# YouTube Transcript Scraper (`apt_marble/youtube-transcript-scraper`) Actor 🎥 Extract transcripts, subtitles, and captions from any YouTube video. Get timestamped text, auto-translate to 100+ languages, and export in SRT, WEBVTT, XML, or plaintext formats. - **URL**: https://apify.com/apt\_marble/youtube-transcript-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Hamza](https://apify.com/apt_marble) (community) - **Categories:** Videos, Social media, Automation - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, NaN bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing $6.50 / 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. 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 ## Ultimate YouTube Transcript Scraper Extract transcripts and subtitles from any YouTube video as clean, structured JSON. Pull captions in their original language, translate them into another language, and export as SRT, WEBVTT, XML or plaintext. Give it one or more video URLs and get back a precise, timestamped transcript for each. ### Features - **Any YouTube URL** — watch links, `youtu.be`, Shorts and embed links. - **Bulk input** — pass a list of URLs and get one transcript per video. - **Original or translated** — read captions in their source language, or auto-translate to any supported language. - **Multiple formats** — download each transcript as SRT, WEBVTT, XML or plaintext. - **Timestamped segments** — every line includes its start time and duration. ### Input | Field | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | `videoUrls` | array | One or more YouTube video URLs. **Required.** | | `subtitleLanguage` | string | Source caption track to read (e.g. `en`). Falls back to the first available track. | | `targetLanguage` | string | Translate the transcript into this language. Set equal to the subtitle language for no translation. | | `subtitleFormat` | string | Format of the downloadable subtitle file: `srt`, `webvtt`, `xml`, `plaintext`. | | `maxConcurrency` | integer | How many videos to process in parallel (default `5`). | #### Example input ```json { "videoUrls": [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IELMSD2kdmk" ], "subtitleLanguage": "en", "targetLanguage": "en", "subtitleFormat": "srt" } ```` ### Output Each video produces one dataset record containing the timestamped transcript: ```json { "data": [ { "start": "0.320", "dur": "4.080", "text": "Apache spark an open- Source data" }, { "start": "2.480", "dur": "3.839", "text": "analytics engine that can process" }, { "start": "4.400", "dur": "3.800", "text": "massive streams of data from multiple" } ] } ``` `start` and `dur` are in seconds. In addition to the dataset, the full transcript for each video is saved as a subtitle file (in your chosen format) in the run's key-value store, named after the video id (e.g. `IELMSD2kdmk.srt`). ### Notes - A transcript is only available if the video has captions (manual or auto-generated). Videos with captions disabled return an empty `data` array. - Auto-translation quality depends on YouTube's own translation of the caption track. - Auto-generated captions may contain minor transcription errors — this comes from YouTube, not the scraper. # Actor input Schema ## `videoUrls` (type: `array`): One or more YouTube video URLs. Each produces one transcript record. Supports watch, youtu.be, Shorts and embed links. ## `targetLanguage` (type: `string`): Translate the transcript into this language. Leave equal to the subtitle language for no translation. ## `subtitleLanguage` (type: `string`): Which caption track to read from the video (the source language). Falls back to the first available track if the chosen one doesn't exist. ## `subtitleFormat` (type: `string`): Format of the subtitle file saved alongside the run. The dataset always contains the structured transcript; this controls the downloadable file (saved per video in the key-value store). ## `maxConcurrency` (type: `integer`): How many videos to process in parallel. ## Actor input object example ```json { "videoUrls": [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IELMSD2kdmk" ], "targetLanguage": "en", "subtitleLanguage": "en", "subtitleFormat": "srt", "maxConcurrency": 5 } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `dataset` (type: `string`): No description ## `files` (type: `string`): No description # 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 = { "videoUrls": [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IELMSD2kdmk" ] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("apt_marble/youtube-transcript-scraper").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 = { "videoUrls": ["https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IELMSD2kdmk"] } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("apt_marble/youtube-transcript-scraper").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 '{ "videoUrls": [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IELMSD2kdmk" ] }' | apify call apt_marble/youtube-transcript-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=apt_marble/youtube-transcript-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "YouTube Transcript Scraper", "description": "🎥 Extract transcripts, subtitles, and captions from any YouTube video. Get timestamped text, auto-translate to 100+ languages, and export in SRT, WEBVTT, XML, or plaintext formats.", "version": "0.0", "x-build-id": "kXYwcF5iaUm2lmXSc" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/apt_marble~youtube-transcript-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-apt_marble-youtube-transcript-scraper", "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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/apt_marble~youtube-transcript-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-apt_marble-youtube-transcript-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/apt_marble~youtube-transcript-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-apt_marble-youtube-transcript-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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": [ "videoUrls" ], "properties": { "videoUrls": { "title": "URL of the YouTube videos", "type": "array", "description": "One or more YouTube video URLs. Each produces one transcript record. Supports watch, youtu.be, Shorts and embed links.", "default": [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IELMSD2kdmk" ], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "targetLanguage": { "title": "Target Language", "enum": [ "en", "es", "fr", "de", "it", "pt", "ru", "ja", "ko", "zh-Hans", "zh-Hant", "ar", "hi", "tr", "nl", "pl", "id", "vi", "th", "uk", "fa", "he", "sv", "ro", "el" ], "type": "string", "description": "Translate the transcript into this language. Leave equal to the subtitle language for no translation.", "default": "en" }, "subtitleLanguage": { "title": "Subtitle language", "enum": [ "en", "es", "fr", "de", "it", "pt", "ru", "ja", "ko", "zh-Hans", "zh-Hant", "ar", "hi", "tr", "nl", "pl", "id", "vi", "th", "uk", "fa", "he", "sv", "ro", "el" ], "type": "string", "description": "Which caption track to read from the video (the source language). Falls back to the first available track if the chosen one doesn't exist.", "default": "en" }, "subtitleFormat": { "title": "Subtitle format", "enum": [ "srt", "webvtt", "xml", "plaintext" ], "type": "string", "description": "Format of the subtitle file saved alongside the run. The dataset always contains the structured transcript; this controls the downloadable file (saved per video in the key-value store).", "default": "srt" }, "maxConcurrency": { "title": "Concurrency", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 20, "type": "integer", "description": "How many videos to process in parallel.", "default": 5 } } }, "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 } } } } } } } } } } ```