The CreatorHat Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about CreatorHat in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
CreatorHat
The Insider’s Guide
YouTube keyword, outlier and rank research inside Safari on the Mac
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among YouTube SEO tools, read from CreatorHat’s own pages.
Made by Nate Kontny · checked Oct 23, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from CreatorHat’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on CreatorHat’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 11 of the 28 other YouTube SEO tools we grade
CreatorHat is a Mac app and Safari extension that adds YouTube research to YouTube and YouTube Studio: views-per-day badges, breakout videos measured against their channel's normal, keyword ideas from YouTube autocomplete and rank checks. During an upload it transcribes the video on the Mac and drafts titles, a description and tags with Apple's on-device models. There is no account or API key, and a vidIQ account can be connected for extra keyword data.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about CreatorHat, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It's an app and Safari extension you install, with no account or API key to set up, and it works on YouTube's own pages.
- 1
Best for YouTube research in Safari on a Mac
CreatorHat adds breakout badges, keyword ideas from YouTube's autocomplete, rank checks and on-device title and tag drafts to YouTube in Safari, for $29.99 a year.
- 2
Paid plans start at $2.50 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $29.99 per year.
- 3
You can try it first
7-day free trial for new subscribers, through the Mac App Store
- 4
It runs on macOS
macOS, with a browser extension too.
- 5
Breakout finder
Compares a video's views per day with its channel's recent normal, shows badges on watch pages and keeps a watchlist of channels to mine for ideas.
- 6
Keyword research
Starts from YouTube's own autocomplete and checks the competition and views per day of the videos already ranking, without estimating a search volume.
- 7
Rank checks
Shows where a video appears for a phrase and saves each check on the Mac so movement is visible over time.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 11 of 28
That is against the other YouTube SEO tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace CreatorHat you would be making search volumes for millions of keywords, gathered and kept up to date. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
CreatorHat at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $29.99 per year
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial for new subscribers, through the Mac App Store
- Runs on
- macOS, Browser extension
- Made by
- Nate Kontny
- Category
- YouTube SEO Tools
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for YouTube research in Safari on a Mac
CreatorHat adds breakout badges, keyword ideas from YouTube's autocomplete, rank checks and on-device title and tag drafts to YouTube in Safari, for $29.99 a year. It only runs on a Mac with macOS 26 and Apple Intelligence, it gives no search volumes, and it reads public pages only, so your private analytics stay out of it.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | $29.99 a year, about $2.50 a month, for every tool, well under this category's cheaper quarter at $12 a month. There's no monthly plan, so you pay the year up front. |
| Free plan and trial | D | No free plan. The only way in is a 7-day trial on a Mac App Store subscription, which renews into the $29.99 year unless you cancel. |
| Features | C | Breakout finder, keyword ideas from autocomplete with competition checks, saved rank checks and upload help that drafts titles, a description and tags. The gaps: no search volume, and no private analytics, bulk edits, scheduling or thumbnail A/B tests. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record yet. It's an app and Safari extension you install, with no account or API key to set up, and it works on YouTube's own pages. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Mac only, as an app and a Safari extension, linked to YouTube, YouTube Studio and, if you want, vidIQ. No web, Windows, phone or Chrome version. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who CreatorHat is for
- Fits if you make videos on a Mac and research in Safari, which TubeBuddy doesn't support
- Works for small channels that want research tools for one yearly payment and no account
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're not on a Mac with macOS 26 and Apple Intelligence, or you browse in anything but Safari
- Not for you if you want search volumes, as keyword research shows competition and views per day only
- Too light for running a channel, with no private analytics, bulk edits, scheduling or thumbnail A/B tests
- Watch out: the vidIQ panel needs a separate vidIQ account, and its lookups spend that account's credits
- Watch out: the trial is an App Store subscription that rolls into $29.99 a year, and refunds go through Apple
Good to know
Good for
- Mac creators who use Safari, which TubeBuddy does not support
- Creators who want research tools without another account or API key
- Small channels wanting a cheap yearly tool rather than a monthly plan
Worth knowing
- It needs macOS 26 or later with Apple Intelligence, and works only in Safari.
- It reads public YouTube pages only: no private analytics, bulk edits, scheduling or thumbnail A/B tests.
- The vidIQ panel needs a separate vidIQ account, and its lookups use that account's credits.
- Purchases, trials and refunds go through the Mac App Store; there is no web or Windows version.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$2.50
A month to start, paid by the year
CreatorHat is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $29.99 per year.
There's no monthly plan, so you pay the year up front.
CreatorHat Yearly
$29.99
per year, renews automatically
Every tool: outlier finder, keyword research, rank checks, channel audits and on-device writing help. There is no monthly plan.
Trying it first
7-day free trial for new subscribers, through the Mac App Store
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 23, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: macOS and Browser extension
YouTube keyword, outlier and rank research inside Safari on the Mac. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, keyword research, rank tracking, youTube SEO.
The gaps: no search volume, and no private analytics, bulk edits, scheduling or thumbnail A/B tests.
- Breakout finder
- Compares a video's views per day with its channel's recent normal, shows badges on watch pages and keeps a watchlist of channels to mine for ideas.
