YouTube Data API
Access video metadata, channel analytics, comments, search results, and trending content from YouTube — all through a single, reliable REST API. No quota management required.
17+
Endpoints
3
Data categories
99.9%
Uptime SLA
<500ms
Avg latency
What You Can Do With The YouTube API
17+ endpoints across 3 categories. All returning clean, structured JSON.
Video
Video endpoints for YouTube.
Get video information
Get detailed information about a YouTube video, returning the full raw data (including playerResponse and initialData).
Get video comments
Get comments for a YouTube video. Supports paginated retrieval.
Get video sub comments
Get replies to a YouTube video comment. Usage: 1. First call /get_video_comments to get top-level comments 2. Find the reply_continuation_token field in a comment's response 3. Use that token with this endpoint to get the replies for that comment
General search with filters
Search YouTube with advanced filters. Supports filtering by upload time, video duration, content type, features, and sort order.
YouTube Shorts search
Dedicated search for YouTube Shorts (videos under 60 seconds), using the native YouTube API. Supports filters and sort options. The first request may return mixed content; use continuation_token for subsequent requests to get pure Shorts.
Get channel videos
Get a list of videos from a YouTube channel. Supports paginated retrieval; use continuation_token to get more videos.
Get video streams info
Get format information and playback URLs for all quality levels of a YouTube video. Returns both standard formats (audio+video merged) and adaptive formats (audio and video separate). Suitable for scenarios where all quality options need to be displayed. Features: Automatically returns decrypted playback URLs for all formats No additional calls to get_signed_stream_url required Retrieves all available quality links in a single request Notes: Playback URLs are time-limited (approximately 6 hours); use them promptly after retrieval HD video (720p+) typically requires downloading audio and video streams separately and merging them
Get related videos
Get recommended related content for a YouTube video (recommended video list). Similar to the related videos shown on the right side of the video playback page. Returns all recommended videos at once (typically 20-30 videos). Notes: Each video's recommendations are generated by the YouTube algorithm and may vary The recommended list typically contains 20-30 videos This endpoint does not support pagination; all recommended videos are returned at once
Get search suggestions
Get YouTube search suggestions (autocomplete). Similar to the suggestions shown when typing in the YouTube search box. Notes: Suggestions vary by language and region Typically returns 10-20 suggestions Response is very fast (< 1 second)
Search channels
Search YouTube channels. Returns only channel-type results (filters out videos, playlists, etc.). Supports paginated retrieval for more channels. Usage flow: 1. First request: pass only the keyword parameter 2. Retrieve the continuation_token from the response 3. Next request: pass continuation_token (keyword is optional) 4. Repeat steps 2-3 until has_more is false Notes: Each page typically returns 10-20 channels
Search video
Search for videos.
Search channel
Search for channels.
Get trending videos
Get trending videos.
Channel
Channel endpoints for YouTube.
Get channel description
Get detailed information about a YouTube channel, including channel description, view count, subscriber count, join date, social links, etc. Important notes: This endpoint requires two calls to retrieve all information. First call (use channel_id): Returns basic info: channel name, description, subscriber count, video count, banner image, etc. Second call (use continuation_token): Returns advanced info: join date, social media links, featured sections, view count, etc. How to get channel_id: If you only have the channel URL (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/@CozyCraftYT), first call the get_channel_id endpoint to get the channel_id. That endpoint will return the channel ID in the format UCeu6U67OzJhV1KwBansH3Dg.
Get channel ID from URL
Get the channel ID (channel_id) from a YouTube channel URL. Supports multiple URL formats including @username format, /channel/ format, /c/ format, and /user/ format.
Get channel URL from channel ID
Get the channel handle (@username) from a YouTube channel ID. This is the reverse operation of get_channel_id. Use cases: When you have a channel ID and need the @username format URL When you need to display a user-friendly channel link
Get channel ID
Get a channel ID from the channel name.
YouTube API Quick Start Guide
Every request returns real-time, accurate data directly from YouTube.
curl -X GET \ "https://api.keyapi.ai/youtube/video/info?video_id=dQw4w9WgXcQ" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
{
"message": "success",
"code": 0,
"data": {
"id": "dQw4w9WgXcQ",
"title": "Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up",
"channel": "Rick Astley",
"views": 1400000000,
"likes": 16000000,
"comments": 2800000,
"duration": "PT3M33S"
}
}Why Choose KeyAPI YouTube API
Built for scale, reliability, and developer experience.
Video Metadata at Scale
Pull titles, view counts, like ratios, duration, and publish dates for any public YouTube video — no quota management required.
Channel Analytics
Subscriber counts, upload frequency, top-performing videos, and playlist data for any public YouTube channel.
Comment Mining
Extract full comment threads and reply chains for sentiment analysis, audience research, and community intelligence.
Search & Trending Content
Access real-time YouTube search results and trending video feeds by region and category.
No YouTube API Quota
Bypass YouTube's strict daily quota limits entirely. Make as many requests as your plan allows without quota errors.
Shorts & Live Stream Support
Access YouTube Shorts metadata and live stream details alongside standard video data — all from one API.
YouTube API Use Cases
Creator & Channel Research
Analyze any YouTube channel's growth trajectory, upload frequency, and top-performing videos. Identify rising creators before they peak.
Video Intelligence
Pull video metadata, view counts, like ratios, and comment sentiment at scale. Power recommendation engines and content discovery tools.
Competitive Analysis
Benchmark your channel against competitors. Track subscriber growth, engagement rates, and content strategy across any public YouTube channel.
Audience & Comment Mining
Extract comment threads, analyze audience sentiment, and surface the most engaged viewers for any video or channel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the YouTube API official?
No, KeyAPI provides an unofficial YouTube API that lets you access YouTube data through our platform. We handle the complexities of data collection so you can focus on building your application.
How current is the data?
We provide real-time data from YouTube. When you make a request, we fetch the latest information available.
How do credits work?
Each API endpoint consumes credits. Most endpoints cost just 1 credit. All pricing is transparent in our API documentation with no hidden fees.
Can I use this for AI model training?
Yes. KeyAPI provides structured, AI-ready data ideal for training datasets, fine-tuning LLMs, and building AI pipelines. Our historical archives are particularly valuable for large-scale training workloads.
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