Similar channels
The Similar channels tab picks the channels this channel is worth comparing with and shows where it stands among them: by subscribers, growth, views, engagement, indices and posting frequency. It helps an advertiser find alternative placements and an owner see where they trail competitors.
Where to find it
Open a channel page on https://max.datool.ru/ and pick the Similar channels tab (if you don't see it, look in the More menu). A direct link is the channel address with #similar, for example https://max.datool.ru/demo/#similar (the demo channel: the numbers are invented, the similar channels are real MAX channels).
The tab heading reads “Similar to ‘channel name’”, followed by the number of similar channels found and the period's dates.
How similar channels are picked
Candidates are public active channels (not chats) with at least 100 subscribers from four sources:
- Same topic — the same main category and a size no more than 5 times bigger or smaller than the channel.
- Same region — a channel from the same region or its cities (if the channel's territory is a region or a city), size no more than 5 times bigger or smaller.
- The channel mentions them — links and reposts in the channel's posts over a year.
- They mention the channel — links and reposts in their posts over a year.
Each candidate gets similarity points (at most 100):
| Sign | Points |
|---|---|
| Same main category | 35 (otherwise at least one shared category — 20) |
| The channel mentions the candidate | up to 25 — the more often, the more |
| The candidate mentions the channel | up to 15, adjusted for size closeness |
| Mentions in both directions | +10 |
| Size closeness | up to 15 |
| Same region | +10 |
Channels with 5 or more points make the selection, up to the 50 most similar. The points are shown in the "Similarity" column and in the channel card ("55% similar"). The selection doesn't depend on the period and is refreshed every 6 hours. Under the name of each similar channel are the reasons: "same topic", "same region", "mentions this channel", "this channel mentions it", "mutual mentions", "similar size".
If a channel has no topic, no region and no mentions, there will be no similar channels — the tab says so. Details in How similar channels are picked.
Metrics
All blocks compare the same seven metrics for the selected period:
- Subscribers — now;
- Growth for the period — subscribers now vs the first day of the period, in percent;
- Views per post — views of the period's posts ÷ their number;
- ER — reactions ÷ views of the same posts × 100%;
- CI — the citation index, always for the last 30 days, independent of the period;
- QI — the quality index ("—" if not calculated);
- Posts per week — the period's posts ÷ days × 7.
The metrics are refreshed every few hours.
Period
The period row: 7 days, 30 days, 90 days, Year, All time, Custom dates. Guests get 7 days, signed-in users (free) get up to 30 days, the channel owner and subscribers get every period; Custom dates is available with a Premium or Business subscription. The period consists of full days up to and including yesterday: today's posts are still gaining views. One period applies to the whole tab; cards have no switches of their own. Common elements are described in How the channel page works.
Blocks of the tab
| Block | What it shows | Who can see it |
|---|---|---|
| Channel vs the median of similar channels | seven tiles: the channel and the median of similar channels | everyone; the "Subscribers" and "Growth" tiles — everyone, the other five — after signing in (free) |
| Comparison with similar channels | the table, reason filters, sorting, "All similar (N)" | with a Premium or Business subscription |
| Where the channel is strong and where it lags | a traffic light across seven metrics | with a Premium or Business subscription |
| The channel in brief | three paragraphs of conclusions | with a Premium or Business subscription |
| Rank among similar | the rank for each metric | with a Premium or Business subscription |
| Subscribers vs similar channels | subscriber growth on one scale | with a Premium or Business subscription |
| Who outgrows the channel | who grows faster and who grows slower | with a Premium or Business subscription |
| When similar channels post | heat maps and free slots | with a Premium or Business subscription |
| Formats vs similar channels | format shares of the channel and similar ones | with a Premium or Business subscription |
| Neighbours in the ranking | rank by subscribers in the city, region, MAX, topic | with a Premium or Business subscription |
| Most frequent links | who links to whom | with a Premium or Business subscription |
A locked block is shown as a blurred sample with invented data and an "Available after signing in" or "Available with a subscription" badge; a locked tile is blurred with an "after signing in" label. This is how the tab looks to a guest on a real channel:
More in What's free and what needs a subscription.
Channel vs the median of similar channels
Seven tiles, one per metric. In large type — the channel's value; next to it — a badge with the difference from the median of similar channels ("▲ 38% above the median"); below — a mini chart of the channel's metric by day and the line "median …". The strip at the top of a tile is green if the channel is not below the median, otherwise red. Under the tiles — a summary such as "Better than the median in 4 of 7 metrics: growth, ER, CI, QI".
How to read it. The median is the middle value: half of the similar channels have more, half have less. The growth difference is in percentage points, the others in percent of the median. For periods longer than three months a chart point is a week, longer than six months — a month. A tile without a value for the channel or without a median shows "—".
Example. 29% fewer subscribers than the median, but ER 38% higher — the channel is small, but its audience is lively. For an advertiser that is a reason to take a closer look.
Who can see it: the block — everyone; the "Subscribers" and "Growth" tiles — everyone; "Views per post", "ER", "CI", "QI" and "Posts per week" — after signing in (free). A locked tile is not counted in the "Better than the median in N of M" summary.
Comparison with similar channels
The main table of the tab.
Columns: place, channel (with the selection reasons under the name), "Similarity" (selection points), Subscribers, Growth for the period, Views per post, ER, CI, QI, Posts per week. The channel's own row is highlighted and labelled "this channel".
How many rows. The table shows 11 rows: if the channel is first — it and the next 10; otherwise — 5 channels ahead of it and 5 behind it. Channels without a value for the metric go to the end.
