Does YouTube have an API?
Yes. Google publishes the YouTube Data API for apps with a Cloud project, OAuth where needed, and quota budgets. Separately, public-data APIs (including Social Fetch) return channel, video, comment, search, and transcript JSON for public content without each creator authorizing your app.
Official YouTube Data API
YouTube Data API v3 is the official path for uploads, channel management, and partner features tied to Google Cloud credentials. You get documented quotas (units per day per project), review for some scopes, and first-party support from Google.
Quota accounting is the YouTube-specific friction. A single search or comment list can burn far more units than a simple channels.list. That model fits products that already live in Google Cloud. It is awkward for one-off enrichment of creators who never authorize your app.
Public-data YouTube APIs
Social Fetch includes YouTube in the same 17-platform catalog (137 marketplace operations). Routes cover channels by handle, channel ID, or URL, plus videos, Shorts, playlists, comments, search, and transcripts.
You authenticate with an API key, pay in credits per completed lookup, and get meta.requestId on every response. No Google Cloud project is required for those public routes.
Quotas, captions, and skipping Google Cloud
Social Fetch transcript GETs cost 1 credit per successful request and return plainText plus timed segments when a caption track exists. There is no speech-to-text fallback on the YouTube route (unlike TikTok's optional useAiFallback). If captions are missing, you get a documented not_found, not invented text.
Smoke-test a watch URL on /tools/youtube-transcript before you budget a batch. Need uploads, owner analytics, or Google partner features? Use YouTube Data API. Need public channel cards, Shorts, or transcripts next to TikTok and Instagram? Use a public-data API such as Social Fetch.
FAQ
Is Social Fetch the same as YouTube Data API?
No. Social Fetch is a third-party public-data API. YouTube Data API is Google's official product with Cloud quotas and partner scopes.
Can I get any public channel without OAuth?
With a public-data API, you look up public channels by handle, channel ID, or URL. Restricted or missing channels return a documented lookupStatus instead of inventing fields.
Where are Social Fetch YouTube routes documented?
See /platforms/youtube for the hub and /docs/api for per-operation schemas. Free transcript and channel tools live under /tools.
Do YouTube lookups cost credits?
Yes on Social Fetch metered routes. Channel and video GETs are credit-metered; the transcript route is 1 credit per successful request as documented. Balance and whoami are free.