- Keyword research
- Starts from YouTube's own autocomplete and checks the competition and views per day of the videos already ranking, without estimating a search volume.
- Rank checks
- Shows where a video appears for a phrase and saves each check on the Mac so movement is visible over time.
- Upload assist
- Matches the file YouTube is processing to the video on your Mac, transcribes it locally and fills in title choices, a description, tags and hashtags beside Studio's fields.
- Optional vidIQ connection
- Connect your own vidIQ account to add keyword scores, related searches, matching terms and questions; new lookups spend that account's vidIQ credits.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Browser extension
What it works with
- YouTube
- YouTube Studio
- vidIQ
- Apple Intelligence
CreatorHat is made by Nate Kontny.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
11/28
Other YouTube SEO tools it is graded above
CreatorHat's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 11 of the 28 other YouTube SEO tools we grade, and level with 3.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 22 of 28) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $2.50 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $17.79 for the category: 0 of the 23 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 2 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 29 YouTube SEO tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. CreatorHat’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 22 of 28
- DFree plan and trialAbove 6 of 28
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 28
- BEase of useAbove 21 of 28
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 28
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 26 YouTube SEO tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. CreatorHat is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace CreatorHat you would be making search volumes for millions of keywords, gathered and kept up to date. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $29.99 a year.
What you could not
- Search volumes for millions of keywords, gathered and kept up to date.
- Search data for YouTube topics and channels.
- Daily checks of where your pages rank in search results.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. CreatorHat’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
TubeBuddy, vidIQ, Rapidtags, 1of10 and Morningfame
The 5 tools CreatorHat is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
TubeBuddy
Free plan
YouTube browser extension for keyword research, SEO and A/B tests.
- TubeBuddy has a free plan. CreatorHat does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only CreatorHat lists a macOS app.
- Only TubeBuddy lists a web app.
- 2.8GPA
vidIQ
Free plan · from $16.58/mo
YouTube keyword research, video ideas and AI coaching for creators.
- vidIQ has a free plan. CreatorHat does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only CreatorHat lists a macOS app.
- Only vidIQ lists a web app.
- 2.6GPA
Rapidtags
Free plan · from $6/mo
YouTube tag generator with keyword research and video rank checks.
- Rapidtags has a free plan. CreatorHat does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only CreatorHat lists a macOS app.
- Only CreatorHat lists a browser extension.
- 2.4GPA
1of10
Free plan · from $15/mo
YouTube outlier finder with AI thumbnails, titles and video ideas.
- 1of10 has a free plan. CreatorHat does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only CreatorHat lists a macOS app.
- Only 1of10 lists a web app.
- 2.4GPA
Morningfame
Free trial · from $4.90/mo
Invite-only YouTube analytics and keyword research for small channels.
- Only CreatorHat lists a macOS app.
- Only CreatorHat lists a browser extension.
- Only Morningfame lists a web app.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is CreatorHat free?
No, CreatorHat is a paid product, but you can try it first. 7-day free trial for new subscribers, through the Mac App Store.
How much does CreatorHat cost?
CreatorHat lists one plan. CreatorHat Yearly: $29.99 per year, renews automatically.
What platforms does CreatorHat work on?
CreatorHat is available on macOS. It also has a browser extension.
Does CreatorHat have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. CreatorHat is listed for macOS.
Does CreatorHat have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. CreatorHat is listed for macOS.
Is CreatorHat open source?
CreatorHat is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 23, 2026.
What does CreatorHat integrate with?
CreatorHat's listing names YouTube, YouTube Studio, vidIQ and Apple Intelligence.
Who makes CreatorHat?
CreatorHat is made by Nate Kontny.
What are the alternatives to CreatorHat?
The closest alternatives to CreatorHat in our directory are TubeBuddy, vidIQ, Rapidtags, 1of10 and Morningfame.
How does CreatorHat compare with other YouTube SEO tools?
CreatorHat's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 11 of the 28 other YouTube SEO tools we grade, and level with 3.
Is CreatorHat good value for money?
ToolGPA grades CreatorHat A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $2.50 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $17.79 for the category: 0 of the 23 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of CreatorHat?
To replace CreatorHat you would be making search volumes for millions of keywords, gathered and kept up to date.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from CreatorHat’s own pages on Oct 23, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 23, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from CreatorHat's own pages on 23 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Nate Kontny. Prices change, so check creatorhat.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- CreatorHat, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/creatorhat
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "CreatorHat: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 23, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/creatorhat
Know someone choosing between YouTube SEO tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/creatorhat/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded YouTube SEO tools after CreatorHat, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- YouTube SEO Tools Insider's GuideEvery one of the 29 YouTube SEO tools we grade, compared
- UTubeKit Insider's GuideFree AI tools for YouTube titles, tags, descriptions and keywords3.0 GPA
- YouTube Studio Insider's GuideYouTube's free creator dashboard: analytics, search trends and tests3.0 GPA
- Bangermap Insider's GuideDesktop YouTube outlier finder, paid once and run on your own API key2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what CreatorHat’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. CreatorHat is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Nate Kontny. Prices and plans change: check creatorhat.com before you buy.