The best YouTube channels, by category

The strongest current WorthWatch selections, ordered by editorial confidence, topical fit, and long-term viewing value.

233top picks1category showntop picks onlyLatest addition: 23 September 2026

Documentary

BBC Earth

Nature and wildlife documentaries bring viewers close to animal behaviour, ecosystems, and the forces shaping the planet. BBC Earth draws on BBC Earth...

14M subscribers3,342 videos

Top Pick

FocusPublic Knowledge

PBS

Documentaries, in-depth news analysis, arts programming, science, and children’s educational media form the core of this broad public-media library....

1.7M subscribers3,214 videos

Top Pick

FocusLives & Legacies

Biography

Biography tells documentary-style stories about notable people and consequential events, with an emphasis on surprising perspectives and narrative...

1.1M subscribers1,633 videos

Top Pick

FocusWorlds of Knowledge

Get.factual

Full-length documentaries and docu-series explore history, science, technology, and nature, from ocean trenches to space. Get.factual presents a...

824K subscribers1,097 videos