data_object Structured JSON endpoint Social

YouTube Transcript Scraper API

Access YouTube transcript data using our YouTube Scraper API. One API request returns clean, structured JSON while we get past CAPTCHAs, IP rate limiting, IP blocking, and headless-browser detection with rotating residential proxies.

Get your free API key Browse all scrapers

check_circle 1,000 free requests/month. No credit card. Residential proxies.

Request

curl "https://api.chocodata.com/api/v1/youtube/transcript?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY&video_id=dQw4w9WgXcQ"

JSON Response

live sample 200 OK

{
  "video_id": "dQw4w9WgXcQ",
  "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ",
  "language": "en",
  "language_name": "English",
  "is_generated": false,
  "segment_count": 61,
  "segments[0].text": "[♪♪♪]",
  "segments[0].start": 1360,
  "segments[0].duration": 1680,
  "segments[1].text": "♪ We're no strangers to love ♪",
  "segments[1].start": 18640,
  "segments[1].duration": 3240,
  "text": "[♪♪♪] ♪ We're no strangers to love ♪ ♪ You know the rules and so do I …",
  "available_languages[0]": "en",
  "available_languages[1]": "en"
  // + more fields
}

lan 235 targets

vpn_lock Residential proxy network

data_object Structured JSON

redeem 1,000 free requests/mo

Everything you need to scrape YouTube

You never expose your own IP, you get validated JSON instead of raw HTML, and the free tier covers youtube transcript api at 1,000 requests a month with no card required.

data_object

Clean structured JSON

Fields come back parsed and validated, not a dump of HTML. Store YouTube transcript records straight into your database instead of writing brittle selectors for youtube transcript api.

gpp_good

Bypasses CAPTCHAs and anti-bot defenses

We get past CAPTCHAs, IP rate limiting, IP blocking, and headless-browser detection on YouTube using rotating, country-matched residential proxies, so requests look like real users and your own IP stays private.

api

One API call

The YouTube Scraper API is one simple API call. The same key works across our whole web scraping API: all 235 targets, any language, no SDK required.

travel_explore

Geo-targeting and JS rendering

Pass a country for proxy geo-targeting and turn on JavaScript rendering when a YouTube page needs it. youtube video transcript handles dynamic content and region-locked results.

Scrape YouTube in one API request

Send one API request to the YouTube Scraper API and read back typed fields. Chocodata routes the request through country-matched residential proxies, retries soft blocks, and parses the page, so youtube transcript extractor stays reliable as YouTube's markup shifts.

check_circle Validated, parsed JSON fields
check_circle Residential-proxy infrastructure
check_circle Only successful 2xx responses are billed

Get your free API key

Request

curl "https://api.chocodata.com/api/v1/youtube/transcript?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY&video_id=dQw4w9WgXcQ"

Response

{
  "video_id": "dQw4w9WgXcQ",
  "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ",
  "language": "en",
  "language_name": "English",
  "is_generated": false,
  "segment_count": 61,
  "segments[0].text": "[♪♪♪]",
  "segments[0].start": 1360,
  "segments[0].duration": 1680,
  "segments[1].text": "♪ We're no strangers to love ♪",
  "segments[1].start": 18640,
  "segments[1].duration": 3240,
  "text": "[♪♪♪] ♪ We're no strangers to love ♪ ♪ You know the rules and so do I …",
  "available_languages[0]": "en",
  "available_languages[1]": "en"
  // + more fields
}

Parameters

Pass these as query-string values alongside your API key. Only the required ones are mandatory; the rest have sensible defaults.

Parameter	Type	Required	Example
video_id	string	required	dQw4w9WgXcQ
url	string	optional	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
lang	string	optional	en

What you can build with YouTube data

Once the scraping API returns YouTube transcript data as clean JSON, these are the patterns teams reach for most.

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Content Analysis

Feed YouTube transcript data into your own product or workflow for content analysis.

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Subtitle And Caption Generation

Feed YouTube transcript data into your own product or workflow for subtitle and caption generation.

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LLM Training Datasets

Feed YouTube transcript data into your own product or workflow for LLM training datasets.

