YouTube MCP by TranscriptAPI
No local install, no cloud IP blocks. YouTube transcript, search, and channel data for AI agents. TranscriptAPI runs the infrastructure — 500K+ transcripts/day at 49ms. OAuth or API key. 100 free credits.
YouTube Transcript + YouTube Search MCP for AI Agents
The fastest YouTube transcript + YouTube search MCP for AI agents. Try for free.
Six tools — transcripts, video search, channel browsing, in-channel search, playlist extraction, and new-upload polling — for Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code, Claude Code, and 20+ clients.
Powering 15M+ transcripts every month · 500K+ transcripts processed daily · 49ms median response time Trusted in production by youtubetotranscript.com (~11M/mo) and recapio.com (~2.8M/mo).
Why TranscriptAPI MCP
Most YouTube MCP servers do one thing — pull a single transcript. TranscriptAPI MCP is a full toolkit: transcripts, video search, channel search, channel browsing, playlist extraction, and free RSS-based upload tracking — all from one remote endpoint, all designed for AI agents.
| TranscriptAPI MCP | Typical YouTube MCP | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | ✅ Remote (no local install) | ❌ Local stdio install |
| Tools | ✅ 6 tools | ❌ 1 (transcript only) |
| YouTube search | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Channel & playlist extraction | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Latest-uploads monitoring (free) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| OAuth 2.1 + API key auth | ✅ Both | ❌ Usually neither |
| Production scale (15M+ req/mo) | ✅ Yes | ❌ Hobbyist scrapers |
| Works on mobile Claude & web Claude | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Agent-friendly error messages | ✅ Yes | ❌ Bare HTTP codes |
Quick taste:
Find Andrew Huberman's three most-viewed videos about sleep,
get the transcript of each, and write a 5-bullet comparison.
That single prompt uses 3 of our 6 tools — search_youtube, search_channel_videos, get_youtube_transcript — without you writing a line of code.
🛠️ Quick Install
Requirements:
- A TranscriptAPI account (sign up free — first 100 credits free)
- An API key from your dashboard OR use OAuth (Claude, ChatGPT)
Recommended: Add a Rule to Auto-Invoke TranscriptAPI
Add this rule to your AI client so you don't need to explicitly ask for transcripts:
When I share a YouTube URL, automatically use the TranscriptAPI MCP tool to fetch the transcript before responding. This applies to any video analysis, summarization, or question about YouTube content.
Install in Cursor (One-Click / Manual)
One-Click Install:
Manual Configuration:
Go to: Settings → Features → MCP → Add New MCP Server
- Name:
transcript-api - Type:
SSE(Remote) - URL:
https://transcriptapi.com/mcp
Or edit ~/.cursor/mcp.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"transcript-api": {
"url": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Install in Claude (Desktop & Web) — Recommended
Claude supports adding MCP servers directly via the "Custom Connector" UI.
Quick Setup:
- Open Claude Settings (click your profile icon → Settings)
- Go to Connectors → Add custom connector
- Enter the following details:
- Name:
TranscriptAPI - URL:
https://transcriptapi.com/mcp
- Name:
- Click Add, then click Connect to authorize via your browser.
- (Optional) In the connector settings, change permissions to "Allow unsupervised" for seamless usage.
Full Guide: Claude Integration Guide →
Install in Claude Code (CLI)
claude mcp add --transport http transcript-api https://transcriptapi.com/mcp
Install in ChatGPT
ChatGPT supports OAuth for secure authentication. Enable Developer Mode in ChatGPT settings first.
Quick Setup:
- In ChatGPT, go to
Settings→Connected Apps→Add - Enter the MCP Server URL:
https://transcriptapi.com/mcp - Client ID & Secret are optional:
- Leave them blank to use Dynamic Client Registration (recommended/simpler).
- (Advanced) Or enter Client ID & Secret from your dashboard for static registration.
- Click Add and authorize via the browser popup.
Full Guide: ChatGPT Integration Guide →
Install in VS Code
Or add this to VS Code user settings (settings.json):
"mcp.servers": {
"transcript-api": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
Install in OpenAI Agent Builder
OpenAI Agent Builder currently requires API Key authentication (OAuth not yet supported).
