# YouTube Transcript API. Send a video link or ID. Timed transcript from captions or audio. We handle the proxies, blocks and platform changes. [Get API key](https://socialtap.dev/signup/?next=%2Fplayground%2F%3Fendpoint%3Dyoutube.transcript) ## 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](https://socialtap.dev/docs/reference/youtube/transcript/index.md) - **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` [Open in playground](https://socialtap.dev/playground/?endpoint=youtube.transcript) cURL: ```shell curl 'https://socialtap.dev/v1/youtube/transcript?url=dQw4w9WgXcQ' \ -H "x-api-key: $SOCIALTAP_API_KEY" ``` TypeScript SDK: ```typescript import { SocialTap } from "socialtap"; const client = new SocialTap(); // apiKey defaults to process.env.SOCIALTAP_API_KEY const res = await client.youtube.transcript.get({ url: "dQw4w9WgXcQ" }); console.log(res.data); console.log(res.credits.charged, res.meta.request_id); ``` Node.js (fetch): ```javascript const params = new URLSearchParams({ url: "dQw4w9WgXcQ", }); const res = await fetch(`https://socialtap.dev/v1/youtube/transcript?${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); ``` Python (requests): ```python import os import requests res = requests.get( "https://socialtap.dev/v1/youtube/transcript", params={"url": "dQw4w9WgXcQ"}, headers={"x-api-key": os.environ["SOCIALTAP_API_KEY"]}, ) body = res.json() if not res.ok: raise RuntimeError(f"{body['error']['code']}: {body['error']['message']}") data, meta = body["data"], body["meta"] print(data, meta["credits_charged"]) ``` Go (net/http): ```go package main import ( "encoding/json" "fmt" "log" "net/http" "net/url" "os" ) func main() { q := url.Values{} q.Set("url", "dQw4w9WgXcQ") req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "https://socialtap.dev/v1/youtube/transcript?"+q.Encode(), nil) if err != nil { log.Fatal(err) } req.Header.Set("x-api-key", os.Getenv("SOCIALTAP_API_KEY")) res, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req) if err != nil { log.Fatal(err) } defer res.Body.Close() var body struct { Data json.RawMessage `json:"data"` Meta map[string]any `json:"meta"` Error *struct { Code string `json:"code"` Message string `json:"message"` } `json:"error"` } if err := json.NewDecoder(res.Body).Decode(&body); err != nil { log.Fatal(err) } if body.Error != nil { log.Fatalf("%s: %s", body.Error.Code, body.Error.Message) } fmt.Println(string(body.Data), body.Meta["credits_charged"]) } ``` 200 OK: ```json { "data": { "available_languages": [ "en", "de-DE", "ja" ], "duration_ms": 213000, "id": "dQw4w9WgXcQ", "is_auto_generated": false, "language": "en", "platform": "youtube", "platform_specific": {}, "segments": [ { "end_ms": 3040, "start_ms": 1360, "text": "[♪♪♪]" }, { "end_ms": 21880, "start_ms": 18640, "text": "♪ We're no strangers to love ♪" }, { "end_ms": 26960, "start_ms": 22640, "text": "♪ You know the rules and so do I ♪" } ], "source": "captions", "text": "[♪♪♪] ♪ We're no strangers to love ♪ ♪ You know the rules and so do I ♪ ♪ A full commitment's what I'm thinking of ♪ ♪ You wouldn't get this from any other guy ♪ ♪ I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling ♪ ♪ Gotta make you understand ♪ ♪ Never gonna give you up ♪ ♪ Never gonna let …", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ" }, "meta": { "request_id": "req_3f9c2a7d1e8b4c6a9f0e2d4b6a8c0e1f", "platform": "youtube", "source": "captions", "is_cached": false, "credits_charged": 1, "latency_ms": 308, "fetched_at": "2026-10-25T12:00:00Z", "input": { "kind": "video", "id": "dQw4w9WgXcQ", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ" }, "credits_remaining": 9999, "client_request_id": null, "warnings": [] } } ``` Long arrays and strings are shortened here. Real responses are complete. ## One schema on 9 platforms. The [response reference](https://socialtap.dev/docs/reference/youtube/transcript/index.md#response) lists every field, its type and when it is `null`. [See the full schema](https://socialtap.dev/resources/transcript/index.md). - ### 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. - **`platform`string**: Platform the media is hosted on. - **`id`string**: Platform-native ID of the post (equals post.id); of an ad library entry, its library ID (equals ad.id). - **`url`string**: Canonical URL of the post (of an ad library entry, its library page). - **`language`string**: BCP-47 language of the returned transcript; null when unknown. - **`source`string**: captions = platform caption track; asr = speech-to-text on the audio. New values may be added. - **`is_auto_generated`boolean**: True when the track was machine-generated (platform auto-captions or ASR). - **`available_languages`string\[\]**: BCP-47 caption languages the platform offers for this post; \[\] if none or not listed. - **`duration_ms`integer**: Media