The Plain Bagel

About The Plain Bagel

The Plain Bagel, operated by Richard, is a finance-focused YouTube channel based in Canada that provides educational content centered on investing, personal finance, and economics. With a professional background as a CFA charterholder and CFP professional working in investment management, the creator emphasizes a research-driven approach to financial literacy. The channel serves as a resource for viewers seeking to understand complex financial concepts, aiming to bridge the gap in accessible financial education. Since its inception, the channel has published 280 videos, accumulating a total of 101,050,336 views. The content is structured to provide clarity on market mechanics and personal finance strategies, maintaining a consistent focus on professional-grade analysis. By leveraging his credentials in the investment industry, the creator addresses a broad spectrum of financial topics, ranging from basic money management to macroeconomic trends. The channel maintains a clear distinction between educational content and financial advice, explicitly stating that all material is provided for informational purposes only. Operating out of Ottawa, the creator has established a significant presence in the digital finance space, consistently delivering long-form educational content that prioritizes objective analysis over speculative commentary. This professional foundation distinguishes the channel within the broader finance category, as the content is consistently grounded in the standards and ethics associated with CFA and CFP designations.

The Plain Bagel's estimated sponsorship rates

The estimated market rate for a sponsored video integration on The Plain Bagel ranges from $14,089 to $23,481, with a typical valuation of $17,220. These figures are derived from an analysis of the channel’s audience reach, niche-specific CPM, and historical performance metrics. The channel operates within the finance sector, a category that commands higher-than-average CPM rates due to the high lifetime value of the audience and the specificity of the content. The valuation model utilizes an average view count of 313,082 per video to determine the baseline cost, which is then adjusted based on the creator's engagement profile and the high-intent nature of the finance niche. Several factors contribute to this pricing structure. First, the creator’s professional credentials as a CFA and CFP provide a level of authority that is highly valued by brands in the fintech, investment management, and banking sectors. Second, the 'mega' tier audience classification indicates a substantial reach that allows for significant brand exposure, while the educational nature of the content ensures that viewers are typically engaged with long-form, high-attention-span material. Because the finance niche consistently falls within a $45-75 CPM band, the pricing reflects the premium placed on reaching an audience interested in financial services and wealth management. For a detailed breakdown of the variables used to calculate these figures, please refer to our /methodology page.

Who should partner with The Plain Bagel?

The Plain Bagel attracts a demographic primarily interested in personal finance, investment strategies, and macroeconomic analysis. The channel’s audience is characterized by a high level of intent, as viewers frequently seek out content to inform their own financial decision-making processes. This audience profile is highly attractive to brands operating in sectors such as fintech applications, online brokerage platforms, personal-finance education tools, and wealth management services. Given the educational focus, the audience is likely composed of individuals looking for objective, data-backed information rather than speculative trading tips. When compared to peer creators in the finance space—such as Patrick Wieland, who also maintains a subscriber base of 1,220,000, or Astronacci with 1,210,000 subscribers—The Plain Bagel occupies a specific niche that emphasizes professional financial literacy. Other peers in this category include international creators such as 오선의 미국 증시 라이브, Rizki Aditama | Sekolah Trading, and 주식사관학교, all of whom operate within the 1.2 million subscriber range. While these creators share a similar scale, The Plain Bagel’s specific focus on the intersection of professional investment management and accessible public education creates a unique audience segment. This segment is particularly valuable for advertisers who require an audience that is not only large but also receptive to complex financial products and services, as the content consistently encourages viewers to adopt a disciplined, long-term approach to their financial health.

The Plain Bagel's growth and performance

The Plain Bagel has demonstrated consistent growth over the most recent tracking period. Data collected between June 27, 2026, and October 3, 2026, shows an increase of 40,000 subscribers over a span of 98 days. Starting at 1,180,000 subscribers, the channel reached a total of 1,220,000 subscribers by the end of the observation window. This growth trajectory reflects a steady acquisition of new viewers, consistent with the channel’s established reputation for regular, high-quality educational content. While we don't yet have view-count history spanning the entire lifetime of the channel, the current snapshot provides a clear indication of the channel's recent momentum. The steady increase in subscriber count suggests that the channel’s content strategy continues to resonate with its target demographic, effectively converting viewers into long-term subscribers. This growth pattern is indicative of a mature channel that maintains a reliable pace of audience expansion within the competitive finance category on YouTube.

How our pricing estimate works for The Plain Bagel

The valuation and performance metrics presented for The Plain Bagel are calculated using an algorithmic approach designed to estimate the market value of creator-led content. Our methodology relies on a combination of subscriber count, niche-specific CPM (cost per mille) benchmarks, and platform-specific performance multipliers. For this profile, we utilized an anchor CPM of $55, positioned within the broader $45-75 band applicable to the finance category. The estimated video integration price is derived from the channel's average view count of 313,082, which serves as the primary basis for our high-confidence valuation. These estimates are intended to provide a standardized, data-driven baseline for brand partnerships and market analysis. We do not incorporate subjective qualitative factors into these specific numerical outputs, ensuring that the data remains objective and comparable across different creators in our database. For a comprehensive explanation of the formulas, variables, and weighting systems used to generate these figures, please visit our /methodology page.