Compare · facts as of 2026-08-23
ytapi vs youtube-transcript.io
youtube-transcript.io is a web-first transcript extractor (copy/download) with an API add-on. ytapi is an API-first product for apps and agents, with a free extractor as a funnel — not the product.
| Field | ytapi | youtube-transcript.io |
|---|---|---|
| Primary surface | REST + MCP; free web tool as a funnel | Web extractor first; API documented separately |
| Free usage | 100 API credits / month after signup; anonymous tool = 3 extracts / IP / day | Homepage: 25 free transcripts (no sign-up advertised) |
| Auth | Bearer yta_… API key | Basic API token from the profile page |
| Rate limits | 60 / 600 / 2,000 req/min by plan | API docs: 5 requests / 10 seconds; batch limited to 50 |
| Formats | JSON, text, SRT, VTT | Web UI copy/download (txt/srt/vtt/csv listed on marketing) |
| Failure billing | Non-200 is 0 credits, always | Not documented on the public API page (check their pricing page) |
| MCP | Yes | Not listed |
| Metadata / search / channels | Yes (search 1 credit/page; channel resolve + latest are free) | Channels API listed as a Plus feature |
| Audience (their copy) | AI apps, agents, data pipelines | Marketers, creators, journalists, writers |
Sources: youtube-transcript.io homepage · youtube-transcript.io API. We do not scrape competitors; numbers are from public pages on 2026-08-23.
FAQ
- Can I extract a transcript without an account?
- On ytapi, yes — the free tool at /tools/youtube-transcript-extractor (Turnstile + 3 / IP / day). youtube-transcript.io advertises 25 free transcripts with no sign-up.
- Which one is for production APIs?
- ytapi. youtube-transcript.io is built around a website extractor; their API exists but public docs do not publish a credit matrix or failure-billing policy.
- Do you scrape their service?
- No. This page is compiled from their public homepage and /api docs as of 2026-08-23. If a number here drifts, email support and we will correct it.