# YouTube Scraper (`bgfc97/youtube-scraper`) Actor Scrape YouTube search results, video details, and channel videos — title, channel, views, length, publish date, keywords, description — via YouTube's InnerTube API. No browser, auto pagination, proxy-ready. - **URL**: https://apify.com/bgfc97/youtube-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Bruno](https://apify.com/bgfc97) (community) - **Categories:** Social media, Videos - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $1.00 / 1,000 item scrapeds This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows. 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/docs.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.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/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 ## YouTube Scraper 📺 Get structured **YouTube** data — search results, video details, and channel uploads — without a browser, using YouTube's own InnerTube API. Great for content research, trend tracking, competitor monitoring, influencer discovery, and feeding AI agents fresh video data. ### Modes - **Search results** — videos for any query: title, channel, views, length, publish time, thumbnail. - **Video details** — by ID/URL: views, length, keywords, description, category, upload/publish date. - **Channel videos** — a channel's uploads by ID, @handle, or URL. ### Input ```json { "resultsType": "search", "queries": ["ai automation"], "country": "us", "language": "en", "maxPerItem": 100, "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true } } ```` For video details: `"resultsType": "video"` + `"videoIds": ["dQw4w9WgXcQ"]`. For a channel: `"resultsType": "channel"` + `"channels": ["@mkbhd"]`. ### Output (search / channel — one row per video) ```json { "type": "video", "video_id": "abc123", "title": "How AI Agents Work", "channel": "Some Channel", "channel_id": "UC...", "views": 154000, "published_text": "3 weeks ago", "length_text": "12:04", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc123" } ``` ### Notes - Reads only public YouTube data. - Auto-paginates search and channel listings. - Proxy rotates IPs; the account running the Actor pays for proxy. # Actor input Schema ## `resultsType` (type: `string`): search (by query), video (details by ID/URL), or channel (a channel's videos). ## `queries` (type: `array`): Search terms (used when 'What to scrape' = Search results). ## `videoIds` (type: `array`): YouTube video IDs or URLs (watch?v=, youtu.be/, /shorts/) for full details. ## `channels` (type: `array`): Channel IDs (UC...), @handles, or channel URLs to list their videos. ## `country` (type: `string`): Two-letter country code (US, BR, GB...). ## `language` (type: `string`): Two-letter language code (en, pt, es...). ## `maxPerItem` (type: `integer`): Max videos per search query or per channel. ## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`): Apify proxy rotates IPs to avoid YouTube rate limits. The account running the Actor pays for proxy usage. ## Actor input object example ```json { "resultsType": "search", "queries": [ "ai automation" ], "videoIds": [], "channels": [], "country": "us", "language": "en", "maxPerItem": 100, "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true } } ``` # 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 = { "queries": [ "ai automation" ], "videoIds": [], "channels": [], "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true } }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("bgfc97/youtube-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 = { "queries": ["ai automation"], "videoIds": [], "channels": [], "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": True }, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("bgfc97/youtube-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 '{ "queries": [ "ai automation" ], "videoIds": [], "channels": [], "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true } }' | apify call bgfc97/youtube-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=bgfc97/youtube-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "YouTube Scraper", "description": "Scrape YouTube search results, video details, and channel videos — title, channel, views, length, publish date, keywords, description — via YouTube's InnerTube API. No browser, auto pagination, proxy-ready.", "version": "1.0", "x-build-id": "feW4YdibKwTFBghf2" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/bgfc97~youtube-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-bgfc97-youtube-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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/bgfc97~youtube-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-bgfc97-youtube-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/bgfc97~youtube-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-bgfc97-youtube-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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", "properties": { "resultsType": { "title": "What to scrape", "enum": [ "search", "video", "channel" ], "type": "string", "description": "search (by query), video (details by ID/URL), or channel (a channel's videos).", "default": "search" }, "queries": { "title": "Search queries", "type": "array", "description": "Search terms (used when 'What to scrape' = Search results).", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "videoIds": { "title": "Video IDs or URLs", "type": "array", "description": "YouTube video IDs or URLs (watch?v=, youtu.be/, /shorts/) for full details.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "channels": { "title": "Channels", "type": "array", "description": "Channel IDs (UC...), @handles, or channel URLs to list their videos.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "country": { "title": "Country (gl)", "type": "string", "description": "Two-letter country code (US, BR, GB...).", "default": "us" }, "language": { "title": "Language (hl)", "type": "string", "description": "Two-letter language code (en, pt, es...).", "default": "en" }, "maxPerItem": { "title": "Max per query / channel", "maximum": 5000, "type": "integer", "description": "Max videos per search query or per channel.", "default": 100 }, "proxyConfiguration": { "title": "Proxy", "type": "object", "description": "Apify proxy rotates IPs to avoid YouTube rate limits. The account running the Actor pays for proxy usage.", "default": { "useApifyProxy": true } } } }, "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 } } } } } } } } } } ```