Best Faceless YouTube True Crime Channels to Start in 2026
📊 Market Intelligence Dashboard
| Metrics | Insights |
|---|---|
| Channels Audited | 24 |
| Opportunity Score | 7.2/10 |
| Average RPM | $10.1 |
| Market Saturation | Medium |
Our data audit identified the most efficient performers in the true crime niche. We focus on “Alpha” channels—those generating views significantly higher than their subscriber count, representing the highest growth potential for new creators in 2026.
🏆 Top Performer Leaderboard
Mr. Paint Stories (@mrpaintstoriesofficial)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1k | 10.1x | 61.5k | $5 |
“Stories of disasters and accidents narrated with minimal stick-figure animation (MS Paint style).”
- Winning Strategy: Unique, recognizable visual brand.
- Growth Gap: This specific style is established but not overcrowded.
Top Benchmark Videos
- The Worst Extreme Challenge Deaths Ever (696.1k views)
- The Worst Mount Everest Deaths No One Talks About (226.5k views)
- The Most PAINFUL Cave Deaths in Insect-Infested Tunnels (204.4k views)
Simple Fracture (@SimpleFractureYT)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0k | 9.6x | 19.1k | $10 |
“Hand-drawn animation videos explaining historical and modern accidents, often focusing on death stories.”
- Winning Strategy: Unique hand-drawn aesthetic creates a strong brand identity.
- Growth Gap: Focus on accidents/deaths is somewhat unique compared to general history channels. A specific focus on ‘micro-histories’ of engineering failures or geological disasters could be more niche.
Top Benchmark Videos
- The Most Unfortunate Deaths In Science Experiments Ever (157.4k views)
- The Dumbest Mistakes In Skydiving That Led To Painful Deaths (32.1k views)
- Celebrities Who Died In Front Of Their Fans (17.0k views)
JCS - Criminal Psychology (@JCS)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.6M | 4.1x | 23.1M | $8 |
“Deep analysis of police interrogations and psychological cases using video footage and commentary.”
- Winning Strategy: Masterful storytelling and pacing.
- Growth Gap: Market is decently saturated, but high-quality ‘explainer’ style content remains in demand.
Top Benchmark Videos
- What pretending to be crazy looks like (66.7M views)
- Jennifer’s Solution (45.6M views)
- Wrath of Jodi (38.9M views)
Barely Sociable (@BarelySociable)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4M | 2.2x | 3.0M | $8 |
“In-depth, multi-part documentary-style videos covering unsolved mysteries and internet phenomena. Uses historical footage, stock footage, and text overlays.”
- Winning Strategy: Exceptional storytelling and research quality
- Growth Gap: Mystery/unsolved crimes niche is very saturated with top channels dominating.
Top Benchmark Videos
- The Dark Side Of The Silk Road (13.1M views)
- Dream - The Infiltration Of The Dark Net (4.7M views)
- The Book Tied To 75,000 Disappearances (4.1M views)
Uncovering (@uncovering_yt)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 279.0k | 1.7x | 477.4k | $10 |
“Documentary-style videos uncovering dark history and mysteries, often using map animations to visualize data.”
- Winning Strategy: Excellent use of visual aids (maps).
- Growth Gap: Competitive, but the map visualization style provides a moat.
Top Benchmark Videos
- How the United States Just Attacked Iran.. (7.8M views)
- Why Planes Disappear in the Bermuda Triangle (4.2M views)
- How to Escape North Korea in 2024 (2.9M views)
Zoufry (@Zoufryymedia)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 93.1k | 0.8x | 71.4k | $10 |
“High-quality documentary-style videos about crime, history, and geopolitical events.”
- Winning Strategy: Strong storytelling; covers a wide range of topics.
- Growth Gap: Focus on international crime (non-US) is underserved in the English market. ‘Financial Crime’ specifically (scams, heists) is high demand.
Top Benchmark Videos
- The Louvre | The Wildest Robbery of the 21st Century (3.4M views)
- The Mystery of the Greatest Heist in American History (1.7M views)
- The Evil Design of Grocery Stores (708.7k views)
Cave Stories (@CaveStoriesOfficial)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25.0k | 0.7x | 17.9k | $12 |
“Narrates real-life cave incidents using simple paint-style animations. Focuses on survival, danger, and tragedy.”
- Winning Strategy: Strong hook in titles and high drama in storytelling.
- Growth Gap: Specific survival niches (caving, mine rescues, ocean depths) are less saturated than general true crime.
Top Benchmark Videos
- The Most Uncomfortable Cave Incidents Ever (742.1k views)
- The Most Insane Cave Rescues and Deaths Of All Time (339.1k views)
- The Most Avoidable Cave Incidents Ever (298.5k views)
Box Head (@Boxhead)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 435.0k | 0.6x | 262.6k | $8 |
“Long-form dark history and true crime content focusing on gruesome deaths, serial killers, and disasters. Uses text-to-speech and stock footage.”
- Winning Strategy: Extremely high view counts and retention (proven format).
- Growth Gap: Competitive, but the specific ‘disaster’ focus is a strong sub-niche.
