# Best YouTube API in 2026: pricing compared

> YouTube Data API (Google) is first for YouTube channels in the Datacircle benchmark. ScrapeUnblocker is first for YouTube channel videos. YouTube Data API (Google) is free for YouTube channels. ScrapeUnblocker costs $0.0056 per 1,000 videos. We score 60 YouTube API providers. 33 of them offer both YouTube channel and channel video APIs. Below, each kind of YouTube data has a line. Each line names the provider we score highest and what that provider's plan costs.

## YouTube API comparison and alternatives: the best provider for each kind of data

- [YouTube channel API: best providers in 2026](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-api): [YouTube Data API (Google)](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free), free, $0 per 1,000 channels, Overall score 90.9, tested on 29 October 2026. Our #2 and #3 providers: [Litescrape](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-api#litescrape) (84.9), [TrueScrape](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-api#truescrape) (81.0). [Zapi's Rp129,000 (about $7) monthly plan](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/zapi/rp129000-monthly) is the cheapest paid plan per 1,000 channels in our ranking: $0.036.
- [YouTube channel video API: best providers in 2026](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-video-api): [ScrapeUnblocker](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/scrapeunblocker/pay-as-you-go), $0.0056 per 1,000 videos, Overall score 85.5, tested on 7 November 2026. Our #2 and #3 providers: [YouTube Data API (Google)](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-video-api#youtube-data-api-google) (83.9), [EveryInfra](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-video-api#everyinfra) (70.0). We rank 318 plans by price. [TranscriptYT's $3 monthly plan](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/transcriptyt/3-monthly) is the cheapest paid plan per 1,000 videos, with no charge per call. You get as many videos as TranscriptYT's rate limit allows.

## Top YouTube API providers compared: their rank on each of our 2 rankings

Each provider below is in the top 3 of at least one of our 2 YouTube API rankings.

### YouTube Data API (Google): ranked on 2 of our 2 YouTube API rankings

- [YouTube channel API](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-api#youtube-data-api-google): #1 of 45 providers, Overall score 90.9, $0.00 per 1,000 channels.
- [YouTube channel video API](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-video-api#youtube-data-api-google): #2 of 48 providers, Overall score 83.9, $0.00 per 1,000 videos.

### ScrapeUnblocker: ranked on 1 of our 2 YouTube API rankings

- [YouTube channel video API](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-video-api#scrapeunblocker): #1 of 48 providers, Overall score 85.5, $0.0056 per 1,000 videos.

### EveryInfra: ranked on 2 of our 2 YouTube API rankings

- [YouTube channel video API](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-video-api#everyinfra): #3 of 48 providers, Overall score 70.0, $0.011 per 1,000 videos.
- [YouTube channel API](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-api#everyinfra): #5 of 45 providers, Overall score 77.3, $0.56 per 1,000 channels.

### Litescrape: ranked on 2 of our 2 YouTube API rankings

- [YouTube channel API](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-api#litescrape): #2 of 45 providers, Overall score 84.9, $0.15 per 1,000 channels.
- [YouTube channel video API](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-video-api#litescrape): #29 of 48 providers, Overall score 39.9.

### TrueScrape: ranked on 2 of our 2 YouTube API rankings

- [YouTube channel API](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-api#truescrape): #3 of 45 providers, Overall score 81.0, $0.80 per 1,000 channels.
- [YouTube channel video API](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-video-api#truescrape): #28 of 48 providers, Overall score 41.3.

## Top YouTube channel API providers by score

1. [YouTube Data API (Google), free](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-data-api-google-alternatives)): Overall score 90.9, Accuracy score 75, median answer time under 0.1 s, $0.00 per 1,000 channels
2. [Litescrape, top-up from $10](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/litescrape/top-up-from-10) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/litescrape-alternatives)): Overall score 84.9, Accuracy score 87, median answer time 1.3 s, $0.15 per 1,000 channels
3. [TrueScrape, $500 pack](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/truescrape/500-pack) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/truescrape-alternatives)): Overall score 81.0, Accuracy score 96, median answer time 0.38 s, $0.80 per 1,000 channels
4. [lobstr.io, $500 monthly, Team](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/lobstr-io/500-monthly-team-post-v1-runs-youtube-channel-scraper) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/lobstr-io-alternatives)): Overall score 79.8, Accuracy score 92, median answer time 10 s, $0.50 per 1,000 channels
5. [EveryInfra, $10 pack](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/everyinfra/10-pack) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/everyinfra-alternatives)): Overall score 77.3, Accuracy score 79, median answer time 8.6 s, $0.56 per 1,000 channels
6. [Crawlora, $499 monthly](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/crawlora/499-monthly) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/crawlora-alternatives)): Overall score 74.9, Accuracy score 72, median answer time 4.0 s, $0.30 per 1,000 channels
7. [Stophy, top-up from $500](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/stophy/top-up-from-500) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/stophy-alternatives)): Overall score 73.9, Accuracy score 84, median answer time 0.25 s, $1.20 per 1,000 channels
8. [Scrappa, $10 pack](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/scrappa/10-pack) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/scrappa-alternatives)): Overall score 72.4, Accuracy score 56, median answer time 1.2 s, $0.30 per 1,000 channels
9. [Refetcher, top-up](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/refetcher/top-up) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/refetcher-alternatives)): Overall score 72.0, Accuracy score 74, median answer time 6.2 s, $0.90 per 1,000 channels
10. [Omkar Cloud, $48 monthly](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/omkar-cloud/48-monthly) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/omkar-cloud-alternatives)): Overall score 70.8, Accuracy score 95, median answer time 0.21 s, $0.48 per 1,000 channels

