Documentaries delve into the real stories of our world. And YouTube has become a great platform for documentary lovers. There are many YouTubers who produce high-quality documentaries that only require you to spend your time and watch an ad or two. These channels offer a wide range of topics, from history and science to true crime and personal stories. Here are some of the best YouTube documentary channels worth subscribing to.
Top 7 YouTube Documentary Channels
1. National Geographic – 23.3M Subscribers
You may know National Geographic, but you may not know that the National Geographic YouTube channel uploads the same quality content you see on TV. This means short clips from one of the many National Geographic series or full episodes uploaded directly to YouTube
The channel delves into the wonders of our planet, exploring diverse ecosystems, wildlife, history, cultures, etc. viewers can experience the farthest corners of the Earth, from the depths of the ocean to the heights of majestic mountain ranges. So, if you are passionate about learning, this is an excellent channel to follow.
2. VICE – 18.4M Subscribers
VICE aims to bring attention to things going on in the world that you may have never heard of before. Their content often touches on taboo topics, sparks heated debate, and challenges social norms, like a pastor getting ready for doomsday or a teenager running a drug operation.
The channel has both short and long videos, so you can watch no matter how much free time you have. VICE has been sharing videos regularly for almost ten years, so there’s a lot of content to explore if you’re just discovering it now.
3. Free Documentary – 5M Subscribers
Free Documentary is one of the best documentary channels on YouTube that offers lots of high-quality documentaries on various topics, all available for free. It covers everything from historical events and natural disasters to scientific explorations and unique cultural stories. Moreover, this channel regularly updates new documentaries, ensuring there’s always something new to watch.
4. Real Stories – 6.34M Subscribers
Real Stories is a documentary YouTube channel that focuses on human stories from around the world. Launched in 2015, it has grown to over 6.34 million subscribers. On this channel, you can find documentaries on many different topics, like true crime, cultural phenomena, personal struggles, historical events, and more. The channel publishes four feature-length documentaries every week, produced by some of the world’s best documentary filmmakers.
5. Wendover Productions – 4.57M Subscribers
Wendover Productions is a popular channel created by Sam Denby. The channel mainly explains how various aspects of the world work, covering topics like travel, geography, marketing, economics, etc. With over 4.57M subscribers, Wendover Productions publishes new documentaries every other Tuesday.
Some of its recent videos include “The Most Dangerous Subway in America”, “How the YouTube Creator Economy Works”, and “How Ocean Shipping Works (And Why It’s Broken)”. If you’re looking for a channel with detailed and informative videos, Wendover Productions is worth subscribing to.
6. DW Documentary – 5.65M Subscribers
DW Documentary could be one of the best documentary YouTube channels, run by Deutsche Welle (DW), which is a big TV and radio company in Germany. The channel has lots of top documentaries from German broadcasters and international production companies. And it is always close to current affairs and international events.
7. Timeline – World History Documentaries – 5.26M Subscribers
If you’re a history enthusiast or just curious about the past, the Timeline – World History Documentaries channel is what you need. You’ll find in-depth documentaries from top broadcasters like the BBC, Channel 4, Discovery, and PBS. This will take viewers on a journey through different eras, civilizations, and key moments that have changed our world.
BONUS – Watch YouTube Documentaries Offline
Are you someone who loves to watch educational and insightful documentaries from these YouTube channels, even when you don’t have access to the Internet?
MiniTool Video Converter is an excellent software tool that allows you to download content from YouTube for offline viewing, including documentaries. With this tool, you can easily batch download these documentaries in popular formats such as MP4, WebM, MP3, and WAV, allowing you to enjoy them offline at your convenience.
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Final Thoughts
In this post, we’ve introduced you to the 7 best YouTube documentary channels. No matter what you’d like to explore, there’s a channel for you. Also, if you want to enjoy these documentaries without an Internet connection, consider using MiniTool Video Converter.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Lydia is always interested in new things and has been attracted deeply by writing. Her love for writing makes her become an English editor about multimedia in MiniTool. She’s determined to write articles about photos, audio, video, and other news to offer readers useful suggestions. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading, photography, and having fun with friends.