DIY YouTube Subscriber Counter
Build a free, no-code live subscriber counter in under 5 minutes.
I told Claude to build me a DIY YouTube subscriber counter that fills my entire monitor. Black background, red number, updates in real time. It took under five minutes and zero coding. Here's the exact setup — free.
Watch the Short
The 60-second version.
Saw the YouTube short and want the full setup? You're in the right place. The prompts and download are below — built so a non-developer can ship it before their coffee gets cold.
Why this works
Your goal in front of you, every single day.
The thing you stare at is the thing you move. A live subscriber count on your monitor turns an abstract goal into a number that ticks up while you work. Claude builds the whole display in a single HTML file — no servers, no monthly cost, no maintenance.
Setup time
< 5 min
From zero to live on your monitor.
Code you write
0 lines
Claude writes every line for you.
Easiest Path — 3 Steps
Don't want to read? Let Claude do it.
Download one markdown file, hand it to Claude, and the whole setup runs itself.
- 1Download Live_Subscriber_Count_Setup.md
- 2Open a new Claude chat, attach the file, type: "follow these instructions"
- 3Claude walks you through the API key, writes the HTML, and tells you how to open it full-screen
One-Time Setup
Four steps. Claude does the rest.
You don't need to write a single line of code. Follow the four steps below and your display is live on any monitor in the house.
Step 01
Get a free YouTube API key
Five-minute, one-time setup inside Google Cloud. The markdown guide walks you through every click.
Step 02
Grab your Channel ID
Sign in to YouTube, copy the ID that starts with UC..., and paste it where the guide tells you.
Step 03
Paste the build prompt into Claude
Open a new Claude chat, paste the prompt below, and Claude writes a single self-contained HTML file.
Step 04
Save it and open it full-screen
Save as subscribers.html, double-click it, press F11. Drag it onto any monitor, TV, or tablet.
Copy-Paste Prompts
The exact prompts I pasted into Claude.
Click copy, paste into a new Claude chat, hit enter. That's the whole workflow.
1. Build prompt — paste this first
Build me a single self-contained index.html file that displays my live YouTube subscriber count full-screen.
Requirements:
- Uses the YouTube Data API v3 (channels.list, part=statistics)
- Reads my API key and Channel ID from two constants at the top of the file
- Fills the entire browser viewport, perfectly centered
- Huge subscriber number (responsive font-size using clamp())
- Black background, bright red number, white channel name above it
- Auto-refreshes every 30 seconds without flicker
- Animated count-up when the number changes
- Clean, no external libraries, no build step
Output only the complete HTML in one code block.2. Style customization
Update the file so:
- Background is a subtle dark gradient (top: #0a0a0a, bottom: #1a1a1a)
- The number uses a custom Google Font (Inter, weight 900)
- Add my channel name "@ChadSheppardAI" above the number in 0.4em size
- Add a small caption below the number: "Goal: 100,000"
- Show a thin progress bar under the goal text representing current / 1000003. Add a goal tracker
Add a second line below the subscriber number that shows:
- How many subscribers I need to reach 100,000
- The percentage complete toward that goal
- Animate the progress bar smoothly when the number updates4. Reuse for any live number
Take the same file and swap the data source. Instead of YouTube subscribers, fetch [STRIPE REVENUE / STOCK PRICE / STEP COUNT / WEBSITE VISITORS] from [API ENDPOINT]. Keep the same full-screen layout, animation, and styling. Tell me exactly where to paste my API credentials.Reuse the Pattern
Works for any live number — even a DIY hardware counter.
Same file, swap the API. Anything you want to stare at on a screen all day. Want a physical version? Feed the same YouTube Data API response into an ESP8266 or Arduino with a small OLED or LED matrix and you've got a desktop DIY YouTube subscriber counter that ticks up in real life.
- Stripe / sales revenue
- Stock or crypto price
- Website visitors (Plausible, GA)
- Twitch followers
- Fitness steps
- ESP8266 / Arduino display
- Any live API number
Behind the video
The gear I use to make these.
Everything here is sitting in my office right now. If you buy through an Amazon link, I earn a small commission — it helps the channel, and costs you nothing extra.
Sony Alpha a5000
Compact mirrorless camera for talking-head videos.
View on Amazon →Elgato Facecam
Dedicated webcam when I don't want to rig the mirrorless.
View on Amazon →Elgato Key Light
Bright, dimmable, computer-controlled key light.
View on Amazon →Elgato Stream Deck +
One-press control for lights, scenes, and apps.
View on Amazon →Elgato Wave:3 Mic
Clean mic for voiceovers and screen recordings.
View on Amazon →DJI Mic Mini
Wireless lav mic for away-from-desk shots.
View on Amazon →Elgato Prompter
Built-in screen so I can read while looking at the lens.
View on Amazon →Meross Smart Plug
Reliable HomeKit smart plugs for fans and lamps.
View on Amazon →Govee Smart Bulbs
Color Wi-Fi bulbs with app and voice control.
View on Amazon →EMART Umbrella Lights
Budget-friendly fill lights for even coverage.
View on Amazon →Amazon Associates disclosure: I earn from qualifying purchases. I only list gear I own and use.
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