# YouTube Transcript Scraper (`calm_builder/youtube-transcript-scraper`) Actor Download transcripts from public YouTube videos in JSON, TXT, or SRT format. Fetch multiple video transcripts in one run, choose preferred languages, and save each transcript file with clear video and language references. - **URL**: https://apify.com/calm\_builder/youtube-transcript-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Coder](https://apify.com/calm_builder) (community) - **Categories:** Automation, Social media, Videos - **Stats:** 7 total users, 5 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 1 bookmarks - **User rating**: 5.00 out of 5 stars ## Pricing from $2.00 / 1,000 saved transcripts 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 ## YouTube Transcript Downloader Download transcripts for public YouTube videos and save them in `JSON`, `TXT`, or `SRT` format. This Actor is built for users who need clean YouTube transcript exports without collecting extra video data. It accepts multiple video URLs in one run, tries to retrieve the selected transcript languages from YouTube, and saves each transcript file to the run's default Key-Value Store. ### What This Actor Does - Accepts multiple public YouTube video URLs in one run - Tries to download transcripts in up to 5 selected languages - Uses YouTube-supported transcript translation when a selected language is not directly available - Saves one transcript file per video and language - Supports `JSON`, `TXT`, and `SRT` export formats - Returns one dataset item per input URL with a clear result status ### Input Provide: - One or more public YouTube video URLs - Up to 5 preferred transcript languages - A transcript file format: `JSON`, `TXT`, or `SRT` ### Output #### Dataset The dataset contains one item per input URL. Each item includes: - The original input URL - The detected video ID when available - A result status such as `ok`, `unavailable`, `invalid_input`, or `failed` - Transcript file references for files saved to the Key-Value Store - A friendly message when transcripts could not be saved #### Key-Value Store Transcript files are saved to the run's default Key-Value Store. Each saved file includes clear metadata in the dataset so you can tell: - which video it belongs to - which language it contains - which format was saved - which Key-Value Store record key to open or download ### Notes - This Actor is intended for standard public YouTube video URLs - Transcript availability depends on the video and YouTube support - Shorts and live streams may not return transcripts reliably # Actor input Schema ## `videoUrls` (type: `array`): Add one public YouTube video URL per row. ## `preferredTranscriptLanguages` (type: `array`): Select up to 5 preferred transcript languages. The Actor first tries to fetch these languages directly from YouTube, then uses YouTube-supported transcript translation when available. ## `transcriptOutputFormat` (type: `string`): Choose the file format used when saving transcript files to the run's Key-Value Store. ## Actor input object example ```json { "videoUrls": [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndAQfTzlVjc", "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAnGwRiQ4-4" ], "preferredTranscriptLanguages": [ "en" ], "transcriptOutputFormat": "json" } ```` # Actor output Schema ## `dataset` (type: `string`): Dataset items in JSON format, including transcript file references and friendly status messages. ## `keyValueStore` (type: `string`): The run's default Key-Value Store, where transcript files are saved. # 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=ndAQfTzlVjc", "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAnGwRiQ4-4" ] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("calm_builder/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=ndAQfTzlVjc", "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAnGwRiQ4-4", ] } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("calm_builder/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=ndAQfTzlVjc", "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAnGwRiQ4-4" ] }' | apify call calm_builder/youtube-transcript-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=calm_builder/youtube-transcript-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "YouTube Transcript Scraper", "description": "Download transcripts from public YouTube videos in JSON, TXT, or SRT format. Fetch multiple video transcripts in one run, choose preferred languages, and save each transcript file with clear video and language references.", "version": "0.0", "x-build-id": "RPYd3RyYnCxT6kdgJ" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/calm_builder~youtube-transcript-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-calm_builder-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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/calm_builder~youtube-transcript-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-calm_builder-youtube-transcript-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/calm_builder~youtube-transcript-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-calm_builder-youtube-transcript-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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": "YouTube video URLs", "type": "array", "description": "Add one public YouTube video URL per row.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "preferredTranscriptLanguages": { "title": "Preferred transcript languages", "maxItems": 5, "type": "array", "description": "Select up to 5 preferred transcript languages. The Actor first tries to fetch these languages directly from YouTube, then uses YouTube-supported transcript translation when available.", "items": { "type": "string", "enum": [ "ar", "bn", "de", "en", "es", "fa", "fr", "hi", "id", "it", "ja", "ko", "nl", "pl", "pt", "ru", "th", "tr", "uk", "ur", "vi", "zh-Hans", "zh-Hant" ], "enumTitles": [ "Arabic", "Bengali", "German", "English", "Spanish", "Persian", "French", "Hindi", "Indonesian", "Italian", "Japanese", "Korean", "Dutch", "Polish", "Portuguese", "Russian", "Thai", "Turkish", "Ukrainian", "Urdu", "Vietnamese", "Chinese (Simplified)", "Chinese (Traditional)" ] }, "default": [ "en" ] }, "transcriptOutputFormat": { "title": "Transcript file format", "enum": [ "json", "txt", "srt" ], "type": "string", "description": "Choose the file format used when saving transcript files to the run's Key-Value Store.", "default": "json" } } }, "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 } } } } } } } } } } ```