How much does youtube cost?

youtube uses a free pricing model.

What are the main advantages of youtube?

Deep transcript integration allows agents to 'read' videos with precise timestamp context.. Support for multilingual captions enables cross-language research and translation workflows.. Standardized MCP implementation makes it compatible with multiple AI clients (Claude, Cursor, etc.).. High reliability and performance, with low-latency tool calls for search and metadata retrieval..

What are the drawbacks of youtube?

Complex initial setup requiring a Google Cloud Platform account and API key generation.. Subject to YouTube Data API quota limits which can restrict bulk channel analysis.. Dependent on video owners enabling captions; auto-captions can sometimes contain technical errors..

What are the best alternatives to youtube?

Alternatives to youtube in this category include Linkup, Google Sheets, Slack, Gmail, AgentMail.

youtube

Unclaimed verified 8 sept 2026

[ score · 29 ]

Pricing: Free Last verified: 2026-09-08

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Updated Aug 28, 2026

TL;DR

YouTube-MCP is a Model Context Protocol server that allows AI agents like Claude to interact directly with YouTube content, including searching videos and fetching deep metadata. It is primarily for researchers and developers who need to perform automated video analysis, summarization, and RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) without manual copy-pasting. Its key differentiator is the ability to retrieve timestamped, multilingual transcripts natively within an AI's context window.

What Users Actually Pay

No user-reported pricing yet.

Our Take

YouTube-MCP occupies a critical niche in the emerging Model Context Protocol ecosystem, serving as a robust bridge between the vast knowledge on YouTube and local AI agents. While most AI tools struggle with 'hallucinating' video content or require manual link pasting, this tool empowers an agent to autonomously browse playlists and parse transcripts to find specific quotes or technical details. It transforms YouTube from a passive video site into a queryable database for an LLM. The strength of the product lies in its integration of the YouTube Data API with transcription logic, providing a more 'official' and stable data flow than scrapers. However, it is fundamentally a developer-oriented tool; setting it up requires a Google Cloud project and manual configuration of a JSON file, which may be a barrier for non-technical users. We see it as a must-have tool for any 'Agentic' workflow involving research, education, or content creation. It is best suited for power users of Claude Desktop or Cursor who want to summarize hours of lectures or podcasts in seconds. Its main limitation remains the YouTube API quota system, which can be exhausted quickly during heavy bulk-processing tasks.

Alternatives

Ranked by Revuo score — paid tiers never affect order.

Linkup

Google Sheets

Slack

Gmail

AgentMail

GitHub

Pros

+ Deep transcript integration allows agents to 'read' videos with precise timestamp context.
+ Support for multilingual captions enables cross-language research and translation workflows.
+ Standardized MCP implementation makes it compatible with multiple AI clients (Claude, Cursor, etc.).
+ High reliability and performance, with low-latency tool calls for search and metadata retrieval.

Cons

- Complex initial setup requiring a Google Cloud Platform account and API key generation.
- Subject to YouTube Data API quota limits which can restrict bulk channel analysis.
- Dependent on video owners enabling captions; auto-captions can sometimes contain technical errors.

Agent Readiness

60/100

YouTube-MCP is built natively for AI agents, using the Model Context Protocol to expose YouTube's search and transcription features as executable tools. It is highly ready for autonomous agents, providing structured JSON-RPC responses that include precise metadata and timestamps. While it lacks standard SaaS integrations like Zapier, its role as a 'tool for agents' means it is designed to be the integration layer itself. Developer experience is solid for those comfortable with CLI and JSON configurations, though it requires users to bring their own YouTube API keys.

API Surface85

Public APIMCPJSON-RPCRESTFree Tiernone

Protocol Support55

MCP (43 tools)

SDK Availability70

npm: youtube (official)npm: youtube-player (official)npm: react-youtubenpm: @types/youtubenpm: @googleapis/youtubenpm: youtube-video-element (official)npm: @tiptap/extension-youtubenpm: youtube-transcript (official)npm: lite-youtube-embednpm: @types/youtube-playerpypi: youtube-python (official)

Integration Ecosystem0

Claude DesktopCursorClaude CodeSmitheryMCP.so

Developer Experience65

Docs: goodVersioningChangelog

Last checked May 10, 2026

MCP Integrations

3 servers49 tools3,865 total uses

youtube-mcpsfiorini/youtube-mcp

smitheryRemoteHigh match

Search and browse videos, channels, and playlists to fetch titles, descriptions, stats, and durations. Retrieve multilingual, timestamped transcripts and search within captions for precise context. Surface channel and playlist insights quickly by listing items and details.