- Create a new Agent
- Under "Actions" or "Tools", add a new MCP Server
- URL:
https://transcriptapi.com/mcp - Auth Type: API Key
- Paste your API Key from the dashboard
Install in Windsurf
Add to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"transcript-api": {
"serverUrl": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Install in Cline
{
"mcpServers": {
"transcript-api": {
"url": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"type": "streamableHttp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Install in Zed
In Zed settings.json:
{
"context_servers": {
"transcript-api": {
"source": "remote",
"url": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Install in Roo Code
{
"mcpServers": {
"transcript-api": {
"type": "streamable-http",
"url": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Install in Amp
amp mcp add transcript-api https://transcriptapi.com/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
Install in Augment Code
In settings.json under augment.advanced:
"augment.advanced": {
"mcpServers": [
{
"name": "transcript-api",
"url": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
]
}
Install in Kilo Code
In .kilocode/mcp.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"transcript-api": {
"type": "streamable-http",
"url": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Install in JetBrains AI Assistant
In Settings → Tools → AI Assistant → MCP:
{
"mcpServers": {
"transcript-api": {
"url": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Install in Gemini CLI
In ~/.gemini/settings.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"transcript-api": {
"httpUrl": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Install in Qwen Coder
In ~/.qwen/settings.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"transcript-api": {
"httpUrl": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Install in Google Antigravity
{
"mcpServers": {
"transcript-api": {
"serverUrl": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Install in Trae
{
"mcpServers": {
"transcript-api": {
"url": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Install in LM Studio
In mcp.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"transcript-api": {
"url": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Install in BoltAI
In Plugins → JSON Config:
{
"mcpServers": {
"transcript-api": {
"url": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Install in Warp
In Settings → AI → MCP:
{
"transcript-api": {
"url": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
Install in Perplexity Desktop
In Settings → Connectors → Advanced:
{
"url": "https://transcriptapi.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
🔐 Authentication
API Key
Simple and universal. Works with every MCP client.
- Get your API key from your dashboard
- Keys start with
sk_prefix - Add to config as a Bearer token:
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer sk_your_api_key_here"
}
Security: Store keys in environment variables where possible and never commit them to version control.
OAuth 2.1
Automatic, secure authentication without manual key management.
Dynamic Client Registration (DCR):
- Supported by: Claude Desktop, Claude Web, ChatGPT
- Just add the MCP URL — client auto-registers
- No credentials needed
- You'll authorize once via browser redirect
Static Client Registration:
- Supported by: ChatGPT (optional)
- Get Client ID + Secret from the MCP Integration Dashboard
- More control over client identity
Full reference: Authentication docs →
🧰 Available Tools
All six tools are exposed automatically once you connect. 1 credit = 1 successful (HTTP 200) request. Failed/rate-limited calls do not consume credits.
1. get_youtube_transcript
Fetch the transcript for any YouTube video — as markdown (with metadata) or structured JSON. Drop the output straight into summarizers, search indexes, or AI pipelines.
| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
video_url | string | required | YouTube URL (full or short) or 11-char video ID |
send_metadata | boolean | true | Include video title, author, thumbnail |
format | string | "text" | "text" (markdown) or "json" |
include_timestamp | boolean | true | Add timestamps to each segment |
Cost: 1 credit per successful request.
Example output (markdown):
# Metadata
## Title: Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up
## Author: RickAstleyVEVO
# Transcript
[0.0s] Never gonna give you up
[4.12s] Never gonna let you down
Example output (JSON):
{
"transcript": [
{ "text": "Never gonna give you up", "start": 0.0, "duration": 4.12 },
{ "text": "Never gonna let you down", "start": 4.12, "duration": 3.85 }
],
"metadata": { "title": "Rick Astley...", "author_name": "RickAstleyVEVO" }
}
2. search_youtube
Search YouTube for videos or channels. Filter by type and paginate with a continuation token — perfect for discovery, research, and building content pipelines.
| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
query | string | required | Search query |
search_type | string | "video" | "video" or "channel" |
continuation | string | null | Token from a prior call for next page |
Cost: 1 credit per page (~20 results per page).
Example prompt:
Search YouTube for "transformer architecture explained" and pick the
top 3 results by relevance.
3. get_channel_latest_videos · FREE
Get the ~15 most recent uploads from any channel via RSS — no credits required. Perfect for monitoring, daily recaps, or triggering downstream pipelines.
| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
channel | string | required | @handle, channel URL, or UC… channel ID |
Cost: Free.
