# YouTube Scraper: $1 per 1,000 Videos (`rowfinch/youtube-scraper`) Actor

Scrape YouTube videos, Shorts and streams from searches, channels, playlists and links: exact views and likes, upload date, length, description and its links, hashtags, comment count and channel details. No login. $1 per 1,000 videos.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/rowfinch/youtube-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Rowfinch](https://apify.com/rowfinch) (community)
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $1.00 / 1,000 videos

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/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## 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 Scraper

Scrape YouTube videos, Shorts and streams from searches, channels, playlists and links: exact views and likes, the day each was posted, length, the full description with its links, hashtags, comment count, and the channel's subscribers, country and links. No login or API key.

**$1 per 1,000 videos.**

### What it's for

- **Topic research**: the most viewed videos for any search, with *View count* order and the *Upload date* filter.
- **Channel tracking**: every video of a channel or competitor, latest, popular or oldest first; on a schedule with *Posted on or after* set to 7 days.
- **Influencer lists**: the channels behind a niche's videos with their subscribers; channel links add country, join date, total views and links.
- **Sponsor research**: the links in each description show who sponsors what.
- **AI agents and pipelines**: clean JSON with streamers/youtube-scraper's field names, so saved inputs and pipelines carry over.

### Input

| Field | What it does |
|---|---|
| `searchQueries` | Searches, as you'd type them on YouTube |
| `startUrls` | Videos, Shorts, channels, playlists or search result pages |
| `maxResults` | Regular videos per search, channel or playlist (default 10) |
| `maxResultsShorts` | Shorts per search or channel |
| `maxResultStreams` | Streams per channel, from its Live tab |
| `sortingOrder` | `relevance` (default) or `views` |
| `dateFilter` | `hour`, `today`, `week`, `month` or `year` |
| `lengthFilter` | `under4`, `between420` or `plus20` minutes |
| `videoType`, `isLive`, `is4K`, `isHD`, `hasSubtitles`, `hasCC`… | YouTube's other search filters |
| `sortVideosBy` | Channel tabs: `NEWEST` (default), `POPULAR` or `OLDEST` |
| `oldestPostDate` | Leaves out older videos: a date like `2026-09-30` or a period like `7 days` |

### Output

One row per video:

```json
{
  "title": "No device could prove our theory of gravity wrong... until now",
  "id": "eyZEqSPeMwg",
  "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyZEqSPeMwg",
  "type": "video",
  "viewCount": 3681086,
  "likes": 47089,
  "commentsCount": 3300,
  "date": "2026-10-23",
  "duration": "00:34:28",
  "durationSeconds": 2068,
  "text": "Can atomic clocks prove Einstein wrong? The biggest protection in the game! Go to https://NordVPN.com/veritasium and get an exclusive NordVPN deal…",
  "descriptionLinks": [
    { "url": "https://NordVPN.com/veritasium", "text": "https://NordVPN.com/veritasium" },
    { "url": "https://ve42.co/SnatomsV", "text": "https://ve42.co/SnatomsV" }
  ],
  "hashtags": [],
  "thumbnailUrl": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eyZEqSPeMwg/hqdefault.jpg",
  "channelName": "Veritasium",
  "channelUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/@veritasium",
  "channelUsername": "veritasium",
  "channelId": "UCHnyfMqiRRG1u-2MsSQLbXA",
  "numberOfSubscribers": 21400000,
  "isChannelVerified": true,
  "collaborators": [],
  "commentsTurnedOff": false,
  "isMembersOnly": false,
  "order": 1,
  "fromYTUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyZEqSPeMwg",
  "input": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyZEqSPeMwg"
}
```

`type` is `video`, `shorts` or `stream`. `collaborators` lists every channel of a video made together. Rows read from a channel link also have `channelDescription`, `channelLocation`, `channelJoinedDate`, `channelTotalViews`, `channelTotalVideos`, `channelAvatarUrl` and `channelBannerUrl`.

Links that can't be read get a row with the reason, free of charge:

```json
{ "input": "https://www.youtube.com/@no-such-channel", "error": "Channel not found" }
```

### Price

- **$1 per 1,000 videos**
- Missing videos, channels and playlists: free

| Run | Cost |
|---|---|
| The top 100 videos of a search | $0.10 |
| A channel's latest 500 videos | $0.50 |
| 50 searches, 200 videos each | $10 |

A run stops at the maximum cost you set for it. On Apify's free plan, a run returns up to 100 videos.

### FAQ

**Which numbers are exact?**
Views and likes. YouTube rounds comment counts and subscribers above 1,000 (3.3K, 21.4M), and they come as it shows them.

**Why is `duration` empty for Shorts?**
YouTube doesn't show a Short's length anywhere but in its player. Shorts last up to 3 minutes.

**Why does `date` have no time?**
YouTube shows the day a video was posted, not the hour.

**Can it read transcripts?**
[YouTube Transcript Scraper](https://apify.com/rowfinch/youtube-transcript-scraper) reads them, $2 per 1,000.

**Do I need a YouTube account or API key?**
No. It reads what YouTube shows anyone, with no login and no API quota.

**Is it legal?**
It reads only public pages. Channel names and handles can be personal data under the GDPR and similar laws: use them for a legitimate purpose.

# Actor input Schema

## `searchQueries` (type: `array`):

As you'd type them in YouTube's search bar.

## `startUrls` (type: `array`):

Videos, Shorts, channels, playlists or search result pages. Channel links read the Videos, Shorts and Live tabs.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Regular videos. 0 leaves them out.

## `maxResultsShorts` (type: `integer`):

0 leaves Shorts out.

## `maxResultStreams` (type: `integer`):

From the channel's Live tab, past and live now.

## `sortingOrder` (type: `string`):

YouTube no longer sorts by upload date or rating: Upload date below keeps recent videos only.

## `dateFilter` (type: `string`):

As YouTube's search filter.

## `videoType` (type: `string`):

As YouTube's search filter.

## `lengthFilter` (type: `string`):

As YouTube's search filter.

## `isLive` (type: `boolean`):

Live now.

## `is4K` (type: `boolean`):

4K only.

## `isHD` (type: `boolean`):

HD only.

## `hasSubtitles` (type: `boolean`):

With subtitles.

## `hasCC` (type: `boolean`):

Reusable under Creative Commons.

## `is360` (type: `boolean`):

360° only.

## `isVR180` (type: `boolean`):

VR180 only.

## `is3D` (type: `boolean`):

3D only.

## `isHDR` (type: `boolean`):

HDR only.

## `hasLocation` (type: `boolean`):

With a location.

## `isBought` (type: `boolean`):

Bought or rented on YouTube.

## `sortVideosBy` (type: `string`):

The order of the channel's tabs.

## `oldestPostDate` (type: `string`):

Leaves out older videos, in searches and channels. A period like 7 days counts back from today, for scheduled runs.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchQueries": [
    "electric cars"
  ],
  "maxResults": 20,
  "maxResultsShorts": 0,
  "maxResultStreams": 0,
  "sortVideosBy": "NEWEST"
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `videos` (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 = {
    "searchQueries": [
        "electric cars"
    ],
    "maxResults": 20
};

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

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "searchQueries": ["electric cars"],
    "maxResults": 20,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("rowfinch/youtube-scraper").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 '{
  "searchQueries": [
    "electric cars"
  ],
  "maxResults": 20
}' |
apify call rowfinch/youtube-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

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

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/xXuHfzMZzGQjsM0HJ/builds/Z7EoMYoPLWvBN6lfp/openapi.json