# YouTube Video Transcript — Subtitles & Captions Extractor (`maged120/youtube-transcript`) Actor Extract the full transcript/subtitles from any YouTube video. Returns timestamped text in your chosen language — ready for summarization, translation, or search indexing. - **URL**: https://apify.com/maged120/youtube-transcript.md - **Developed by:** [Maged](https://apify.com/maged120) (community) - **Categories:** Automation, AI - **Stats:** 11 total users, 3 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $10.00 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ### What does YouTube Video Transcript Extractor do? **YouTube Video Transcript Extractor** downloads the full transcript (subtitles/captions) of any YouTube video and returns it as structured, timestamped text. Pass one or more YouTube video URLs or IDs and get back the complete spoken text — no manual downloading or YouTube Premium required. This is the fastest way to extract video text for **LLM processing, summarization, search indexing, content repurposing, or research** at scale on the [Apify platform](https://apify.com). ### Why use YouTube Video Transcript Extractor? - **Extract transcripts at scale** — batch hundreds of video URLs in one run - **Timestamped output** — every line includes its start time and duration - **Multi-language support** — retrieve transcripts in any language YouTube provides - **No YouTube API quota** — bypass the YouTube Data API v3 daily limits - **LLM-ready** — feed transcripts directly to GPT, Claude, or RAG pipelines - **Content repurposing** — turn video content into blog posts, notes, or summaries ### How to use YouTube Video Transcript Extractor 1. Open the Actor and click **Try for free** 2. Add YouTube video URLs or IDs to the `videoUrls` input 3. Optionally specify a preferred language code (e.g., `en`, `es`, `fr`) 4. Click **Start** — transcripts appear in the Output tab within seconds 5. Download as JSON or CSV, or connect via REST API ### Input ```json { "videoUrls": [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ", "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0" ], "language": "en" } ```` | Field | Type | Description | Default | |---|---|---|---| | `videoUrls` | array | YouTube video URLs or video IDs | required | | `language` | string | Preferred transcript language code | `en` | ### Output Each result contains the full transcript as an array of timestamped segments, plus a concatenated plain-text version. ```json { "videoId": "dQw4w9WgXcQ", "videoUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ", "language": "en", "transcript": [ { "text": "We're no strangers to love", "start": 18.4, "duration": 2.54 }, { "text": "You know the rules and so do I", "start": 20.94, "duration": 2.58 } ], "fullText": "We're no strangers to love You know the rules and so do I..." } ``` ### Output fields | Field | Type | Description | |---|---|---| | `videoId` | string | YouTube video ID | | `videoUrl` | string | Original video URL | | `language` | string | Language code of the returned transcript | | `transcript` | array | Timestamped transcript segments | | `transcript[].text` | string | Spoken text segment | | `transcript[].start` | number | Start time in seconds | | `transcript[].duration` | number | Segment duration in seconds | | `fullText` | string | Complete transcript as plain text | ### Cost Pay-per-result pricing: | Volume | Estimated cost | |---|---| | 50 transcripts | ~$0.05–$0.25 | | 500 transcripts | ~$0.50–$2.50 | | 5,000 transcripts | ~$5–$25 | Cost varies by video length. ### Tips - Use the `fullText` field to feed directly into summarization or embedding pipelines - If a video has auto-generated captions only, the transcript may contain punctuation errors — plan accordingly - Combine with the **YouTube Search Scraper** to search for videos and then pull their transcripts in one pipeline - For large batches, use the Apify API to trigger runs programmatically and poll for completion ### FAQ **What if a video has no captions?** The Actor returns an error for that video ID. Auto-generated captions are supported on most videos. **Can I get transcripts in languages other than English?** Yes — set the `language` field to any BCP-47 language code (e.g., `es`, `de`, `ar`). **Does this require a YouTube account?** No. Transcripts are accessed from YouTube's public caption API. **Is this Actor maintained?** Yes. Report bugs or feature requests in the Issues tab. **Need help or have questions?** Open an issue in the Issues tab or reach out on Discord: **maged03211** # Actor input Schema ## `video_url` (type: `string`): A full YouTube video URL (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...) or a video id. ## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`): Optional proxy settings for the Apify Console proxy editor. By default this Actor will request Apify Residential proxies. ## Actor input object example ```json { "video_url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjpjjcMeujM", "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [ "RESIDENTIAL" ] } } ``` # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = {}; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("maged120/youtube-transcript").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = {} # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("maged120/youtube-transcript").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{}' | apify call maged120/youtube-transcript --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=maged120/youtube-transcript", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "YouTube Video Transcript — Subtitles & Captions Extractor", "description": "Extract the full transcript/subtitles from any YouTube video. Returns timestamped text in your chosen language — ready for summarization, translation, or search indexing.", "version": "1.0", "x-build-id": "MstK54HJVQgEurZWR" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/maged120~youtube-transcript/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-maged120-youtube-transcript", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/maged120~youtube-transcript/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-maged120-youtube-transcript", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/maged120~youtube-transcript/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-maged120-youtube-transcript", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "video_url" ], "properties": { "video_url": { "title": "YouTube video URL or ID", "type": "string", "description": "A full YouTube video URL (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...) or a video id.", "default": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjpjjcMeujM" }, "proxyConfiguration": { "title": "Proxy Configuration", "type": "object", "description": "Optional proxy settings for the Apify Console proxy editor. By default this Actor will request Apify Residential proxies.", "default": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [ "RESIDENTIAL" ] } } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```