Example prompt:
Every morning, list new uploads from @lexfridman and @hubermanlab.
4. search_channel_videos
Search inside one specific channel for videos matching a query. Great for researching a creator's content or finding niche topics in large channels.
| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
channel | string | required | @handle, channel URL, or UC… ID |
query | string | required | Query to search within the channel |
continuation | string | null | Pagination token |
Cost: 1 credit per page (~30 results per page).
Example prompt:
On Andrew Huberman's channel, find every video about sleep.
5. list_channel_videos
List every video on a channel, ~100 per page. Ideal for building databases, bulk transcript extraction, or auditing a channel's full content library.
| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
channel | string | required | @handle, channel URL, or UC… ID |
continuation | string | null | Pagination token |
Cost: 1 credit per page (~100 results per page).
6. list_playlist_videos
Get every video in a YouTube playlist (PL/UU/LL/FL/OL IDs supported). Process entire courses, lecture series, or curated collections in a single call.
| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
playlist | string | required | Playlist URL or playlist ID |
continuation | string | null | Pagination token |
Cost: 1 credit per page (~100 results per page).
💡 Use Cases & Prompts
| Use Case | Example Prompt |
|---|---|
| 📝 Summarize a video | "Summarize the key points from this video: [URL]" |
| 🔍 Research a topic | "Search YouTube for the 5 most-watched videos on neural radiance fields; summarize each." |
| 🧠 Study notes | "Create study notes from this MIT lecture series playlist: [PLAYLIST URL]" |
| ⚖️ Compare perspectives | "Compare arguments in these two videos: [URL1] [URL2]" |
| 🌐 Translate | "Translate this video's transcript to Spanish: [URL]" |
| ✍️ Repurpose content | "Turn this video into a 1,500-word blog post: [URL]" |
| 📡 Monitor a creator | "Each morning, list new uploads from @hubermanlab and tell me which to watch." |
| 🏛️ Build a content database | "Pull every video from @veritasium and store title + transcript." |
| 🎯 Competitor analysis | "Search inside @MKBHD for any video about [competitor product] and summarize the takeaways." |
💳 Pricing & Rate Limits
| Plan | Price | Credits | Rate Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 (one-time) | 100 | 60 req/min |
| Starter Monthly | $5/month | 1,000/month | 200 req/min |
| Starter Annual | $54/year ($4.50/mo) | 1,000/month | 300 req/min |
- 1 Credit = 1 successful request (HTTP 200)
- Failed and rate-limited requests do not consume credits.
get_channel_latest_videosis free (no credits charged).- View pricing · Manage credits
🚨 Troubleshooting
Authentication errors (401)
- Verify your API key starts with
sk_ - Check for extra spaces when copying
- Ensure the key is active in your dashboard
- If using OAuth, try re-authorizing
No credits (402)
- Check your credit balance at the dashboard
- Purchase more credits or upgrade your plan
Video not available (404)
- The video might not have captions/subtitles enabled
- The video might be private or age-restricted
- The video might be region-locked
Rate limiting (429)
- Respect the
Retry-Afterheader - Implement exponential backoff in your client
- Upgrade to a paid plan for higher limits
OAuth issues
- Clear browser cookies and try again
- For ChatGPT, try switching between Dynamic and Static registration
- Ensure popup blockers aren't preventing the auth window
🔗 Also available as a REST API
Building an app instead of an agent? The same backend ships as a JSON REST API.
| MCP | REST API | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | AI assistants & agents | Apps & backend services |
| Setup | Add a URL | Code integration |
| Get started | This README | API docs → · Swagger → |
Base URL: https://transcriptapi.com/api/v2
🤝 Connect
- 🌐 Website: transcriptapi.com
- 📚 Docs: transcriptapi.com/docs
- 🔧 API Reference: transcriptapi.com/docs/api
- 🤖 MCP Setup Guides: Claude · ChatGPT · OpenAI Agent Builder
- 💬 Contact: transcriptapi.com/contact
📋 MCP Registry
This server is published to the official Model Context Protocol Registry under the name:
com.transcriptapi/youtube-transcript-and-youtube-search
© 2026 Zero Point Studio d.o.o. · Released under the MIT License
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