Top Benchmark Videos
- The Worst School Shootings In History (2.6M views)
- The Most Painful Cave Deaths Ever (2.3M views)
- The Most Painful Ocean Deaths Ever (1.9M views)
Mr. Night Scares (@Mr.Nightscares)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60.0k | 0.6x | 35.0k | $12 |
“Long-form scary story narration with text-on-screen and atmospheric visuals. Primarily true scary stories from various sources.”
- Winning Strategy: Consistent upload schedule and clear niche focus
- Growth Gap: Crowded market with established channels like MrBallen, Lazy Masquerade, etc. Need unique angle.
Top Benchmark Videos
- 7 Scariest TRUE Horror Stories Compilation | Mr. Night Scares (142.6k views)
- 8 Scariest TRUE Horror Stories Compilation | Mr. Night Scares (133.1k views)
- 10 Very Disturbing TRUE Horror Stories Compilation | Mr. Night Scares (118.0k views)
Nexpo (@Nexpo)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8M | 0.6x | 2.2M | $15 |
“Long-form deep dives into internet mysteries, true crime, and disturbing phenomena. High production value with investigative journalism style.”
- Winning Strategy: Exceptional production quality and engaged audience
- Growth Gap: Competitive niche with established creators. Requires significant research and production value.
Top Benchmark Videos
- The Darkest Lost Media [Vol. 1] (11.9M views)
- Gemini and the End of the World (10.7M views)
- What are The Walten Files? (10.7M views)
Disturbed World (@disturbed_world)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 39.4k | 0.6x | 22.3k | $6 |
“Investigative true crime documentaries covering UK and Irish gangsters, using public domain footage and images.”
- Winning Strategy: Deep dive into specific regional crimes, offering unique content.
- Growth Gap: Focus on specific regional organized crime (The IRA, Kinahan cartel) appeals to history buffs and locals, a dedicated audience.
Top Benchmark Videos
- The Brutal Life and Crimes of Loyalist Terror Chief Johnny ‘Mad Dog’ Adair (195.9k views)
- The UK Crime Boss Who Can’t Be Caught | UK True Crime (166.5k views)
- The Brutal Lives And Crimes Of Real IRA Bosses Alan and Vinnie Ryan (137.5k views)
The Crime Atlas (@thecrimeatlas)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 438.0k | 0.6x | 248.0k | $12 |
“Long-form, fact-based true crime documentaries focusing on investigations and victims. Uses narration over crime scene photos, evidence boards, and news footage.”
- Winning Strategy: High production value and consistent uploads establish authority.
- Growth Gap: Highly saturated. However, an underserved angle is ‘white-collar crime,’ ‘financial fraud,’ or ‘cybercrime’ narratives, which target a wealthier demographic with higher RPM.
Top Benchmark Videos
- The Chilling Crimes of Florida’s Wade Wilson | Documentary (2.3M views)
- Blurred Lines: The Stunning Case of Travis Rudolph | True Crime Stories (1.5M views)
- The Family Feud Murderer | True Crime (1.4M views)
Cadaber (@Cadaber)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 394.0k | 0.6x | 219.3k | $7 |
“Long-form videos covering disturbing true crime, mysteries, and Reddit rabbit holes, using text-on-screen and atmospheric visuals.”
- Winning Strategy: High consistency and deep knowledge of the niche.
- Growth Gap: Established niche with major players (e.g., MrBallen, The Internet Investigator).
Top Benchmark Videos
- Carl H: The Most Hated Man on Reddit (3.8M views)
- Disturbing Cases with Terrifying Conclusions (Pt. 1) (1.7M views)
- Disturbing Deep Dives (Pt. 1) (1.3M views)
Grand Manors (@GrandManors)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18.8k | 0.5x | 10.2k | $25 |
“Long-form narrative documentaries exploring the dark history and secrets of famous mansions and estates.”
- Winning Strategy: High specificity (mansions) builds a loyal niche audience.
- Growth Gap: Most history channels focus on wars or politics; fewer cover the specific niche of architectural mysteries and dark histories of buildings.
Top Benchmark Videos
- The Dark Story of America’s LARGEST Mansion: Biltmore (610.4k views)
- The Dark Story of America s Most Controversial Mansion: Mar-a-Lago. (317.4k views)
- Why Billionaires Stopped Building Mansions Like Biltmore (285.9k views)
Vigilant Detective (@VigilantDetective)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 223.0k | 0.5x | 116.3k | $8 |
“Analysis of police body camera footage, providing commentary on police procedure and criminal behavior.”
- Winning Strategy: High engagement and interest in the topic.
- Growth Gap: High risk of demonetization due to reused content policies.
Top Benchmark Videos
- When GOOD Cops Are Saved by Unlikely Strangers! (Very Heartwarming Encounters) (5.7M views)
- When GOOD Cops Broke Down in Tears On The Scene! (Very Heart Wrenching Encounters) (5.1M views)
- When GOOD Cops Humiliate The Ass Out of Corrupt Cops! (4.9M views)
The Paint Explainer (@ThePaintExplainer)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.7M | 0.4x | 743.7k | $12 |
“Simple hand-drawn style animations (often using AI assistance) explaining mysteries and scary topics.”
