YouTube Channel Scraper

YouTube Channel Scraper is a youtube channel scraper for Apify: scrape YouTube @handles, /channel/, /c/, and /user/ URLs, or raw UC… channel IDs into structured youtube channel data — title, description, subscriber count, video count, view count, country, joined date, canonical URL — and write each result to an Apify Dataset you can export as JSON, CSV, or Excel.

Built by ScrapeMamba as an apify youtube scraper Actor for youtube scraping at the channel level. For every input string the Actor resolves a canonical channel identity, then calls /youtube/channel_details and maps public About/profile statistics into flat fields. Failures become isolated type: "error" rows that still include your original input. Use it when you need a youtube scraper that turns messy channel references into a stable channelId — a practical way to scrape YouTube creator profiles without maintaining browser automation.

---

Overview

Channel identity is the backbone of most YouTube analytics pipelines — a reliable UC… ID plus profile stats (subscribers, views, country, About). Hand collection does not scale; fragile scrapers break on UI changes; official API projects add quota overhead.

This Actor’s path:

1. You pass a channels list of handles, URLs, or IDs.
2. Each entry is resolved to a channel identity (channelId, and when applicable handle/URL context).
3. The Actor requests channel details from ScrapeMamba and maps public fields.
4. Up to 10 workers process the list in parallel.
5. Success rows use type: "channel"; failures use type: "error" with the original input preserved for retries.
6. A raw payload is retained alongside mapped columns.

The result is a warehouse-ready channel dimension table keyed by channelId, with original lookup strings in input for lineage.

---

Who this Actor is for

• Market researchers and agencies building competitor or creator rosters from mixed URL formats.
• Growth and partnerships teams qualifying YouTube leads before outreach.
• Analytics / BI teams needing a channel dimension table to join uploads and video facts.
• Automation builders who schedule Apify runs or call Actors from Python/JS ETL.
• Pipelines that continue into Channel Videos, Channel Shorts, Video Scraper, or Search.

Who this is not for

• Not a comments scraper, email finder, or private-data tool. This Actor returns public creator profile / About statistics only — display name, description, subscriber and video counts, views, country, joined date, and canonical URL. It does not harvest comment threads, scrape contact emails, or access private channel data.
• Choose a different Actor for keyword discovery (YouTube Search Scraper) or per-video stats (YouTube Video Scraper). This Actor is for channel profile resolution and metadata.

---

What it does

• Accepts @handles, youtube.com/@… links, /channel/UC…, /c/…, /user/… URLs, or raw UC… IDs
• Resolves each target to a canonical channelId before fetching details
• Returns profile metadata and public statistics in a stable schema
• Batches multiple channels with isolated per-item errors
• Echoes the original lookup string in input on both success and error paths (errors always include input)
• Includes raw channel detail payload for advanced consumers
• Runs with up to 10 parallel workers

---

Why ScrapeMamba on Apify

ScrapeMamba keeps profile schemas stable so you can refresh creator rosters on a schedule without rewriting parsers when the YouTube UI shifts. Teams often want a managed youtube data scraper that joins cleanly with the rest of the Apify YouTube suite — this Actor is that profile layer.

On Apify you get Dataset exports (JSON / CSV / Excel), Apify Client and REST integration, schedules and webhooks, and pay-per-result economics instead of browser infrastructure. Use this Actor early: resolve profiles → list videos/Shorts → enrich videos → optionally pull subtitles or related graphs. For many workflows it is a strong best youtube scraper starting point when the first job is normalizing creator identity.

---

What data can it extract?

Successful rows expose mapped fields such as:

Field	Description
type	Always "channel" on success
channelId	Canonical UC… channel identifier
input	Exact string you supplied for this row
title	Channel display name
description	Public About / description text when available
subscriberCount	Subscriber count when exposed
videoCount	Public video count when exposed
viewCount	Lifetime (or reported) view total when exposed
country	Country when shown publicly (may be null)
joinedDate	Channel joined date when available
url	Canonical channel URL
raw	Unwrapped backend channel detail object

Error rows use type: "error" with:

Field	Description
input	Original channel string that failed
error	Error message string

---

Pricing

• $1.99 per 1,000 results

Billed on Apify for Dataset rows produced by the run. See the Store page for current packaging and free-tier details.

Store listing: https://apify.com/scrapemamba/youtube-channel-scraper

---

Input

Field	Type	Required	Description
channels	string[]	Yes	Channel IDs, @handles, or YouTube channel URLs

Accepted formats

Each entry may be:

• Handle with at-sign: @GoogleDevelopers
• Handle URL: https://www.youtube.com/@GoogleDevelopers
• Channel ID URL: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_x5XG1OV2P6uZZ5FSM9Ttw
• Custom URL style: /c/… or legacy /user/… paths
• Bare channel ID: UC_x5XG1OV2P6uZZ5FSM9Ttw

The Actor resolves these via resolveChannelId before calling channel details. Prefer @handle or UC… when known; full URLs work for CRM exports that only store links.

