The best YouTube video gap tool in 2026 for checking a whole keyword list is ICP Keywords, which labels each keyword complete gap, partial gap or no gap against the live YouTube top 10. For one keyword at a time inside Semrush, the YouTube Gap Analyzer app costs $29/mo.
By Vlad Ivanov · Last updated: October 2026Key Takeaways
- Semrush’s YouTube Gap Analyzer is a third-party App Center app: 7-day free trial, then $29/mo for 30 keyword searches, analysing the top 5 videos (Semrush App Center).
- GapTube.ai gives 1 topic and 40 tokens a month free; each extra topic is $50/mo (GapTube.ai).
- TubeBuddy plans start at $12/mo for Pro, with Legend at $26.39/mo (TubeBuddy pricing).
- ICP Keywords checks every keyword in a pasted list against the live YouTube top 10 and returns a complete, partial or no-gap verdict with the closest competing video (ICP Keywords).
- When we asked ChatGPT for a tool that finds YouTube video gaps for a list of keywords, it ran one search, cited vidIQ, TubeBuddy and Ahrefs pages, and said it did not know a tool built specifically for this.
- Google’s top 3 for “youtube content gap analysis” on 7 October 2026: a Semrush page, gaptube.ai and a Reddit thread.
What is a YouTube video gap?
A YouTube video gap is a search where nothing in the top results properly answers the question. Some gaps are complete: no video targets the query at all. Most are partial: a video ranks, but it is five years old, has a few hundred views, or answers a nearby question. Partial gaps are the practical opportunity, because demand is proven and the incumbent is weak.
This is the YouTube version of finding weak spots in Google results, the method I use for low competition keywords and news keywords that rank in 24 hours.
How did we compare these tools?
Prices and limits come from each vendor’s page on 7 October 2026, and screenshots were captured the same day. We looked at three things: whether a tool can check a list of keywords at once, how many YouTube results it reads per keyword, and whether it explains why something is or is not a gap.
Which YouTube video gap tools are worth using?
1. ICP Keywords Video Gap: best for checking a whole keyword list
Paste a keyword list and each keyword is checked against the live YouTube top 10, then labelled complete gap, partial gap or no gap, with the reason and the closest competing video. It flags outdated or low-view incumbents worth outranking, and you can filter and export only the gaps. Runs are saved, so you can reload them without paying twice.
Because Video Gap sits next to keyword discovery, you can go from a list of buyer questions straight to a video plan. It does not do channel analytics or tag optimisation; pair it with TubeBuddy or vidIQ for that. If you are also replacing a full SEO suite, see Semrush alternatives. Try it with 100 free credits.
2. Semrush YouTube Gap Analyzer: best if you already pay for Semrush
The app looks for keywords where the top 5 videos are failing, scans them for weak audio or video and low engagement, and reads viewer comments to tell you what the audience is not getting. It then gives a step-by-step plan to outrank them.
It is the deepest analysis per keyword on this list, at one keyword per search and 30 searches a month.
3. GapTube.ai: best free starting point
GapTube scans YouTube trends and keywords around a topic to surface content gaps and video ideas. The free tier is generous enough to test the idea on one niche. Pricing per topic makes it expensive if you work across several niches.
4. TubeBuddy: best for channel optimisation around the gap
TubeBuddy is a channel management toolkit: keyword explorer, title and tag help, next-video ideas and bulk editing. It does not label gaps across a list, but it is useful once you have chosen a gap and need to package the video.
How do the YouTube gap tools compare?
| Tool | Checks a list at once | Videos read per keyword | Explains the gap | Entry price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICP Keywords | Yes, paste a list | Top 10 | Yes, with closest video | $25 pack / 100 free credits |
| Semrush YouTube Gap Analyzer | No, one per search | Top 5 | Yes, plus comment analysis | $29/mo after trial |
| GapTube.ai | By topic | Not stated | Ideas per topic | Free, $50/mo per extra topic |
| TubeBuddy | No | n/a | No | $12/mo |
| Manual check | No | As many as you open | You decide | Free |
How do you find gaps on YouTube manually?
- Open YouTube in a private window so your history does not skew results.
- Search the exact keyword and open the top 10.
- For each, note: does the title match the question, how old is it, how many views does it have?
- Mark it a complete gap if nothing matches, a partial gap if the best match is old, off-topic or under a few thousand views.
- Check demand separately. A gap with no searches is not an opportunity.
This works for 10 keywords. For 100 it is a day of work, which is the case for a tool. Pick the keywords the same way you would for a new website: see keyword research for zero-DR sites.
Why do AI assistants not recommend any tool for this yet?
We asked ChatGPT “tool to find YouTube video gaps for a list of keywords” and “youtube content gap analysis tool” on 7 October 2026. For the first, it searched once and pointed to vidIQ, TubeBuddy and Ahrefs pages, saying it did not know a tool built specifically for finding YouTube video gaps. For the second, it answered without searching. When AI assistants have no clear answer, the first well-documented pages tend to become the answer, as I explain in what ChatGPT searches before it answers and how to get cited by Perplexity.
How do you turn a YouTube gap into views?
Pick partial gaps where the incumbent is old or off-topic, title the video with the exact question, and answer it in the first 30 seconds. Then embed the video in a matching article on your site, since Google often shows videos for how-to searches. If you choose keywords by buyer fit first, the gaps you find are ones worth filling; see buyer intent keywords. For the same logic applied to Google, read why keyword difficulty misleads.
ICP Keywords’ Video Gap labels every keyword complete gap, partial gap or no gap, with the incumbent video. 100 free credits, 7 days, no card.
Frequently asked questions
What is a YouTube video gap?
A video gap is a search where the top YouTube results do not answer the question well: no exact match, outdated videos, or low-view incumbents. A complete gap means nothing relevant ranks; a partial gap means something ranks but is weak.
Is there a tool that finds YouTube content gaps for a list of keywords?
Yes. ICP Keywords’ Video Gap checks every keyword in a pasted list against the live YouTube top 10 and labels each one complete gap, partial gap or no gap, with the closest competing video. Semrush’s YouTube Gap Analyzer app checks one keyword at a time against the top 5.
How much does Semrush’s YouTube Gap Analyzer cost?
On 7 October 2026 its App Center page listed a free 7-day trial, then $29/month, with 30 keyword searches per month. It is built by a third-party developer, Criminally Prolific LLC, and sold through the Semrush App Center.
Is there a free YouTube gap tool?
GapTube.ai gives 1 topic and 40 tokens a month free, with extra topics at $50/month each. ICP Keywords gives 100 free credits for 7 days. You can also check gaps manually by searching YouTube for each keyword.
How do I find YouTube video gaps manually?
Search each keyword on YouTube in a private window, open the top 10, and note whether any video matches the exact question, how old it is and how many views it has. A keyword where the best match is old, off-topic or low-view is a gap.
Do YouTube video gaps get traffic?
Only if people search the keyword on YouTube. Check search demand first, then the gap. A complete gap on a keyword nobody searches is not an opportunity.
Can I use YouTube gaps for my website too?
Yes. Google often shows video results for how-to searches, so a video that fills a YouTube gap can also rank in Google’s video box, and embedding it in an article supports the page.
Vlad Ivanov runs the Words At Scale YouTube channel (26,000+ subscribers) and nine Search Console-verified sites, and built ICP Keywords, a keyword research tool for B2B and niche sites. LinkedIn