- Winning Strategy: Unique visual identity in a crowded space.
- Growth Gap: Growing popularity of AI-generated visuals means competition is increasing.
Top Benchmark Videos
- What Dying on Every Planet Would Be Like (11.1M views)
- The Worst Punishments in History (8.2M views)
- The Scariest Urban Legends That Turned Out to Be True (7.7M views)
Unseen (@unseentruecrime)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3M | 0.4x | 500.0k | $8 |
“Deep-dive true crime cases with detailed storytelling and case resolution analysis.”
- Winning Strategy: Excellent engagement and high production quality
- Growth Gap: Well-established but still has growth potential for new unique angles
Top Benchmark Videos
- 9 YO Uses True Crime Skills From Favorite TV Show to Manipulate Captor | The Jeannette Tamayo Case (14.1M views)
- Killer Breaks Down Crying After 8 Y.O. Victim is Found ALIVE | The Case of Jennifer Schuett (12.4M views)
- The Girl in The Wall - The Disturbing Case of Katie Beers (12.2M views)
Bedtime Stories (@BedtimeStoriesChannel)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1M | 0.3x | 269.3k | $7 |
“Narration-based horror and paranormal stories with atmospheric visuals.”
- Winning Strategy: Excellent production quality and consistency
- Growth Gap: Good market but established competitors exist
Top Benchmark Videos
- Tales from Skinwalker Ranch - Part One (4.5M views)
- There is Something on the Moon (3.3M views)
- There is Something in the Woods (3.0M views)
The Painful Explainer (@ThePainfulExplainer)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 82.1k | 0.2x | 20.0k | $5 |
“Graphic compilations and lists focusing on various types of deaths (serial killers, sports, influencers). Borderline shock content.”
- Winning Strategy: High click-through rate due to shock value
- Growth Gap: Policy risks outweigh opportunities
Top Benchmark Videos
- Every Athlete Who Died in Front of Their Fans (2.0M views)
- The WORST Amusement Park Accidents Ever (1.8M views)
- The Worst Deaths Caused by Pranks (549.2k views)
Zack D. Films (@zackdfilms)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25.3M | 0.2x | 5.8M | $10 |
“High-production video essays covering historical disasters, corporate failures, and true crime stories using a mix of stock footage and dynamic editing.”
- Winning Strategy: Massive viral potential and high production value.
- Growth Gap: While video essays exist, there are infinite obscure historical/corporate events to cover.
Top Benchmark Videos
- Ohio’s 1986 Balloon Disaster (13.1M views)
- The Pepsi Contest That Killed 5 People (11.1M views)
- Toyota’s $2,300,000,000 Mistake (10.0M views)
Shrouded Hand (@ShroudedHand)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 975.0k | 0.2x | 167.7k | $8 |
“Deep-dive true crime and paranormal stories with dark, atmospheric tone. Uses narration over stock footage and images.”
- Winning Strategy: Strong engagement and consistent content schedule
- Growth Gap: Very saturated with established channels.
Top Benchmark Videos
- The Ant Walkers Of Hiroshima (4.3M views)
- The Worst Abuse In History - The Tragic Story Of Genie Wiley (3.9M views)
- Serial Killers That (Probably) Don’t Exist (3.4M views)
Dark Case Files (@DarkCaseFiles.originals)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19.8k | 0.2x | 3.3k | $10 |
“Long-form horror storytelling using stock footage, police report screenshots, and atmospheric sound design.”
- Winning Strategy: Good audio production and atmosphere.
- Growth Gap: Saturated. The growth relies on charismatic storytelling or extremely unique cases.
Top Benchmark Videos
- Disturbing TRUE Yellowstone Forbidden Zone Park Ranger Story That ll Keep You Up at Night (77.5k views)
- Disturbing TRUE Louisiana State Trooper Horror Story That ll Chill You to the Bone (69.2k views)
- Disturbing TRUE Florida Sheriff Horror Story That ll Chill You to the Bone (53.9k views)
Robbers IQ (@RobbersIQ)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202.0k | 0.1x | 23.8k | $7 |
“Mini-documentaries about famous crimes and heists, typically 20-30 minutes. Uses narration over stock footage and reenactment footage.”
- Winning Strategy: Consistent upload schedule
- Growth Gap: Crime documentaries are well-established with many channels.
Top Benchmark Videos
- The Untold Story Of The World’s Greatest Prison Escapee (4.7M views)
- The Untold Story Of America’s Most Dangerous Prisoner (3.9M views)
- The Man Who Sold An Imaginary Airport For $242 Million (1.6M views)
Final Affliction (@FinalAffliction)
| Subscribers | Efficiency | Avg Views | RPM Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 642.0k | 0.0x | 29.6k | $20 |
“Long-form, dramatic storytelling of real-life animal attacks. Uses narration over images and clips to create suspense.”
- Winning Strategy: Strong niche focus with a proven audience. High engagement and consistent content strategy.
- Growth Gap: The niche is established but has room for growth, especially with deeper storytelling or focusing on specific regions or types of attacks.
Top Benchmark Videos
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