# YouTube Video Transcript (Provenance) API

> Fetch a YouTube video or Short transcript with timed segments and its provenance: whether the words are creator-written captions or machine speech recognition.

Source: https://www.sandbase.ai/apis/youtube/video-transcript-full
API reference: https://www.sandbase.ai/apis/youtube/video-transcript-full/docs

## Facts

- Provider: YouTube
- Type: Data API
- Endpoint: `POST https://api.sandbase.ai/v1/api/youtube/video-transcript-full`
- Price: From $0.002 per call
- Capabilities: api, youtube, social media
- Billing: pay per use from one SandBase balance; no provider account or subscription needed

## Call it

`POST https://api.sandbase.ai/v1/api/youtube/video-transcript-full` with `Authorization: Bearer $SANDBASE_API_KEY` and the parameters as a JSON body.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Allowed values |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `url` | string | yes |  |
| `language` | string | no |  |
| `captionKind` | string | no | manual, automatic, any |
| `requireFields` | array | no |  |

## FAQ

### How do I use the YouTube Video Transcript (Provenance) API?

Send a POST request to https://api.sandbase.ai/v1/api/youtube/video-transcript-full with your SandBase API key in the Authorization header (Bearer) and the parameters as a JSON body. You can also try it in the Playground on this page without writing code.

### How much does the YouTube Video Transcript (Provenance) API cost?

From $0.002 per call, billed from your SandBase balance. You are only charged for calls you make; there is no subscription.

### What parameters does the YouTube Video Transcript (Provenance) API accept?

Required: url (string). Optional: language (string), captionKind (one of manual, automatic, any) and requireFields (array). The Parameters table and the Playground on this page list every field.

### What does the YouTube Video Transcript (Provenance) API return?

A JSON response returned in the same HTTP request (synchronous).

### Do I need a YouTube developer account or API key?

No. YouTube Video Transcript (Provenance) runs through SandBase, so one SandBase API key covers this endpoint and every other API and model in the catalog. You do not need to apply for YouTube API access separately.

## README

### YouTube Video Transcript (Provenance) API

Fetch a YouTube video or Short transcript with timed segments and its provenance: whether the words are creator-written captions or machine speech recognition.

#### Request

```bash
curl -X POST "https://api.sandbase.ai/v1/api/youtube/video-transcript-full" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SANDBASE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ"}'
```

The result is returned in `outputs[0].data`. A lookup that finds nothing still succeeds and returns `found: false`.

#### Parameters

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `url` | string | Yes | YouTube video or Short URL (e.g. "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ" or "https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Fir1x9cw2vg"). |
| `captionKind` | string | No | Which caption track to accept: "manual" only creator-written captions, "automatic" only YouTube's speech recognition, "any" whichever exists. One of: `manual`, `automatic`, `any`. Default `"any"`. |
| `language` | string | No | Preferred caption language code (e.g. "en", "es"). Defaults to English. If the video has no captions in that language, you get the transcript in another language the video has; the `language` field in the result says whi |
| `requireFields` | array | No | Optional; omit it and routing is unchanged, with the cheapest source serving. Name the output fields this request must be able to return, for example `views`, and it is served only by a source that returns every one of t |

#### Pricing

Billed at the actual cost of each call, usually $0.002 per request. A call can cost more when the first data source fails and another one answers. Failed calls are not charged. Lookups that find nothing and searches with no results are billed at their actual cost, which is often lower and can be $0.