with competitor scorecards, bulk editing and next-video ideas. That covers the whole job, though bulk editing sits on Legend. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. You need an invite code, then you connect your channel, and the keyword tool is a guided process to learn. | F2.9 from 434 App Store ratings for its phone app, under the 3.0 line. Most of the work happens in the extension, which you install and link to your channel first. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, connected to YouTube and nothing else, plus a weekly email. No app, extension or API on record. | BWeb, an extension for Chrome, Edge and Opera, iPhone and Android. It connects to YouTube and YouTube Studio only, with no desktop app or API on record. |
| Best for | channel analytics for small YouTube channels | SEO help inside YouTube Studio |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Morningfame and TubeBuddy. How we grade
Where they differ
- Morningfame also covers reports.
- TubeBuddy also covers a/B testing.
In commonWebKeyword researchYouTube SEO
At a glance
| Morningfame | TubeBuddy | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $4.90 per month | Not published |
| Free plan | None | Every channel added gets a free Starter license with a limited set of tools; paid Pro and Legend licenses unlock the rest. |
| Free trial | 1-month free trial through an invite link; the trial works like the Basic plan | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Solved by Smart Automation GmbH & Co. KG | TubeBuddy (GameSquare) |
| Price read from | morningfa.me | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 23, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Morningfame
- Sign-up is invitation only: you need an invite code, and seats can run out for the day.
- Basic opens keyword research and Niche Spy for only 24 hours up to every 12 days; Plus removes the limit.
- Each YouTube channel needs its own Morningfame account and subscription.
- There is no free plan; when a subscription ends the account is closed.
TubeBuddy
- Prices are filled in by a script that could not be read for US visitors, and the page shown in India lists regional prices, so none are given here.
- Pro and Legend are for individual creators; channels with 50k+ subscribers, several channels, 3+ managers or 50+ staff are steered to Enterprise.
- A license covers one YouTube channel. Pro has one user and Legend two seats; more needs Enterprise.
- The extension supports Chrome, Edge and Opera; the help center says it no longer supports Firefox and never supported Safari.
Key features
Morningfame
- Channel analytics against similar channels
- Compares a channel's statistics with channels of similar size to show weak spots, with specific suggestions on what to improve.
- What worked and what flopped
- Shows at a glance which videos drew views and watch time and which did not, so a creator can repeat what works.
- Guided keyword research
- A step-by-step process for picking keywords and optimizing a video to rank in YouTube search. Basic opens it for 24 hours every 12 days.
- Niche Spy
- A research tool included on both plans; on Basic it shares the same 24-hour access window as keyword research.
- Weekly channel email
- Sends a weekly update on the connected channel by email, along with the reports in the web app.
TubeBuddy
- Keyword Explorer
- Researches YouTube search terms with search volume data and suggests related keywords to target in a title and tags.
- SEO Studio
- Scores a video's title, tags and description as you write them and lists what to change, with a tag generator and Insta-Suggest.
- Thumbnail and title A/B tests
- Rotates thumbnail or title variants on a live video, measures click-through rate and picks the winner.
- Channel analytics
- Channelytics, a channel health report, competitor scorecards and upload alerts, and a niche leaderboard.
- Bulk editing
- Bulk processing tools for end screens, cards, descriptions and thumbnail overlays, listed as part of the Legend license.
- Next Video Ideas
- Suggests topics for the next upload; Pro has limited access, Legend more, and Enterprise unlimited.
Plans
Morningfame
Basic$4.90
per month
Channel analytics, with the keyword research tool and Niche Spy fully open for 24 hours up to every 12 days. Price includes taxes.
Plus$12.90
per month
Channel analytics, the keyword research tool and Niche Spy with no time limits. Price includes taxes.
TubeBuddy
Pricing could not be confirmed. See tubebuddy.com.
Ways to pay less
Morningfame
No public discounts listed.
TubeBuddy
- Annual discount
Save 20% with yearly billing
TubeBuddy's pricing page offers a per-year option on Pro and Legend marked as saving 20% against monthly billing.
- Nonprofit
Special discount for US nonprofits
The pricing page says 501(c)(3) nonprofits qualify for a special discount; the amount is not stated.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Morningfame or TubeBuddy?
As of Oct 23, 2026, Morningfame starts at $4.90 per month, and TubeBuddy has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Morningfame or TubeBuddy?
As of Oct 23, 2026, only TubeBuddy has a free plan. Morningfame does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Morningfame and TubeBuddy run on?
As of Oct 23, 2026, only TubeBuddy lists iOS and Android apps and a browser extension. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.