YouTube Shorts score checker
Shorts live or die on the first second. Paste your Short's link (or upload the file) and ClipAI scores whether the hook grabs, the moment is clear on its own, and there's a line worth sharing. 3 free scores a day, no account needed.
Or score a short clip right here.
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Sample score - this is what you get
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How do you check a YouTube Short before it goes out?
Check the three things that decide whether Shorts viewers keep watching: a first line that stops the swipe, a moment that makes sense on its own, and a line worth repeating in the comments. Paste the Short's link or upload the file into the checker and ClipAI returns a 0-100 score, a grade per dimension and a one-line reason. The first 3 scores each day are free, no account needed.
How it works
- 01
Paste the link
Use the Short's youtube.com/shorts link, or upload the file (up to 60 seconds) if it isn't public yet.
- 02
Check the hook
The hook carries the most weight of the five dimensions (25%), and the opening line is classified by hook type.
- 03
Cut more from your videos
Then turn any long YouTube video into scored, vertical Shorts.
What a Short that holds viewers has
- IN THE SCORE
The first line is the hook
Not a title card, not "hey guys, welcome back". The first spoken sentence should make the next one necessary.
- IN THE SCORE
One idea, fully landed
A Short cut from a longer video often loses its setup. If the point needs the original video, clarity drops.
- IN THE SCORE
A line worth commenting on
A claim people agree or argue with, short enough to quote. That is what quotability measures.
- IN THE SCORE
Value or a reaction
Teach something concrete or make people feel something. A Short with neither scores low on both value and emotion.
- TIP · NOT SCORED
An ending that loops
Shorts replay automatically, so an ending that flows back into the first line earns rewatches. The score does not measure loops.
- TIP · NOT SCORED
Vertical, with the speaker in frame
A horizontal video squeezed into 9:16 loses the speaker. When ClipAI cuts Shorts from a long video it reframes to vertical and follows the speaker's face.
Weak vs strong openings
Illustrative lines written for this page, judged the way the scorer judges an opening.
- WEAK
“Hey guys, welcome back to the channel!”
STRONGER“You're holding your camera wrong, and it's why your videos look cheap.”
A greeting is a weak opener and caps the hook grade. The rewrite is a direct, slightly confrontational claim the viewer wants checked.
- WEAK
“In this video I'm going to show you three tips for editing.”
STRONGER“Three edits took my Shorts from 200 views to 20,000.”
Announcing the video is setup. Numbers and a before-and-after result make the promise concrete.
- WEAK
“Okay so, let me just set this up real quick.”
STRONGER“I posted a Short every day for 30 days. Day 12 changed everything.”
"Okay so" filler is a weak opener. An experiment with a named turning point opens a curiosity gap the Short then closes.
How the score works
Hook25% OF SCORE
Whether the first spoken line stops the scroll. Openings that start mid-tension with a specific number, a bold or contrarian claim, or an open question score high; greetings and setup score low.
Emotion20% OF SCORE
Whether a viewer feels something: a laugh, a raw confession, awe, or a frustration named exactly. Dry procedural talk scores low.
Clarity20% OF SCORE
Whether the moment makes complete sense with zero context. References like "like I said" or an unnamed "he" pull it down.
Value15% OF SCORE
How much usable insight per second: concrete, non-obvious takeaways score high, one point stretched with filler scores low.
Quotability20% OF SCORE
Whether one line survives out of context as a caption or on-screen text - the thing a repost travels on.
- Upload a clip up to 60 seconds and 30 MB, or paste a TikTok or YouTube link and the opening minute is scored.
- Each dimension is scored from 0 to 1 against written anchors, then combined in code with the weights above into one 0-100 score.
- The opening line is also classified as one of 12 hook types (specific number, contrarian take, mistake confession and so on).
- Clips with no speech are scored on visuals instead: action, faces, scene variety and on-screen text.
- Score 3 clips a day free, no account needed. Making clips from full videos is part of every ClipAI plan (from $12/month).
- With a plan, you can also ask for 3 stronger opening lines after a score.
Questions
Will this tell me if my Short will get views?
It gives an honest read on the moment's viral ingredients - especially the hook, which decides most Shorts. No tool can promise views, but the score tells you which Shorts are worth posting.
Can I check a Short from its link?
Yes. Paste any public or unlisted youtube.com/shorts or youtube.com/watch link. The checker fetches the opening minute and scores it. Private videos can't be fetched; upload the file instead.
Can I check a Short before I publish it?
Yes: upload the exported file (up to 60 seconds, 30 MB) instead of pasting a link, then publish the version that scores best.
Do I need an account to score a Short?
No. You can score 3 clips a day free without one. Turning long videos into Shorts is part of every ClipAI plan, from $12/month.
Does it work on horizontal video?
Yes, it scores any short clip in any shape; the score reads what is said and shown. To turn a horizontal YouTube video into 9:16 Shorts, ClipAI reframes to vertical and follows the speaker inside the app.
Can it find the best Shorts inside a long video?
The checker scores one clip, up to the first minute. Inside ClipAI, import a long video and every moment is scored, so the strongest ones become Shorts with captions.
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