500 free transcripts to test — no credit card required

YouTube Transcript API Built for Developers

One simple endpoint. Timestamped transcripts from any YouTube video.

Start free, scale for pennies.

Get your API key instantly • Then $2.00–$1.43 per 1,000 transcripts

Response

00:00:00 Opening statement text here
00:00:15 Next segment of text
00:00:30 Another segment continues...

Note: Replace <video_id> with your video ID and <your_api_key> with your API key.

$2.00–$1.43

per 1,000 transcripts

<3s

avg response time

99.9%

uptime SLA

Transcript API Playground

See real results before you write a line of code

✓ Ridiculously Simple

✓ Predictable Pricing

✓ Generous Limits

Request

Video ID

Enter a YouTube video ID (e.g., from youtube.com/watch?v=DPZzrlFCD_I)

API Key

Create an account for free to get an API key and free credits.

Quick example

Note: Transcript retrieval may take a few seconds.

Example request (copy & share)

Open

Response

Output

API Reference

One endpoint. One method. That's all you need.

GET


          https://helpolos.com/api/v1/transcript/{video_id}?apikey={apikey}

Parameters

video_id required

YouTube video ID from URL

apikey required

Your API key (query param)

Response Codes

200 Success, returns transcript

401 Invalid API key

402 Insufficient credits

404 Transcript not found

429 Rate limit exceeded

Example Response

00:00:00 Opening statement text here
00:00:15 Next segment of text
00:00:30 Another segment continues
00:01:00 More content follows...

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Why developers choose our Transcript API

Ridiculously Simple

One GET request. No pagination, no complex parameters. Just pass your API key and video ID.

Predictable Pricing

$2 per 1,000 transcripts or $1.43 with volume discounts. No hidden fees, no surprises.

Generous Rate Limits

5 requests per second. Built for real applications, not just demos.

No monthly fees. No subscriptions.

Pay-As-You-Go API Pricing

Start immediately with 500 free transcripts. Credits are valid for 12 months. Pay for what you use.

How Credits Work

2 credits 1,000 transcripts for $2 or less

Failed requests 0 credits charged

12 months credit validity, no subscription

Asteroid

$10

10,000 credits

5,000 transcripts • $2.00/1k

Moon

$50

55,000 credits

27,500 transcripts • $1.82/1k

Planet

$100

120,000 credits

60,000 transcripts • $1.67/1k

Star

$500

650,000 credits

325,000 transcripts • $1.54/1k

Galaxy

Best Value

$1,000

1,400,000 credits

700,000 transcripts • $1.43/1k

All credits valid for 12 months from purchase. 1 transcript = 2 API credits.

Common Questions

Getting Started

Do I really get $1 free to test?

Yes. Every new account gets $1 in free credits automatically. That equals 1,000 API credits → 500 transcript requests. No credit card required – get your API key instantly and test thoroughly before you commit.

How are API credits used per transcript?

Pricing is straightforward: 1 successful transcript = 2 API credits, regardless of video length. At $2.00–$1.43 per 1,000 transcripts, you always know exactly what your costs will be.

Using the API

What are the rate limits?

We offer generous limits of 5 requests per second per API key. That's fast enough for real-time tools and high-volume processing.

What format is the response data?

We return text/plain for simplicity. You get a clean, timestamped list in a single response—no pagination, no complex JSON structure. Parse it however you like.

Do failed requests consume credits?

No. Credits are only deducted for successful 200 responses. If a request fails (401, 402, 404, 429), no credits are charged.

Transcript Content

What languages are supported?

We return transcripts in the video's original language only—whatever the creator uploaded or YouTube auto-generated. We do not perform translations.

Is there a maximum video length?

No. Whether it's a 30-second clip or a 10-hour livestream, the cost is always 2 API credits per transcript. Video length doesn't affect pricing.

Your Account

Do credits expire?

Yes, but with a long runway. All API credits are valid for 12 months from purchase (or signup for free credits). Plenty of time to build, test, and launch.

Can I get transcripts in JSON, SRT, or VTT format?

Currently we return plain text with timestamps, which is straightforward to parse into any format you need. Other formats are not natively supported at this time.

Ready to get started?

Get your API key in seconds. No credit card required.

Get Started For Free