Prefill / quick example

{
  "channels": ["@GoogleDevelopers"]
}

Mixed batch example

{
  "channels": [
    "@GoogleDevelopers",
    "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_x5XG1OV2P6uZZ5FSM9Ttw",
    "UCXuFOgbObldcQGwMwXiu62Q"
  ]
}

Empty or missing channels exits early before workers start.

---

Output

Output types

type	Meaning
channel	Successful profile extraction
error	Resolution or details failure; includes original input

Successful example

{
  "type": "channel",
  "channelId": "UC_x5XG1OV2P6uZZ5FSM9Ttw",
  "input": "@GoogleDevelopers",
  "title": "Google for Developers",
  "description": "Subscribe to join a community of creative developers...",
  "subscriberCount": 2450000,
  "videoCount": 6124,
  "viewCount": 312450000,
  "country": "US",
  "joinedDate": "2007-08-23",
  "url": "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_x5XG1OV2P6uZZ5FSM9Ttw",
  "raw": {}
}

(raw holds the unwrapped details object; truncated here.)

Error example

{
  "type": "error",
  "input": "@this-handle-does-not-exist-xyz",
  "error": "Error: ..."
}

input is preserved so you can join failures back to the source row.

Downstream joins

Use channelId as the primary key for Channel Videos / Shorts. Keep input for audit trails. Filter type == "channel" before BI loads.

---

How to scrape YouTube channel profiles on Apify

1. Open YouTube Channel Scraper in the Apify Store.
2. Provide a small channels list — start with @GoogleDevelopers or one public competitor.
3. Run and confirm type: "channel", a populated channelId, and expected stats in the Dataset.
4. Expand the list, then export JSON/CSV/Excel or wire schedules and webhooks.

Quick start checklist

1. Test one public @handle
2. Confirm channelId + core stats
3. Batch additional channels
4. Schedule or call via Apify API for production

---

Local run notes

cd youtube-channel-scraper-js
cp .env.example .env
npm install

Provide input at storage/key_value_stores/default/INPUT.json:

{
  "channels": ["@GoogleDevelopers"]
}

Then node src/main.js.

---

YouTube scraper API examples (Apify)

Treat this Actor as a youtube scraper api for channel profiles: start a run through Apify, let ScrapeMamba resolve and fetch details, then consume Dataset items in any language.

cURL (start a run)

curl "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/scrapemamba~youtube-channel-scraper/runs" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "channels": ["@GoogleDevelopers"]
  }'

Poll the run and list Dataset items from defaultDatasetId.

JavaScript (Apify Client)

import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

const client = new ApifyClient();

const run = await client
  .actor('scrapemamba/youtube-channel-scraper')
  .call({
    channels: [
      '@GoogleDevelopers',
      'https://www.youtube.com/@GoogleDevelopers',
    ],
  });

const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
for (const row of items) {
  if (row.type === 'channel') {
    console.log(row.channelId, row.title, row.subscriberCount);
  } else {
    console.error('Failed:', row.input, row.error);
  }
}

Python (youtube channel scraper python)

For a youtube channel scraper python / youtube scraper python workflow:

from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient()

run = client.actor("scrapemamba/youtube-channel-scraper").call(
    run_input={
        "channels": [
            "@GoogleDevelopers",
            "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_x5XG1OV2P6uZZ5FSM9Ttw",
        ]
    }
)

for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    if item.get("type") == "channel":
        print(item["channelId"], item.get("title"), item.get("subscriberCount"))

What the Actor calls internally

1. Resolve input → channel identity (resolveChannelId).
2. POST to /youtube/channel_details with resolved channel_id / handle / URL context.
3. Map fields and push Dataset item with raw.

Prefer the Actor over reimplementing those steps so you keep Apify Dataset billing, logging, and orchestration.

---

Pipeline patterns

Profile → catalogs → enrichment

1. Resolve creators here (channelId, stats, About).
2. Fetch uploads (Channel Videos) and/or Shorts (Channel Shorts).
3. Enrich videos with YouTube Video Scraper.
4. Optionally discover adjacent creators via YouTube Search Scraper.

CRM / lead flow

Import messy URLs into channels → run → score with subscriberCount / videoCount / country → push qualified channelIds into catalog scrapers. Snapshot counts with runStartedAt if you need growth history (channelId stays stable).

---

Where teams use the data

Competitor and creator roster building; lead qualification; channel dimension tables for warehouses; seeds for videos / Shorts scrapers; geography and maturity signals (country, joinedDate); deduplicating the same creator listed under handle vs /channel/ URL in CRM.

---

Export and automation

Tool	Role
Dataset JSON / CSV / Excel	Analysts, Sheets, one-off shares
Apify Client	JS/Python services
REST API	Any language / no-SDK scripts
Schedules	Nightly roster refresh
Webhooks	Kick off Channel Videos after profiles succeed

Common pattern: webhook on success → backend reads Dataset → enqueues Channel Videos for new or updated channelIds.

