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YouTube Transcript API. Send a video link or ID.

Timed transcript from captions or audio. We handle the proxies, blocks and platform changes.

YouTube Transcript API at a glance

Returns the timed transcript of a public YouTube video, short or live replay, from its captions or, when it has none, its audio. Send the video's link or ID. Each segment has its start and end time, and text holds the whole transcript.

GET /v1/youtube/transcript

Read the API reference
  • 1 credit per request, up to 122 credits, $0.75–$1.97 per 1,000 requests
  • 10 typed fields null when unknown
  • url is all it needs, e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
  • 100 credits free when you sign up, no card, so you can build before you spend

Send one request. Get 10 fields back.

Copy the request in your language, or hand it to your agent. Sign up for an API key and your first 100 credits are free.

$ npm install socialtap
url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
GET /v1/youtube/transcriptTry in
const params = new URLSearchParams({
  url: "dQw4w9WgXcQ",
});
const res = await fetch(`https://socialtap.dev/v1/youtube/transcript?${params}`, {
  headers: { "x-api-key": process.env.SOCIALTAP_API_KEY ?? "" },
});
const body = await res.json();
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`${body.error.code}: ${body.error.message}`);
const { data, meta } = body;
console.log(data, meta.credits_charged);
200 OK · GET https://socialtap.dev/v1/youtube/transcriptLong arrays and strings are shortened here. Real responses are complete.Docs

One schema on 9 platforms.

The response reference lists every field, its type and when it is null. See the full schema.

  • Null means unknown

    A field YouTube doesn't show is null, never zero or an empty string, so a real zero always means zero.

  • What it accepts

    YouTube video URL (watch, youtu.be, shorts, live, embed, m./music. hosts) or an 11-character video ID.

  • Write one parser

    YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and 6 more platforms answer in these fields, so the code that reads one reads them all.

platformstring
Platform the media is hosted on.
idstring
Platform-native ID of the post (equals post.id); of an ad library entry, its library ID (equals ad.id).
urlstring
Canonical URL of the post (of an ad library entry, its library page).
languagestring
BCP-47 language of the returned transcript; null when unknown.
sourcestring
captions = platform caption track; asr = speech-to-text on the audio. New values may be added.
is_auto_generatedboolean
True when the track was machine-generated (platform auto-captions or ASR).
available_languagesstring[]
BCP-47 caption languages the platform offers for this post; [] if none or not listed.
duration_msinteger
Media duration in milliseconds; null when unknown.

What teams build with the YouTube Transcript API.

  • Summarize or search videos with AI

  • Build subtitle and translation tools

  • Index a channel's back catalog for RAG

  • Repurpose videos into articles and posts

Good to know before you build.

  • The creator's captions win over auto-generated ones, and is_auto_generated tells you which you got.
  • Speech-to-text runs only for a video with no captions, up to a length limit, and returns no_transcript when YouTube withholds the audio.
  • Private, members-only, rental and age-restricted videos return private_or_unavailable.

From 1 credit per request. Failed requests are free.

Buy credits once and spend them on any endpoint, on any platform.

SourcePrice per successful requestPer 1,000 requests
Captions captions1 credit$0.75–$1.97
Speech-to-text asr2 credits + 2 per started minute of media
up to 122 credits (60 started minutes of media)
$1.50–$3.93 + $1.50–$3.93 per started minute of media
  • Cache hits are free.
  • Credits from packs and top-ups never expire.
  • A monthly plan's credits are spent first, and what is left of them ends at each renewal.
  • Prices exclude tax: sales tax is added at checkout where it applies.
  • Outside the US, plans and packs are sold to businesses: checkout asks for your VAT, GST or other business tax ID.

Questions about the YouTube Transcript API.

More in the API reference.

Can I get the transcript in another language?
Yes, when the video has captions in it. Send lang and you get the creator's track in that language, else the auto-generated one. We don't machine-translate, so a language the video lacks returns no_transcript with the ones it has.
How much does the YouTube Transcript API cost?
A request costs 1 credit for captions results (meta.source = captions) and 2 credits + 2 per started minute of media, up to 122 credits (60 started minutes of media) for speech-to-text results (meta.source = asr). SocialTap credits cost $0.75–$1.97 per 1,000, depending on the plan or pack.

Try it on a link you already have.

Paste it in the playground, or copy the request into your code.

100free credits
  • No credit card
  • Failed requests are free
  • Works on all 218 endpoints
Start for free Read the docs