TranscriptAPI — YouTube transcripts (transcriptapi.io)

io.transcriptapiPublished by transcriptapi.ioOfficial publisherv0.1.1Updated Oct 28, 2026

YouTube transcripts, search, channels and playlists for AI agents, by transcriptapi.io.

VerifiedStreamable HTTPWeb executableWeb Search & ScrapingMedia & Design

Overview

AI-generated overview

TranscriptAPI gives an assistant YouTube transcripts plus video, channel and playlist search through a hosted endpoint or a local npm package.

What you can do
  • Fetch a video's transcript as timestamped text, plain prose, SRT or VTT from a watch URL, Shorts link or video id
  • Search YouTube by keyword and get video ids, titles, channels, durations and view counts
  • List a channel's recent uploads, or search within one channel by keyword
  • List the videos in a playlist in playlist order, with ids ready for transcript retrieval
When to use it
Useful when an assistant needs to read or quote what is said in YouTube videos, find videos on a topic, or work through a channel or playlist and then pull transcripts for the relevant items.
Requirements
A TranscriptAPI key (ta_...) sent as a bearer token in the Authorization header, or as the TRANSCRIPTAPI_KEY environment variable for the local npm package. Either connect to the remote endpoint or run the npm package locally with Node.js. Network access to YouTube content via the service.
Before you install
The API key is a credential: keep it out of shared configs and logs. Transcripts and search results are fetched through a third-party service, so the video ids, URLs and queries you submit go to transcriptapi.io. Usage may be subject to the provider's plan limits.

Installation

In SourceWeft

  1. Open TranscriptAPI — YouTube transcripts (transcriptapi.io) in the dashboard and add it to a workspace.
  2. Connect Authorization token credentials. They are stored privately and never shown on public pages.
  3. Enable the server for the chats that should use its tools.

Web executable via Streamable HTTP. Remote servers run from the web runtime once configured in a workspace.

Use with an agent

Paste this prompt into Claude Code, Codex, Cursor or another agent — or into SourceWeft chat. The agent reads this server's install guide, shows you its publisher, endpoint and sign-in, and adds it to your client once you agree. Keys never go into a command.

Read https://sourceweft.com/mcp/io.transcriptapi%2Fyoutube-transcript/install.md and connect the MCP server it describes to my client. Before changing any config, show me its publisher, endpoint and sign-in method and wait for my OK. Never put an API key in a command or in a file I would commit; ask me where it should come from.

Read the install guide the agent follows

Other MCP clients

Add this to your client's mcpServers config.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "transcriptapi-youtube-transcripts-transc": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api.transcriptapi.io/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer <YOUR_TOKEN>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Tools

5

get_youtube_transcript

Get YouTube transcript

Fetch the transcript (captions/subtitles) of a YouTube video as text. Accepts a watch URL, youtu.be link, Shorts link or bare 11-character video id. Returns the spoken text with timestamps grouped in ~30 s blocks by default; format 'text' is prose without timestamps, 'srt'/'vtt' are subtitle files, 'json' is raw segments with start/duration. Works with creator-uploaded and auto-generated captions. translate_to translates the transcript with AI (extra credits, scales with length) — omit unless asked.

Parametersvideorequiredformatlanguagetranslate_to

search_youtube

Search YouTube

Search YouTube for videos by keyword. Returns video ids, titles, channel names, durations and view counts. Use a returned id with get_youtube_transcript to read it.

Parameterslimitqueryrequired

get_channel_videos

List a channel's videos

List the most recent uploads of a YouTube channel, newest first. Accepts a channel id (UC…), a handle (@name) or a channel URL. Returns ids, titles, durations, view counts and publish dates.

Parameterslimitchannelrequired

search_channel_videos

Search within a channel

Search for videos inside one YouTube channel by keyword — 'find the video where <channel> talks about <topic>'. Accepts a channel id, @handle or channel URL.

Parameterslimitqueryrequiredchannelrequired

get_playlist_videos

List a playlist's videos

List the videos in a YouTube playlist, in playlist order. Accepts a playlist URL (anything with list=…) or the playlist id. Returns ids and titles for get_youtube_transcript.

Parameterslimitplaylistrequired

Version history

1
  1. v0.1.1LatestOct 17, 2026

Score

65% of the applicable checks met

How complete this listing is, computed from the registry entry, the endpoint and public sources. Not a rating of the server and not a statement that it is safe or working today: reachability is a dated check, and no installs or reviews go into the score.

  • Reached in the last 30 daysRequired25 pts
  • Auth declaredRequired10 pts
  • Tools listedRequired15 pts
  • DescriptionRequired15 pts
  • Logo10 pts

    Publish an icon in the registry entry.

  • Documentation15 pts

    Declare a GitHub repository with a README, or serve resource_documentation in the OAuth protected-resource metadata.

  • License10 pts

    Declare a license in the repository or the registry entry.