By 2021, YouTube shifted its focus almost entirely toward and Audience Retention . The platform no longer cares just about how many people are subscribed; it cares about how many people are actually watching .
Many "free" bot sites require you to log in with your Google account or download sketchy software. This is a common way for hackers to steal channels or spread malware. Why 2021 Was a Turning Point for YouTube's Algorithm
This is the most overlooked downside. Bots don’t watch your videos, like your content, or leave comments. If you have 10,000 subscribers but only 10 views per video, YouTube’s algorithm assumes your content is poor and will stop recommending it to real users.