# YouTube tools

> Channels, videos, comments and transcripts.

Public YouTube data. Each call costs what the data provider charges for it, and the cost line under each tool below gives the number. A question YouTube cannot answer has no tool, rather than a tool that returns nothing.

| Tool | What it does | Cost |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [`youtube_get_channel`](#youtube_get_channel) | Get a YouTube channel | From 1 credit |
| [`youtube_get_videos`](#youtube_get_videos) | Get a channel's videos | From 1 credit |
| [`youtube_get_video`](#youtube_get_video) | Get a YouTube video | From 1 credit |
| [`youtube_get_comments`](#youtube_get_comments) | Get a video's comments | From 1 credit |
| [`youtube_search_videos`](#youtube_search_videos) | Search YouTube videos | From 1 credit |
| [`youtube_get_transcript`](#youtube_get_transcript) | Get a video's transcript | From 1 credit |

## `youtube_get_channel`: Get a YouTube channel

One YouTube channel: subscribers, total views and when it joined.

**Use when:** sizing a channel before a sponsorship, checking a handle, reading a channel description.

**Not for:** its videos, use [`youtube_get_videos`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_videos). Videos by topic, use [`youtube_search_videos`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_search_videos).

**Returns:** Record. platform, kind, id, handle, name, url, bio, verified, followers, following, `posts_count`, likes, views, location, website, employees, industry, `created_at`. A field the platform does not publish is null. kind is channel, followers is the subscriber count.

**Cost:** 1 credit. Cached 24 hours.

| Parameter | Default and notes |
| --- | --- |
| `handle` | Required, with or without the @ |

Also takes `provider`, `max_credits`, `dry_run`: see [common parameters](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools#common-parameters).

```json
{
  "handle": "@ThePatMcAfeeShow"
}
```

## `youtube_get_videos`: Get a channel's videos

The videos on one YouTube channel, newest or most viewed first.

**Use when:** "what does this channel publish", judging cadence and view counts before a sponsorship.

**Not for:** one video in full, use [`youtube_get_video`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_video). What is said in it, use [`youtube_get_transcript`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_transcript).

**Returns:** List, one page per call. `rows[]`: platform, id, url, author, `author_name`, `created_at`, text (cut at 2000 characters), likes, comments, shares, views, media, `duration_s`, `is_ad`. A number the platform does not publish is null. A listing carries views and length; likes and comments come with [`youtube_get_video`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_video).

**Cost:** 1 credit per page. Cached 6 hours.

| Parameter | Default and notes |
| --- | --- |
| `handle` | Required |
| `sort` | "latest" \| "popular", default latest |

Also takes `cursor`, `provider`, `max_credits`, `dry_run`: see [common parameters](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools#common-parameters).

```json
{
  "handle": "@ThePatMcAfeeShow",
  "sort": "popular"
}
```

## `youtube_get_video`: Get a YouTube video

One YouTube video with its views, likes, comments and length.

**Use when:** a row is worth the detail, or you have a URL and nothing else.

**Not for:** what is said in it, use [`youtube_get_transcript`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_transcript). The comments, use [`youtube_get_comments`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_comments).

**Returns:** Record. `rows[]`: platform, id, url, author, `author_name`, `created_at`, text (cut at 2000 characters), likes, comments, shares, views, media, `duration_s`, `is_ad`. A number the platform does not publish is null.

**Cost:** 1 credit. Cached 6 hours.

| Parameter | Default and notes |
| --- | --- |
| `url` | Required |

Also takes `provider`, `max_credits`, `dry_run`: see [common parameters](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools#common-parameters).

```json
{
  "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EWaxmWgQMI"
}
```

## `youtube_get_comments`: Get a video's comments

The comments on one YouTube video, most liked first.

**Use when:** reading what an audience said, finding the objections under a review or a tutorial.

**Not for:** the video itself, use [`youtube_get_video`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_video). What is said in it, use [`youtube_get_transcript`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_transcript).

**Returns:** List, one page per call. `rows[]`: platform, id, `post_id`, author, `created_at`, text (cut at 2000 characters), likes, replies, depth. depth is the reply level. meta.cursor pages the next set. `created_at` is approximate: the platform shows an age such as "3 weeks ago", so it is exact only to that unit.

**Cost:** 1 credit per page. Cached 6 hours.

| Parameter | Default and notes |
| --- | --- |
| `url` | Required |

Also takes `cursor`, `provider`, `max_credits`, `dry_run`: see [common parameters](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools#common-parameters).

```json
{
  "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EWaxmWgQMI"
}
```

## `youtube_search_videos`: Search YouTube videos

YouTube videos matching a keyword, ranked by YouTube's own search.

**Use when:** "what videos cover X", finding review and tutorial coverage of a product or a competitor.

**Not for:** one channel's own videos, use [`youtube_get_videos`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_videos). Text pages about X, use [`seo_get_serp`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/seo#seo_get_serp).

**Returns:** List, one page per call, ranked. `rows[]`: platform, id, url, author, `author_name`, `created_at`, text (cut at 2000 characters), likes, comments, shares, views, media, `duration_s`, `is_ad`. A number the platform does not publish is null. meta.cursor pages the next set. `created_at` is approximate: the platform shows an age such as "3 weeks ago", so it is exact only to that unit.

**Cost:** 1 credit per page. Cached 6 hours.

| Parameter | Default and notes |
| --- | --- |
| `query` | Required |
| `since` | "day" \| "week" \| "month" \| "year" \| "all", default month |
| `sort` | "relevance" \| "latest" \| "popular", default relevance |

Also takes `cursor`, `provider`, `max_credits`, `dry_run`: see [common parameters](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools#common-parameters).

```json
{
  "query": "best crm for agencies",
  "since": "year"
}
```

## `youtube_get_transcript`: Get a video's transcript

The transcript of one YouTube video, as text.

**Use when:** reading a video instead of watching it, pulling claims, chapters or quotes out of long content.

**Not for:** the video's numbers, use [`youtube_get_video`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_video). The comments, use [`youtube_get_comments`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/youtube#youtube_get_comments).

**Returns:** Record. platform, url, language, text (the full transcript, uncut). NoData when the video has no captions.

**Cost:** 1 credit. Cached 30 days.

| Parameter | Default and notes |
| --- | --- |
| `url` | Required |
| `language` | Optional, for a video with several |

Also takes `provider`, `max_credits`, `dry_run`: see [common parameters](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools#common-parameters).

```json
{
  "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EWaxmWgQMI"
}
```