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Video SEO

Feed YouTube transcript data into your own product or workflow for video SEO.

Why developers pick Chocodata for YouTube

bolt

Fast at the tail

Median 2.6 s per request with multi-tier retry, so latency stays predictable even when YouTube fights back.

verified_user

Parity-checked output

Fields are regression-tested on every extractor change, so 2xx responses match the live page.

hub

One key, 235 targets

The same scraping API key that scrapes YouTube works across every other target, with official Node, Python, and Go SDKs.

Simple pricing that scales with you

Start free with 1,000 requests a month and 5,000 credits, no credit card. Scale on monthly plans from $19, or top up pay-as-you-go at $0.90 per 1,000 successful requests. Only successful 2xx responses are billed, and every plan covers the full scraping API: all 235 targets and every endpoint.

Free

Forever free on signup

check_circle1,000 requests / month (5,000 credits)
check_circle10 concurrent requests
check_circleAll 237 targets
check_circleFull dashboard + analytics
check_circleTop-up at $0.90 / 1k
check_circleCommunity support

Start free

Vibe

$19 / month

$0.70 / 1k effective

check_circle27,000 requests / month (135,000 credits)
check_circle30 concurrent requests
check_circleAll 237 targets + content-language
check_circleCountry-matched residential IPs
check_circlePer-API-key usage tracking
check_circleTop-up at $0.90 / 1k
check_circleEmail support (1 business day)

Get Vibe

Pro

$49 / month

$0.60 / 1k effective

check_circle82,000 requests / month (410,000 credits)
check_circle50 concurrent requests
check_circlePriority routing queue
check_circleCountry-matched residential IPs
check_circleTeam seats (up to 5)
check_circleTop-up at $0.90 / 1k
check_circleEmail + chat support

Get Pro

Custom

$100-$2k / month

Flat $0.50 / 1k effective at every level

check_circle200k - 4M+ requests / month
check_circle100-500+ concurrent requests
check_circlePriority queue (highest)
check_circlePremium proxy pool + SLA on request
check_circleUnlimited team seats
check_circleWire / invoice / annual PO
check_circleDedicated Slack channel

Pick Custom level

Pay-as-you-go top-up

$0.90 / 1,000 successful requests

Available on every plan including Free. Top up any time when included credits run out. Only 2xx responses charged. Balance never expires.

See full pricing and calculator →

YouTube Scraper API FAQ

Is it legal to scrape YouTube?

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Scraping publicly accessible YouTube data is generally legal in the US under the Ninth Circuit's hiQ v. LinkedIn ruling, which held that scraping public web data does not violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. It does not override YouTube's own Terms of Service, which are a contract matter, so check those for your use case and comply with data laws such as GDPR. This is general information, not legal advice.

How do I scrape YouTube without getting blocked?

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You scrape YouTube without getting blocked by letting Chocodata route every request through country-matched residential proxies with automatic rotation and retries. Because the traffic looks like real users from real networks, the YouTube Scraper API gets through anti-bot defenses that block datacenter IPs, and you never expose your own address.

What data does the YouTube Scraper API return?

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The YouTube Scraper API returns YouTube transcript data as structured JSON: the core fields parsed from the page, ready to store or query. Exact fields depend on the transcript type, and only successful (2xx) responses are billed.

How much does the YouTube Scraper API cost?

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The YouTube Scraper API costs nothing to start: the Free plan includes 1,000 requests per month (5,000 credits) across all 235 targets. After that, monthly plans begin at $19, or you top up pay-as-you-go at $0.90 per 1,000 successful requests. One request is 5 credits, and non-2xx responses are never charged.

Do I need a YouTube account or login?

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No YouTube account or login is required. The YouTube Scraper API reads publicly accessible transcript pages, so you only need a Chocodata API key, not YouTube credentials. Pages that sit behind a YouTube login are out of scope.

Related scraper APIs

YouTube Comments Scraper API arrow_forward YouTube Scraper API arrow_forward YouTube Channel Scraper API arrow_forward YouTube Video Scraper API arrow_forward

Start scraping YouTube for free

1,000 free scraping API requests on signup across all 235 targets. No credit card required.

Get your free API key Browse all scrapers