duration in milliseconds; null when unknown. Live data from 33 platforms. [TikTok](https://socialtap.dev/apis/tiktok/index.md) · [Instagram](https://socialtap.dev/apis/instagram/index.md) · [Facebook](https://socialtap.dev/apis/facebook/index.md) · [YouTube](https://socialtap.dev/apis/youtube/index.md) · [Reddit](https://socialtap.dev/apis/reddit/index.md) · [Threads](https://socialtap.dev/apis/threads/index.md) · [Spotify](https://socialtap.dev/apis/spotify/index.md) · [Amazon](https://socialtap.dev/apis/amazon/index.md) · [Apple Music](https://socialtap.dev/apis/applemusic/index.md) · [Pinterest](https://socialtap.dev/apis/pinterest/index.md) · [Rumble](https://socialtap.dev/apis/rumble/index.md) · [X](https://socialtap.dev/apis/x/index.md) · [Bluesky](https://socialtap.dev/apis/bluesky/index.md) · [Twitch](https://socialtap.dev/apis/twitch/index.md) · [LinkedIn](https://socialtap.dev/apis/linkedin/index.md) · [Telegram](https://socialtap.dev/apis/telegram/index.md) · [TikTok Shop](https://socialtap.dev/apis/tiktokshop/index.md) · [Kwai](https://socialtap.dev/apis/kwai/index.md) · [Snapchat](https://socialtap.dev/apis/snapchat/index.md) · [SoundCloud](https://socialtap.dev/apis/soundcloud/index.md) · [Truth Social](https://socialtap.dev/apis/truthsocial/index.md) · [Kick](https://socialtap.dev/apis/kick/index.md) · [Komi](https://socialtap.dev/apis/komi/index.md) · [Lnk.Bio](https://socialtap.dev/apis/linkbio/index.md) · [Linkme](https://socialtap.dev/apis/linkme/index.md) · [Linktree](https://socialtap.dev/apis/linktree/index.md) · [Pillar](https://socialtap.dev/apis/pillar/index.md) · [TikTok Ad Library](https://socialtap.dev/apis/tiktok-ad-library/index.md) · [Facebook Ad Library](https://socialtap.dev/apis/facebook-ad-library/index.md) · [Facebook Events](https://socialtap.dev/apis/facebook-events/index.md) · [Facebook Marketplace](https://socialtap.dev/apis/facebook-marketplace/index.md) · [Google Ads Transparency Center](https://socialtap.dev/apis/google-ads-transparency/index.md) · [LinkedIn Ad Library](https://socialtap.dev/apis/linkedin-ad-library/index.md) ## 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. [Plans and packs](https://socialtap.dev/pricing/index.md) · [How this endpoint is priced](https://socialtap.dev/docs/reference/youtube/transcript/index.md#pricing) · [How credits work](https://socialtap.dev/docs/credits/index.md) | Source | Price per successful request | Per 1,000 requests | | --- | --- | --- | | Captions `captions` | 1 credit | $0.75–$1.97 | | Speech-to-text `asr` | 2 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](https://socialtap.dev/docs/reference/youtube/transcript/index.md). **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. Other platforms ## Transcripts on 8 more platforms. - [TikTok Transcript API](https://socialtap.dev/apis/tiktok/transcript/index.md) (From 1 credit · `GET /v1/tiktok/transcript`) - [Instagram Reels Transcript API](https://socialtap.dev/apis/instagram/transcript/index.md) (From 1 credit · `GET /v1/instagram/transcript`) - [Facebook Video Transcript API](https://socialtap.dev/apis/facebook/transcript/index.md) (From 1 credit · `GET /v1/facebook/transcript`) - [Reddit Video Transcript API](https://socialtap.dev/apis/reddit/transcript/index.md) (From 1 credit · `GET /v1/reddit/transcript`) - [Rumble Transcript API](https://socialtap.dev/apis/rumble/transcript/index.md) (From 1 credit · `GET /v1/rumble/transcript`) - [Twitch Clip Transcript API](https://socialtap.dev/apis/twitch/transcript/index.md) (From 2 credits · `GET /v1/twitch/transcript`) - [Kick Clip Transcript API](https://socialtap.dev/apis/kick/transcript/index.md) (From 2 credits · `GET /v1/kick/transcript`) - [Facebook Ad Transcript API](https://socialtap.dev/apis/facebook/ad_transcript/index.md) (From 2 credits · `GET /v1/facebook/ad_transcript`) More YouTube ## YouTube API. 6 endpoints, one key. - [YouTube Video API](https://socialtap.dev/apis/youtube/post/index.md) (1 credit · `GET /v1/youtube/post`) - [YouTube Channel Videos API](https://socialtap.dev/apis/youtube/posts/index.md) (1 credit / page · `GET /v1/youtube/posts`) - [YouTube Channel API](https://socialtap.dev/apis/youtube/profile/index.md) (1 credit · `GET /v1/youtube/profile`) - [YouTube Comments API](https://socialtap.dev/apis/youtube/comments/index.md) (1 credit / page · `GET /v1/youtube/comments`) - [YouTube Engagement API](https://socialtap.dev/apis/youtube/engagement/index.md) (1 credit · `GET /v1/youtube/engagement`) ## 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](https://socialtap.dev/signup/) [Read the docs](https://socialtap.dev/docs/index.md) --- [HTML version](https://socialtap.dev/apis/youtube/transcript/) · [Docs index for AI agents](https://socialtap.dev/llms.txt) · [All docs in one file](https://socialtap.dev/llms-full.txt)