YouTube Comment Picker
Paste a video link, filter the comments, and draw a fair winner for your giveaway. Copy a timestamped result with every filter you used, ready to pin under the video.
Filters
Load a video or paste entries to get started.
Disclaimer: this tool reads public comments through the official YouTube Data API. It is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by YouTube or Google. Make sure your giveaway follows YouTube’s contest policies and local law.
- Channel milestone giveawaysHit 10K subscribers? Ask viewers to comment and draw from every entry, not just the first page.
- Sponsored product dropsRequire a keyword like the product name so only people who watched the read get in.
- Live stream replaysRun the draw on the replay or a follow-up video and show the picker on screen.
- Community questionsPick a random commenter to answer in your next video or Q and A.
Draw a YouTube comment winner in three steps
Paste the video link
Any watch, youtu.be, Shorts or live URL works. The picker pages through every public top-level comment, up to 20,000.
Apply your giveaway rules
One entry per person, a required keyword, a closing date, and your own account and moderators excluded.
Draw and copy the proof
Pick 1 to 100 winners, redraw a single backup if someone doesn’t reply, and copy a timestamped summary.
Made for real channel giveaways
Which comments the picker can see
The tool uses the YouTube Data API commentThreads endpoint, the same public data any viewer sees. That has a few consequences worth knowing before you announce a draw.
| Comment type | Included? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Public top-level comments | Yes | Loaded 100 at a time until the end or the 20,000 cap. |
| Replies | Optional, partly | The API returns up to 5 replies per thread inline, so busy threads are incomplete. Most giveaways count top-level comments only. |
| Held for review or likely spam | No | Approve them in YouTube Studio first if they should count. |
| Deleted or hidden users | No | Removed comments are gone from the API too. |
| Comments on Shorts | Yes | Shorts use the same video ID system. |
| Live chat messages | No | Live chat is separate from comments. Ask viewers to comment on the replay instead. |
If loading from YouTube is unavailable, switch to paste mode and paste usernames or name: comment lines exported from anywhere. The same filters and draw still work.
Writing giveaway rules that hold up
YouTube’s contest guidelines put the responsibility on the creator: you publish the official rules, you choose and contact the winner, and you follow the law where you and your viewers live. Write the rules into the description or a pinned comment before the first entry arrives.
- How to enter, for example comment with the keyword and stay subscribed until the draw.
- How many entries a person gets. Say once if you’ll use One entry per user.
- Start and end time with a time zone, which matches the date filters here.
- Who can enter: minimum age, countries, and that staff and family are excluded.
- The prize, its approximate value, and who pays shipping or import fees.
- How the winner is told and how long they have to reply before a backup is drawn.
This is general information, not legal advice. Some countries and US states regulate sweepstakes, especially when entry requires a purchase.
Spotting fake and bot entries
Popular giveaways attract impersonators who copy the creator’s name and avatar, then reply to entrants asking them to message a number or click a link. Skip comments with links removes most of them from the pool, and excluding your own channel name stops the pick from landing on yourself.
If a winner’s channel was created the same week, has no videos and posted the same comment on many channels, you may disqualify it if your rules said so. Redraw that slot with Redraw this one so the other winners stay unchanged and the copied summary shows who was replaced.
Announcing the winner
Pin a comment or add a description line with the winner’s handle and the copied result, which lists the time, number of eligible entries and every filter. For the most trust, screen-record the draw or show it in your next video. Never ask the winner to pay a fee or share passwords: say in your rules how you will contact them, so viewers can spot fake messages.
Frequently asked questions
How do I pick a random winner from YouTube comments?
Paste the video link, press Load comments, set your filters such as one entry per user and a keyword, choose how many winners, and press Pick winner. Every eligible comment has the same chance.
Is this YouTube comment picker free?
Yes. It’s free, needs no sign-up, and you never connect your Google account. It reads public comments through the official YouTube Data API.
Does it load all comments or only the first page?
All public top-level comments, 100 per request, up to 20,000 per video. Replies are optional, but the API only returns up to five replies per thread, so replies are best left off for fair counts.
Can one person enter more than once?
With One entry per user on, each channel counts once, matched by channel ID. Turn it off if your rules allow several comments per person; winners are still always different people.
What if a winner doesn’t respond?
Press Redraw this one next to that winner. A new person is drawn from the remaining eligible entries, the others stay, and the copied result lists who was replaced.
Why are some comments missing?
Comments held for review, marked as likely spam, or deleted aren’t returned by the API. Approve held comments in YouTube Studio, then load again.
Does it work for YouTube Shorts and live streams?
Yes for Shorts and for comments under a live stream or its replay: paste the Shorts or live link. Live chat messages are a separate system and aren’t included, so ask viewers to comment under the video.
Is this tool affiliated with YouTube?
No. It is an independent tool that uses the official YouTube Data API. It is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by YouTube or Google.
Running your first giveaway?
Read the step-by-step guide to rules, entries, fair draws and contacting winners on YouTube, Instagram, X and TikTok.