---

Error handling

• Bad Input (missing channels) → fail fast.
• Per-channel failures → Dataset error row with input + error; siblings continue.

channels_ok  = rows where type == "channel"
channels_bad = rows where type == "error"
upsert dim_channel from channels_ok on channelId
insert scrape_errors(input, error, runId) from channels_bad

If a handle is ambiguous or renamed, try the full @ URL or a known UC… ID.

---

Best practices

1. Validate with one public handle before bulk CRM imports.
2. Prefer UC… when known — skips handle resolution ambiguity after renames.
3. Keep input lineage — explains mismatches in the warehouse.
4. Null-safe stats — country, joinedDate, and counts can be missing.
5. Split huge rosters — multiple scheduled runs for clearer monitoring.
6. Dedupe by channelId after the run if the same creator appears as handle + URL.
7. Chain next Actors on channelId, not display title.
8. Document compliance before continuous collection; snapshot counts if growth history matters.

---

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
Handle not found	Typo, rename, or non-public	Try full @ URL or known UC… ID
Mix of channel + error rows	Bad inputs in batch	Use error input to correct source data
Stats look stale vs UI	Point-in-time scrape / UI rounding	Re-run later; treat counts as approximate
country is null	Not shown publicly	Allow nulls in schema
Local run has no channels	Missing INPUT.json	Add storage/key_value_stores/default/INPUT.json
Need upload titles, not profile	Wrong Actor	Use Channel Videos / Shorts scrapers

---

Limitations

• Missing, terminated, or non-resolvable channels produce error rows.
• Some profile fields may be null when YouTube does not expose them.
• Subscriber and view figures are public platform numbers — precision can differ from the UI.
• Public data only; you own compliance with terms and law.
• Does not paginate uploads or Shorts — use dedicated catalog Actors after channelId.
• Does not scrape comments, emails, or private settings — public profile metadata only.

---

Compliance and responsible use

Use this Actor only for public channel metadata. You own compliance with YouTube’s terms, privacy laws, and internal policies. Do not access private data or evade protections. ScrapeMamba and Apify provide tooling; you own the compliance outcome.

---

FAQ

How to scrape YouTube channels with this Actor?

Pass @handle, channel URL, or UC… ID in the channels array, start the run, and export the Dataset (or pull it via Apify API/Client). That is the supported path to scrape YouTube creator profiles into structured rows.

How do I get YouTube channel data for a competitor list?

Load handles or URLs into channels, run the Actor, and filter type == "channel". You get channelId, subscriber/video/view counts, About text, and related fields ready for CRM scoring or warehouse joins.

Can I call this as a YouTube scraper API?

Yes. Start runs through Apify’s REST API or Client with the same JSON input. The Actor resolves channels, calls ScrapeMamba’s channel-details path, and writes Dataset items you can poll and export — a managed API-style workflow without hosting scrapers yourself.

How do I use YouTube channel scraper Python code with Apify?

Install apify-client, call client.actor("scrapemamba/youtube-channel-scraper").call(...) with a channels list, then iterate Dataset items.

What formats does channels accept?

@handles, /channel/, /c/, /user/ URLs, youtube.com/@… links, and raw UC… IDs. The Actor resolves them before calling /youtube/channel_details.

Handle not found — what should I try?

Verify spelling, try the full https://www.youtube.com/@… URL, or supply a known UC… channel ID from a previous scrape or YouTube share dialog.

Why does the error row include input?

So you can map failures back to the exact CRM/sheet value that failed, even when no channelId was resolved.

Can I get a channel’s videos from this Actor?

No. This Actor returns profile metadata. Use YouTube Channel Videos Scraper or YouTube Channel Shorts Scraper with the resolved channelId.

Does this scrape comments or emails?

No. Output is public channel profile and About statistics only — not comment threads or harvested contact emails.

How does pricing work?

$1.99 per 1,000 results on Apify for this Actor. Confirm details on the Store page when budgeting large rosters.

Are subscriber counts always present?

Usually for public channels, but treat numeric fields as nullable. UI rounding and temporary unavailability can yield gaps.

How do I refresh a roster weekly?

Save an Actor task with your channels list (or generate Input dynamically), attach an Apify Schedule, and optionally a webhook into your warehouse loader.

What is stored in raw?

The unwrapped channel details object from ScrapeMamba after resolution. Use mapped fields for BI; use raw for attributes not yet flattened.

---

Related ScrapeMamba Actors

Actor	Best for
YouTube Channel Videos Scraper	Upload catalogs
YouTube Channel Shorts Scraper	Shorts catalogs
YouTube Video Scraper	Per-video enrichment
YouTube Search Scraper	Keyword discovery

Suggested pipeline: YouTube Channel Scraper → Channel Videos / Shorts → Video Scraper (and optionally Search for net-new creators).