YouTube Comment Picker
Paste a video link, set your rules, and pick a random winner from the comments. Free, no sign-in.
1. Load the comments
2. Set the rules
How the YouTube comment picker works
- Paste the link of a video, a Short (
/shorts/), a live stream (/live/) or ayoutu.beshort link. - Load comments. The picker reads public top-level comments through the official YouTube Data API. It never asks you to sign in to YouTube.
- Set your rules: one entry per person, exclude the creator, require a word or hashtag, or exclude team members.
- Pick the winner. Eligible entries are shuffled with your browser's cryptographically secure random generator. Every entry has the same chance.
- Verify it. Each winner has a link that opens the exact comment on YouTube. Show it on screen so your audience can check.
What is counted
- Top-level comments only. Replies to other comments are not loaded.
- Up to 5,000 of the most recent comments. For bigger giveaways, export all comments with a dedicated tool and use Instant Draw with a CSV file.
- Visible comments only. Comments held for review, hidden or removed are not visible to the picker. Check "Held for review" in YouTube Studio before you draw.
- A snapshot. Comments posted after you press Load are not included, so load after the giveaway closes.
The three numbers after loading
Once the comments are in, the picker shows three counts. They answer different questions, so it is worth knowing which is which before you announce anything.
| Number | What it counts | Why it can differ |
|---|---|---|
| Comments loaded | Every top-level comment the picker received | YouTube's own total also counts replies, so it is usually higher |
| Different commenters | Unique channels among those comments | Fans who comment five times count once here |
| Eligible entries | What is left after your rules | Changes live as you edit the filters |
Only the last number goes into the draw. If it looks too low, check the keyword first: a typo there is the most common reason a giveaway suddenly has three entries instead of three hundred.
Using the filters well
One entry per person
On by default. People are matched by their YouTube channel, not by display name, so two viewers who both call themselves "Alex" stay separate and someone who changed their name is still one person. Turn it off only if your rules say every comment is a ticket.
Comment must contain
Useful when the rules ask people to answer a question or use a hashtag. The match ignores capital letters, so #giveaway also finds #GiveAway. It looks for the text anywhere in the comment, which means red also matches "tired". Pick a word that is unlikely to appear by accident.
Exclude these names
List moderators, team members or last month's winner, separated by commas. The @ is optional and capital letters do not matter.
Picking backup winners
Not every winner replies. Instead of running a second draw later, which viewers may find suspicious, set Number of winners to three and announce the order in advance: the first name wins, the second and third are reserves if the winner has not replied within, say, seven days. The picker never repeats a person inside one draw, so the reserves are always different people.
Press Copy results to keep the list, with a direct link to each winning comment. Paste it into your notes before you close the page, since nothing is stored on our side.
Tips for a fair YouTube giveaway
- Publish the rules first, including how the winner will be contacted.
- Tell viewers you never ask for payment or contact winners through Telegram or WhatsApp. Scammers copy creator names in replies.
- Record your screen from loading the comments to showing the winner.
- YouTube's contest policy requires free entry, official rules and a statement that YouTube is not a sponsor.
Step-by-step advice, including verifying winners, is in our guide How to Pick a Random YouTube Comment Winner. Want a live, on-screen moment instead? Import the comments into the Spin Wheel and let it spin in front of your audience.
Questions
Is the YouTube comment picker free?
Yes. No sign-in and no access to your YouTube account is needed.
Can I pick more than one winner?
Yes, up to 50 at once. Nobody is picked twice in the same draw.
Does it work with Shorts and live streams?
Yes, for comments posted under them. Live chat messages are not comments and are not included.
Is the keyword filter case sensitive?
No. Upper and lower case letters are treated the same.
Can I draw again from the same comments?
Yes. The loaded comments stay on the page until you load another video or close the tab, so you can change the rules and draw again without reloading.
Why did I get an error?
Usually the video has comments turned off, is private, or is set as made for kids, which disables comments.