Or why total subs number is nothing but an illusion.
Those who wants sub x sub, will just end with a bunch of inactive subs. Even if you need the subs to unlock something, most of them wont help. Some just sub or follow due to obligation, but they have no interest in your content.
For example: in webtoons you need 1k subs and 40k monthly page views to be available for ads. Now, as someone who has a series that reached the 1k sub, that wasn't the hard part. The hard part is having the constant 40k views every month (at best i made around or less than 10k views a months, so... never ads).
Or in tapas you need a certain number of sub to unlock ink or ads or whatever, the inactive sub won't give you ink, comment, like, or the ads views.
The same could be said about follow x follow on instagram, or watch x watch on deviantart, or anything similar. The sub number is useless if it doesn't get you views or likes. Same as having 500 "friends" on facebook, but only having like 10 or less real friends.
My current series "has" 800 subs, but every episode only gets less than 10 comments and an average of 50 likes. So i only count those as the real active subs.
That's why i give a LOT more importance to numbers of comments, likes or patreons, because those are active and invested in my stuff.
For example, my patreon https://www.patreon.com/kazsup
Only have 2 patreon, but i know those are active supporters that donate to me.
In my view 2 patreons >>>>>>>> 800 or more subs
If i had to rank it will be:
1) Patreon/and other donators (the ones that go out of their way to support)
2) Comments (these are the ones that are, most of the times, invested in the story).
3) Likes (at least an indicator of how many liked a certain episode).
bottom last: numbers of subs, as the mayority seem to be inactive.