3,827 uses

7 tools

videos_getVideoGet detailed information about a YouTube video including URL
videos_searchVideosSearch for videos on YouTube and return results with URLs
transcripts_getTranscriptGet the transcript of a YouTube video
channels_getChannelGet information about a YouTube channel
channels_listVideosGet videos from a specific channel
playlists_getPlaylistGet information about a YouTube playlist
playlists_getPlaylistItemsGet videos in a YouTube playlist

Youtubenode2flow/youtube

smitheryRemote

MCP server for YouTube Data API v3 with OAuth 2.0 authentication. ## Features - Search videos, channels, and playlists with filters (duration, date, region, type) - Get video details — views, likes, comments, duration, tags, thumbnails - Browse channel statistics — subscribers, video count, total views - List and manage playlists — create, update, delete, add/remove videos - Read and post comments — top-level threads, replies, moderation - Rate videos with like/dislike/unrate - Get trending videos by region and category - Automatic access token refresh via OAuth 2.0 ## 20 Tools **Search & Discovery**: search YouTube, get popular/trending videos, list video categories **Videos & Channels**: get video details, get channel info **Playlists**: list pl

38 uses

20 tools

youtube_searchSearch YouTube for videos, channels, or playlists. Costs 100 quota units per request. Use filters to narrow results. Returns up to 50 results per page with pagination support.
youtube_get_videoGet detailed information about one or more videos by ID. Returns snippet (title, description, thumbnails), statistics (views, likes, comments), content details (duration, definition), and status. Costs 1 quota unit.
youtube_get_channelGet channel information by ID or username. Returns snippet (name, description, avatar), statistics (subscribers, views, video count), and branding settings. Costs 1 quota unit.
youtube_list_playlistsList playlists by channel ID or playlist IDs. Returns playlist title, description, item count, and privacy status. Costs 1 quota unit.
youtube_list_playlist_itemsList videos in a playlist. Returns video titles, descriptions, positions, and video IDs. Costs 1 quota unit.
youtube_list_commentsList top-level comment threads on a video or channel. Returns comment text, author, likes, reply count, and optionally the first few replies. Costs 1 quota unit.
youtube_list_comment_repliesList replies to a specific comment. Provide the parent comment ID to get all replies. Costs 1 quota unit.
youtube_list_video_categoriesList available video categories for a region. Returns category ID, title, and whether it is assignable. Costs 1 quota unit.
youtube_list_subscriptionsList subscriptions for a channel. Returns subscribed channel names, descriptions, and item counts. Costs 1 quota unit.
youtube_get_popular_videosGet trending/most popular videos for a region. Optionally filter by video category. Returns video details with statistics. Costs 1 quota unit.
youtube_post_commentPost a new top-level comment on a video. Requires OAuth credentials (CLIENT_ID + CLIENT_SECRET + REFRESH_TOKEN). Costs 50 quota units.
youtube_reply_commentReply to an existing comment. Requires OAuth credentials (CLIENT_ID + CLIENT_SECRET + REFRESH_TOKEN). Costs 50 quota units.
youtube_update_commentEdit an existing comment. Requires OAuth credentials (CLIENT_ID + CLIENT_SECRET + REFRESH_TOKEN). Costs 50 quota units.
youtube_delete_commentDelete a comment. This action is irreversible. Requires OAuth credentials (CLIENT_ID + CLIENT_SECRET + REFRESH_TOKEN). Costs 50 quota units.
youtube_create_playlistCreate a new playlist. Requires OAuth credentials (CLIENT_ID + CLIENT_SECRET + REFRESH_TOKEN). Costs 50 quota units.
youtube_update_playlistUpdate a playlist title, description, or privacy status. Requires OAuth credentials (CLIENT_ID + CLIENT_SECRET + REFRESH_TOKEN). Costs 50 quota units.
youtube_delete_playlistDelete a playlist. This action is irreversible. Requires OAuth credentials (CLIENT_ID + CLIENT_SECRET + REFRESH_TOKEN). Costs 50 quota units.
youtube_add_playlist_itemAdd a video to a playlist. Optionally specify position (0-based). Requires OAuth credentials (CLIENT_ID + CLIENT_SECRET + REFRESH_TOKEN). Costs 50 quota units.
youtube_remove_playlist_itemRemove a video from a playlist by playlist item ID (not video ID). Use youtube_list_playlist_items to find the item ID. Requires OAuth credentials (CLIENT_ID + CLIENT_SECRET + REFRESH_TOKEN). Costs 50 quota units.
youtube_rate_videoLike, dislike, or remove rating from a video. Requires OAuth credentials (CLIENT_ID + CLIENT_SECRET + REFRESH_TOKEN). Costs 50 quota units.

youtubekagelogic/youtube

smitheryRemote

Interact with YouTube, YouTube Kids, and YouTube Music data.

22 tools

searchSearch YouTube for videos, channels, and playlists
usage_statisticCheck remaining API requests quota
video_infoGet detailed information about a YouTube video
commentsGet comments for a YouTube video
channelGet details and recent videos for a YouTube channel
suggestGet search suggestions (autocomplete) for a query
playlistRetrieve details and videos from a specific YouTube playlist
kids_searchSearch YouTube Kids for videos
kids_videoGet video information on YouTube Kids
kids_channelGet channel information and videos on YouTube Kids
music_searchSearch YouTube Music for tracks, artists, playlists, etc.
music_upnextGet the 'Up Next' autoplay queue for a YouTube Music track
music_videoGet video information on YouTube Music
music_exploreGet the Explore page on YouTube Music
music_artistGet artist information on YouTube Music
music_albumGet album information on YouTube Music
music_playlistGet playlist information on YouTube Music
music_relatedGet related content for a YouTube Music video
music_lyricsGet lyrics for a YouTube Music video
music_suggestGet search suggestions (autocomplete) on YouTube Music
get_transcriptGet transcript/subtitles for a YouTube video using youtube-transcript-plus
get_transcript_languagesGet available transcript languages for a YouTube video