How to use it.
- Sorting. Click a column header to sort the table by that metric (the selected one has a ↓ arrow). By default — by subscribers.
- Filter by selection reason. Above the table are the buttons "All", "This channel mentions it", "Mentions this channel", "Mutual mentions", "Similar size", "Same topic", "Same region"; the number on a button is how many similar channels have that reason (a button with zero is inactive). One reason at a time; a "Found N of M" line and a Reset filter button appear.
- All similar. The All similar (N) button under the table shows the whole selection (up to 50 channels) instead of 11 rows, in the same sort order. If there are 10 or fewer similar channels, there is no button — they are all in the table already.
- Channel card. Hover over a similar channel's name (or Tab to it with the keyboard) to open its card.
The card shows the name and @handle, "N% similar", the selection reasons, subscribers, views per post, ER, a mini chart of subscribers over the period and buttons:
- Add to favourites (after a click — In favourites) — adds the channel to your organisation's favourites, see Favourites;
- Follow (after a click — Following) — get the channel's events, see Following;
- Open channel — go to the channel page.
Guests see "Sign in to add to favourites" instead of the buttons. On the demo channel the card only has Open channel.
Example. Sort by "Views per post" and turn on the "Same region" filter to get a list of regional placements with higher reach than yours.
Who can see it: with a Premium or Business subscription — together with sorting, filters and the All similar (N) button. Without a subscription the table is shown as a blurred sample:
Where the channel is strong and where it lags
A "traffic light" — seven rows, one per metric, best at the top. Colour: green — the channel is in the top third of places among similar channels, yellow — in the middle, red — in the bottom third. On the right — "Nth of M". The wording depends on the share of similar channels the channel beats: "better than all similar channels", "higher than 7 of 10 similar channels", "like the median" (under 5% difference), "slightly above / slightly below the median", "lower than 8 of 10 similar channels".
Example. Growth and QI are green "better than all similar channels" while subscribers are red: the channel is growing fast and is high quality, but still small.
Who can see it: with a Premium or Business subscription.
The channel in brief
Three paragraphs of conclusions in words — like an analyst's summary: the strongest metric (for example, "the fastest-growing channel among similar ones"), where the channel is stronger and weaker than the median of similar channels with numbers, weekly reach (posts per week × views per post), and how the channel grows against the median. The text is assembled by rules, without AI. At least three similar channels with metrics are needed.
Who can see it: with a Premium or Business subscription.
Rank among similar
Tiles for the seven metrics: "9th of 11 by subscribers", "1st of 11 by growth"… Only channels that have the metric are counted. Click a tile to see the same 11-row window for that metric as bars underneath: the channel in a saturated colour, neighbours in a pale one; each row has an avatar, a name and subscribers.
Who can see it: with a Premium or Business subscription.
Subscribers vs similar channels
The subscribers of the channel and of similar channels on one scale: 100 is the first day of the period for each channel, so channel size doesn't get in the way. The line is the channel, the dashed line is the median of similar channels, and the grey band is "half of similar channels" (between 25% and 75%). At the top — the growth of the channel and of the median over the period.
Daily subscriber statistics have been collected since 29 September 2026; with fewer than two days of data the block says there isn't enough data.
Example. The channel's line is above the band — it grows faster than three quarters of similar channels.
Who can see it: with a Premium or Business subscription.
Who outgrows the channel
Two columns: Growing faster — similar channels whose growth over the period is higher, and Growing more slowly or losing — the rest. Each row shows the channel, "+N subscribers over the period" and a growth badge; 6 rows per column, then "and N more". At the top — the channel's own row.
Example for the owner. Channels in the "Growing faster" column are the ones to learn from: look at their formats and posting times.
Who can see it: with a Premium or Business subscription.
When similar channels post
Two "day of week × hour" heat maps, Moscow time: posts of the 10 most similar channels and posts of the channel itself (the last 500 posts of each channel in the period). Green cells are free slots: between 7 and 22, similar channels post less than usual at that hour, while their posts get at least average views (at most five cells).
Example. A green "Wednesday, 15:00" cell means competitors are quiet while readers are active: a good time for an important post.
Who can see it: with a Premium or Business subscription.
Formats vs similar channels
100% bars — the shares of formats (repost, video, photo, link, text) for the channel (at the top, framed), on average for the 10 most similar channels and for each of them. The posts are the same as for the heat maps.
Example. Similar channels make a third of their posts video, the channel only 10%: perhaps the channel should add more video.
Who can see it: with a Premium or Business subscription.
Neighbours in the ranking
The channel's rank by subscribers in different slices: city, region, federal district, all of MAX and the main topic (slices the channel doesn't have are not shown). Each shows three channels above, the channel and three below; each neighbour has "+N vs the channel" or "−N vs the channel". Pick a slice with the buttons above the list; Full rating leads to the channel ratings. Ranks are recalculated every 6 hours.
Who can see it: with a Premium or Business subscription.
Most frequent links
Pairs of channels from the selection (including the channel itself) that linked to or reposted each other over a year: mutual pairs at the top, then by number of mentions. Each row shows two avatars, "A ⇄ B" (mutual) or "A → B", a caption ("mutual: 14 and 11", "the channel mentions", "mentions the channel", "between similar channels"), a bar and a number.
The All pairs, With the channel and Between similar channels buttons switch the list; each shows the first 10 pairs, the rest via Show more.
Example. If similar channels actively link to each other but not to yours, it is an established "circle" worth entering through cross-promotion.
Who can see it: with a Premium or Business subscription.