# YouTube Transcripts API (https://www.socialcrawl.dev/platforms/youtube/transcripts)

> Batch transcript lookup for LLM corpora. POST a JSON body with an `ids` array of 1-100 BARE 11-character YouTube video ids (full watch URLs are not accepted here: use GET /v1/youtube/video/transcript for a single URL); returns one row per id: the transcript (`format: "text"` joins it into one string; `format: "segments"` returns `[{start_ms, duration_ms, text}]`), the resolved `language`, and a `status` of ok / not_found / error / deferred: in input order. Optional `language` picks a preferred caption track. Per-id isolation: one caption-less or deleted video never fails the batch: a caption-less video is `not_found` with `ext.reason: "no_captions"`, a members-only video (available only to the channel's paying members) is `not_found` with `ext.reason: "members_only"`, a deleted/unavailable one is `not_found` with `ext.reason: "video_gone"`. Billing is per successful row at 3 credits (the single-transcript registry tier); not_found / errored / deferred rows are refunded, so you pay exactly for the transcripts you got. Never cached. Optionally streams Server-Sent Events when the client sends `Accept: text/event-stream`.

TL;DR: `POST /v1/youtube/transcripts` costs 3 credits per successful transcript. Up to 100 ids per call: the call holds ids × 3 up front (a full batch holds 300) and refunds every not_found, errored and deferred row and returns SocialCrawl's unified JSON schema. Single x-api-key auth, 100 free credits on signup.

## Parameters

| Parameter | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `ids` | yes | JSON array of 1-100 BARE YouTube video ids (11 characters each, e.g. 'dQw4w9WgXcQ'). Full watch URLs are not accepted here. |
| `language` | no | Caption-track language (2-letter code, e.g. 'en', 'ko'). It is never swapped for another language: an id with no track in it is tried on the next source and otherwise comes back `not_found`, refunded. When absent, each row is in the video's original spoken language, not a dubbed track. |
| `format` | no | `text` (default) returns the whole transcript as one joined string; `segments` returns timestamped `[{start_ms, duration_ms, text}]`. |

## Code example

```bash
curl -X POST "https://www.socialcrawl.dev/v1/youtube/transcripts" \
  -H "x-api-key: sc_YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{"ids":["dQw4w9WgXcQ","9bZkp7q19f0"]}'
```

## FAQ

### What does the YouTube Transcripts API return?

Returns one row per video id, up to 100 per request, each with the spoken transcript, the caption language it resolved to, and an ok or not-found status. The response uses the same JSON envelope as every SocialCrawl endpoint, with the data, credits_used and request_id fields.

### When should I use the YouTube Transcripts endpoint?

Use it to build a transcript set from many videos at once; a video without captions comes back as not found instead of failing the whole request.

### How much does the YouTube Transcripts API cost?

The price depends on the request, from 3 to 300 credits per call. Every new account gets 100 free credits. Credits for failed or empty calls are refunded automatically, and there is no subscription.

### What parameters does the YouTube Transcripts API need?

The one required parameter is ids (jSON array of 1-100 BARE YouTube video ids 11 characters each, e.g). It also accepts 2 optional parameters, all listed on this page.

### How do I call the YouTube Transcripts API?

Send a POST request to https://www.socialcrawl.dev/v1/youtube/transcripts with a JSON body and your API key in the x-api-key header. An Authorization: Bearer header works too.

See the full YouTube API: https://www.socialcrawl.dev/platforms/youtube

## Pricing

- Standard endpoints: 1 credit per call
- Advanced endpoints: 5 credits per call
- Premium endpoints: 10 credits per call
- 100 free credits on signup, no credit card required. Cached responses cost 0 credits. Credit packs never expire.
- Full pricing: https://www.socialcrawl.dev/pricing

## Explore with AI

Questions this API answers, phrased for an AI assistant:

- What does the SocialCrawl YouTube Transcripts API return?
- How do I get YouTube Transcripts data with the SocialCrawl API?