youtube-transcripts

Free YouTube transcripts for AI agents — no API key, no account, no configuration.

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What it can do

  • Get Transcript: Fetch the transcript of a single YouTube video by URL or 11-character video ID. Serves the permanent cache instantly when available and otherwise fetches from YouTube (uncached fetches
  • List Videos: List the videos of a YouTube channel or playlist: date, video ID, and title for each. Use this to answer questions about a channel — pick the relevant videos by title, then call get_trans
  • Get Bulk Download Link: For a YouTube channel or playlist URL, returns a prefilled scripthaul.com link where the user can download every transcript as a ZIP for free. Bulk jobs cannot run over this ke

What data it sees

Do you need an account

No: the server works without sign-in

Free YouTube transcripts for AI agents — no API key, no account, no configuration. Three tools: get_transcript fetches a single video's transcript in clean text, timestamped, SRT, VTT, Markdown, or JSON, with optional language selection and honest labeling when YouTube won't translate; list_videos enumerates a channel or playlist (ID, title, date) so an agent can pick relevant videos and returns a typed video array; get_bulk_download_link produces a free scripthaul.com link that downloads every transcript in a channel or playlist as a ZIP. Cached transcripts serve instantly and unlimited; uncached fetches share a small daily per-IP allowance. Public captions only. Backed by scripthaul.com's transcript cache and fetch infrastructure.

How to connect

How to connect youtube-transcripts to Claude

The server address to paste into Claude settings:

https://youtube-transcripts--scripthaul.run.tools

  1. Open Claude (claude.ai or the desktop app).
  2. Go to Settings → Connectors.
  3. Click Add custom connector.
  4. Paste the server address copied below into Remote MCP server URL and click Add.
  5. In a chat, click + → Connectors and switch the new connector on.

Custom connectors are available on Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans (Free is limited to one). On Team and Enterprise an organization Owner adds the connector first under Organization settings → Connectors.

Authorization

After you click Add, a sign-in window for the service opens. Sign in with your own account and approve access. Claude never sees your password.

How to connect youtube-transcripts to ChatGPT

The server address to paste into ChatGPT settings:

https://youtube-transcripts--scripthaul.run.tools

  1. Open ChatGPT in a browser (chatgpt.com). A Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise or Edu plan is required.
  2. Turn on developer mode once: Settings → Apps → Advanced settings → Developer mode.
  3. Open Settings → Connectors and click Create.
  4. Fill in the form: Name (anything), Description (one line about what the service does), MCP server URL (copy it below).
  5. Under Authentication choose OAuth if the service requires sign-in, otherwise None. Click Create.
  6. In a new chat open + → Apps/Connectors and enable the connector.

OpenAI has renamed this section before (Connectors → Apps/Plugins). If the label differs, search settings for "developer mode". On Business/Enterprise workspaces an admin must allow custom connectors first.

Authorization

On first use ChatGPT opens the service's sign-in window. Sign in and approve access.

How to connect youtube-transcripts to Cursor

The server address to paste into Cursor settings:

https://youtube-transcripts--scripthaul.run.tools

Fastest: click Open in Cursor below and confirm the prompt.

Manually:

  1. In Cursor open Settings → Cursor Settings → MCP and click Add new global MCP server.
  2. Paste the JSON copied below into ~/.cursor/mcp.json (per project: .cursor/mcp.json in the repo root).
  3. Save the file. The server appears in the MCP list; authorize it there if asked.

Authorization

If the service needs sign-in, an authorize button appears next to the server in the MCP list.

Server tool list (4)

Raw names from tools/list. Only developers need these.

get_transcriptFetch the transcript of a single YouTube video by URL or 11-character video ID. Serves the permanent cache instantly when available and otherwise fetches from YouTube (uncached fetches are limited per IP per day). Formats: clean text, timestamped, both, srt, vtt, md, json. Costs 0 credits. Example prompt: "Get the transcript of https://youtu.be/jNQXAC9IVRw."
list_videosList the videos of a YouTube channel or playlist: date, video ID, and title for each. Use this to answer questions about a channel — pick the relevant videos by title, then call get_transcript for each one. Listings are cached for a few hours; a fresh enumeration counts against the same daily allowance as uncached fetches. Costs 0 credits. Example prompt: "List the videos in https://www.youtube.com/@TED."
get_bulk_download_linkFor a YouTube channel or playlist URL, returns a prefilled scripthaul.com link where the user can download every transcript as a ZIP for free. Bulk jobs cannot run over this keyless MCP server; they need the website. Costs 0 credits. Example prompt: "Give me a download link for every transcript in https://www.youtube.com/@TED."
get_latest_videosRead up to the newest 15 public RSS entries from exactly one channel or playlist, cached for ten minutes. Costs 0 credits and no cold-fetch allowance. Separate allowance: 30 requests per IP per day shared across channels and playlists, including cached reads; resets at midnight UTC. Use a UC channel ID, an already-resolved channel alias, or a public playlist ID/URL; an unknown handle must first be resolved on the keyed API. This is a recent window, not a complete inventory. Example prompt: "What did channel UCAuUUnT6oDeKwE6v1NGQxug upload recently?"