TranscriptAPI
YouTube video transcripts as JSON with timestamps, search and playlist endpoints.
About TranscriptAPI
TranscriptAPI is a REST API and MCP tool for extracting data from YouTube. It provides transcript extraction from individual videos (with or without timestamps), YouTube search by video, channel, or playlist, search within a specific channel, listing of all videos from a channel, and tracking of a channel's latest uploads. Responses are returned in JSON format, and the service can be accessed via direct API calls or through AI agent integrations.
The product is aimed at developers building tools that require YouTube content at scale, such as summarizers, search indexes, AI pipelines, content research and competitor analysis tools, video databases, and channel monitoring or recap systems. Usage is metered by credits per request, with transcript retrieval, search, and channel/video listing each consuming one credit, while checking for a channel's latest uploads is free.
The service reports handling over 15 million transcripts per month with a median response time of 49 milliseconds, and lists youtubetotranscript.com and recapio.com as production users processing roughly 11 million and 2.8 million transcripts per month, respectively.
Key features
- Extract YouTube video transcripts with or without timestamps
- Search YouTube for videos, channels, or playlists
- Search within a specific channel for topic-specific videos
- List all videos from a YouTube channel for bulk extraction or auditing
- Track new channel uploads for free with no credits required
- Access via REST API, YouTube MCP, or AI agent skills
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free tier?
Yes, tracking new uploads from a channel is free and requires no credits, while other endpoints like transcripts and search cost 1 credit per request.
What integrations does it support?
It works via REST API, a YouTube MCP server, and AI agent skills.
How fast is the API?
The median response time is 49ms, and it processes over 15 million transcripts per month.
Who is this for?
It's for developers building summarizers, search indexes, AI pipelines, content research tools, and channel monitoring or auditing systems.
Can I get video transcripts with timestamps?
Yes, transcripts can be extracted with or without timestamps, including start time and duration for each segment.
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