# YouTube Search Scraper (`flashdata/youtube-search`) Actor

Search YouTube by keyword and extract titles, video IDs and available channel, duration, view and date metadata. Apply search filters; request up to 20 results. Requires a FlashData API key and Credits; Apify usage is billed separately.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/flashdata/youtube-search.md
- **Developed by:** [FlashData](https://apify.com/flashdata) (community)
- **Categories:** Videos, Developer tools
- **Stats:** 1 total users, 0 monthly users, 0.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

Pay per usage

This Actor is paid per platform usage. The Actor is free to use, and you only pay for the Apify platform usage, which gets cheaper the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-usage

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
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.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## 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.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## YouTube Search Scraper

Turn a YouTube keyword search into a compact dataset of video results. Find relevant tutorials, product reviews and topic coverage, with filters that help narrow the search before you inspect individual videos.

### What you get

- **Keyword search:** video IDs and titles with available channels, durations, views and upload dates.
- **Focused filters:** filter by upload period, result type, duration or supported video features, and choose a sort order.
- **Small result sets:** request 1–20 results and export them as JSON or CSV.

Use it to shortlist videos for content research, compare coverage of a topic or collect video IDs for a separate metadata or caption lookup.

### Example output

The **YouTube Search results** dataset contains one returned search item per row. This example is illustrative, not a live result:

```json
{
  "query": "battery recycling explained",
  "videoId": "abcdefghijk",
  "title": "Example battery recycling explainer",
  "channel": "Example Science",
  "durationString": "5:00",
  "viewCount": 1234,
  "uploadDate": "2026-01-15",
  "request_id": "req_example"
}
```

Fields depend on the returned item and result type. **Complete response and status** preserves additional returned fields and usage information.

### Quick start

1. Get a [FlashData API key](https://flashdata.dev/app/api-keys) with `youtube_search` access and available Credits.
2. Enter a query and your key. Optionally set `max_results` and a JSON `filters` object.
3. Click **Start**, then open **YouTube Search results** to review or export the dataset.

```json
{
  "flashdataApiKey": "YOUR_FLASHDATA_API_KEY",
  "query": "battery recycling explained",
  "max_results": 10,
  "filters": {
    "type": "video",
    "upload_date": "this_month"
  }
}
```

### Input parameters

| Parameter | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `query` | Yes | One search query, e.g. battery recycling explained.  |
| `flashdataApiKey` | Yes | Your FlashData API key, stored as encrypted input.  |
| `max_results` | No | Maximum results (1–20). Actual count may be lower. Range: 1–20. Default: `20`. |
| `filters` | No | JSON filters, e.g. {"upload_date":"this_week","type":"video"}. See README for supported values.  |

Each run searches one query. `max_results` defaults to 20; asking for 20 does not guarantee 20 results.

### Search filters

Pass these fields inside `filters`:

| Filter | Supported values |
| --- | --- |
| `upload_date` | `today`, `last_hour`, `this_week`, `this_month`, `this_year` |
| `type` | `video`, `channel`, `playlist`, `movie` |
| `duration` | `<4`, `4-20`, `>20` (minutes) |
| `sort_by` | `rating`, `relevance`, `view_count`, `upload_date` |
| Boolean features | `360`, `3d`, `4k`, `creative_commons`, `hd`, `hdr`, `live`, `location`, `purchased`, `subtitles`, `vr180` |

For example, `"subtitles": true` filters discovery results; it does not fetch the subtitle text.

### Pricing

Requests use your FlashData Credits at your applicable [account rate](https://flashdata.dev/pricing). This Actor adds no service fee. Apify compute, storage and other platform usage are billed separately under your Apify plan.

### FAQ

**Can I collect more than 20 results?**

This standard search requests up to 20 results. The separate YouTube Search Scraper – Extended supports larger requests at a different FlashData rate.

**Does it return full descriptions, captions or video files?**

It returns search metadata. Use the dedicated metadata, transcript or download Actor for those separate operations.

**Why are fields missing for some results?**

YouTube may return different data for videos, channels, playlists and other result types. Live videos and unavailable items can omit duration or date information.

**What if a run fails?**

Check key permissions and Credits for authentication errors. After a timeout or interruption, inspect **Complete response and status** and FlashData Jobs/usage before starting again: the request may already have been charged. A new run can create another charge.

### Support

Open an issue on this Actor or email <support@flashdata.dev> with the run URL or request ID. Do not include API keys.

[API documentation](https://flashdata.dev/docs/sources/youtube_search) · [Terms](https://flashdata.dev/legal/terms) · [Privacy](https://flashdata.dev/legal/privacy)

This is an independent FlashData integration, not an official YouTube product.

# Actor input Schema

## `query` (type: `string`):

One search query, e.g. battery recycling explained.

## `flashdataApiKey` (type: `string`):

Requires youtube_search access. Get your key: https://flashdata.dev/app/api-keys

## `max_results` (type: `integer`):

Maximum results (1–20). Actual count may be lower.

## `filters` (type: `object`):

JSON filters, e.g. {"upload_date":"this_week","type":"video"}. See README for supported values.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "max_results": 20
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

## `response` (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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("flashdata/youtube-search").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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("flashdata/youtube-search").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{}' |
apify call flashdata/youtube-search --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,flashdata/youtube-search"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/9a8QEMJ7cTygZPEzL/builds/BkT8QefFrBBWHbb8A/openapi.json