Tutorial · curl
How to scrape TikTok transcripts with curl (2026)
A curl walkthrough for GET /v1/tiktok/videos/transcript. Copy the snippet, run it, then read the JSON.
GET /v1/tiktok/videos/transcript · 1 credit +10 credits when AI transcribes the audio (useAiFallback) +10 credits per started minute of AI transcript, replacing the flat +10 (allowLongTranscription) Max 601 credits Failed requests are free
In this tutorial
You'll pull a TikTok transcript from a public video URL and see the text you get back.
Example job: turn a public TikTok video into text for search or alerts.
Step 1
Get ready
Get a Social Fetch API key and a curl environment ready. New accounts include 100 free credits.
API key. Create a Social Fetch account and copy an API key. New accounts include 100 free credits.
curl setup. Any shell with curl. Export SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY before you run the sample.
When you're done, SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY is set in your shell.
Step 2
Make the request
Copy the curl snippet, set SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY, and call GET /v1/tiktok/videos/transcript with the x-api-key header. Example: /v1/tiktok/videos/transcript?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40mkbhd%2Fvideo%2F7123456789012345678.
You should see a JSON body on stdout. Use curl -sS so HTTP errors still print on stderr.
Step 3
Read the response
JSON with data (the transcripts) and meta (creditsCharged, requestId). Sample below is illustrative — field docs live on the endpoint page. Credits charge on completed lookups, not transport failures.
Check data.lookupStatus when present. Keep meta.requestId if a row looks wrong.
Watch out
lookupStatus not_found means no transcript — you still pay the base credit. Photo carousels aren't videos. Optional language is a preference, not a guarantee.
Step 4
You finished
Same path and credits in playground, docs, and production. Pick a next step below.
FAQ
Common questions
Do I need an official TikTok developer account?
No. Social Fetch authenticates with your Social Fetch API key. You call GET /v1/tiktok/videos/transcript and we handle the lookup. You still need to follow each platform's terms for how you use public data.
What does the tiktok transcripts endpoint return?
A JSON envelope with data (the transcripts) and meta (creditsCharged, requestId). Shape details and field docs live on the endpoint page and in the OpenAPI docs.
When should I set useAiFallback on TikTok transcripts?
When you need text from clips with no caption track. Base cost is 1 credit; the AI surcharge of 10 (11 total) applies only when AI produced the transcript, so captioned clips stay at 1. AI covers clips up to 2 minutes; allowLongTranscription=true handles longer ones at 10 credits per started minute.
What URL formats does the TikTok transcript route accept?
Public /@user/video/… links and vm.tiktok.com short links. Photo carousel URLs return transcript_target_not_video. Always check lookupStatus before treating data.transcript as present.
How much does a successful request cost?
1 credit +10 credits when AI transcribes the audio (useAiFallback) +10 credits per started minute of AI transcript, replacing the flat +10 (allowLongTranscription) Max 601 credits Failed requests are free
Is this okay for production?
Yes — same production API as everywhere else: typed errors, requestId on every response, credits charged only on completed lookups. New accounts get 100 free credits.
Any curl-specific tips for this request?
Yes. Pass the key with -H "x-api-key: $SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY", and wrap the full URL in double quotes so the shell does not split on & in query strings. Prefer curl -sS so HTTP errors still surface on stderr.
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