## Top YouTube channel video API providers by score

1. [ScrapeUnblocker, pay as you go](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/scrapeunblocker/pay-as-you-go) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/scrapeunblocker-alternatives)): Overall score 85.5, Accuracy score 94, median answer time 0.98 s, $0.0056 per 1,000 videos
2. [YouTube Data API (Google), free, Default quota](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free-default-quota-get-youtube-v3-search) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-data-api-google-alternatives)): Overall score 83.9, Accuracy score 56, median answer time 0.16 s, $0.00 per 1,000 videos
3. [EveryInfra, $10 pack](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/everyinfra/10-pack) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/everyinfra-alternatives)): Overall score 70.0, Accuracy score 62, median answer time 9.9 s, $0.011 per 1,000 videos
4. [ReefAPI, $200 monthly, Enterprise monthly](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/reefapi/200-monthly-enterprise-monthly-post-youtube-v1-channel-videos) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/reefapi-alternatives)): Overall score 69.7, Accuracy score 62, median answer time 2.7 s, $0.0067 per 1,000 videos
5. [Influship, pay as you go, Usage-based credits](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/influship/pay-as-you-go-usage-based-credits) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/influship-alternatives)): Overall score 65.8, Accuracy score 67, median answer time 2.2 s, $0.036 per 1,000 videos
6. [Spidra, $249 monthly, Pro](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/spidra/249-monthly-pro-post-scrape) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/spidra-alternatives)): Overall score 64.8, Accuracy score 73, median answer time 2.1 s, $0.033 per 1,000 videos
7. [lobstr.io, $500 monthly, Team](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/lobstr-io/500-monthly) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/lobstr-io-alternatives)): Overall score 64.6, Accuracy score 73, median answer time 9.6 s, $0.033 per 1,000 videos
8. [YTAPI, $79 pack, Value](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/ytapi/79-pack-value-get-v1-channels-id-videos) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/ytapi-alternatives)): Overall score 62.8, Accuracy score 50, median answer time 0.33 s, $0.053 per 1,000 videos
9. [Omkar Cloud, $48 monthly](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/omkar-cloud/48-monthly) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/omkar-cloud-alternatives)): Overall score 61.8, Accuracy score 67, median answer time 0.20 s, $0.016 per 1,000 videos
10. [TranscriptAPI, $5 monthly, Monthly](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/transcriptapi/5-monthly-monthly-get-youtube-channel-latest) ([alternatives](https://datacircle.dev/transcriptapi-alternatives)): Overall score 61.8, Accuracy score 47, median answer time 2.2 s, $0.000039 per 1,000 videos

## How we tested

We test each kind of YouTube API separately. We rank each provider only against providers of the same kind.

- [YouTube channel API](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-api): we sent each of 45 providers the same list of up to 20 channels.
- [YouTube channel video API](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-video-api): we sent each of 49 providers the same list of up to 19 channels.

Price and Accuracy weigh most in each plan's Overall score.

[How we score each plan](https://datacircle.dev/faq#how-do-you-score-each-plan)

## Questions about YouTube APIs

### What is a YouTube API?

We rank APIs for 2 kinds of YouTube data. A YouTube channel API takes a channel's handle, ID or URL, and returns the channel's details. A YouTube channel video API takes a channel's handle or ID and returns the channel's videos.

Our price sheets list 2,176 YouTube API plans.

### What is the best YouTube API?

[YouTube Data API (Google)](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free) is our #1 YouTube channel API. [ScrapeUnblocker](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/scrapeunblocker/pay-as-you-go) is our #1 YouTube channel video API.

We rank APIs for 2 kinds of YouTube data.

### How much does the YouTube API cost?

[YouTube Data API (Google)](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free) is our top-scored YouTube channel API. YouTube Data API (Google) is free. [ScrapeUnblocker](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/scrapeunblocker/pay-as-you-go) is our top-scored YouTube channel video API. ScrapeUnblocker costs $0.0056 per 1,000 videos.

We list 2,176 YouTube API plans on our 2 price sheets. We rank 872 of the 2,176 plans by price.

### Is the YouTube API free?

Yes: Google's own YouTube API is free. Other providers offer YouTube channels and channel videos on a free plan too.

For YouTube channels, [YouTube Data API (Google)](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free) has the best free plan in our benchmark, at 90.9 out of 100. For YouTube channel videos, [YouTube Data API (Google)](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free-default-quota-get-youtube-v3-search) has the best free plan too, at 83.9 out of 100.

### How do I use the YouTube API?

[YouTube Data API (Google)](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free) is our #1 YouTube channel API. You call `GET https://www.googleapis.com/youtube/v3/channels`.

You send `part` and one of `forHandle`, `id` or `forUsername`. You can also send `hl`, `maxResults` and `pageToken`. Add the API key from your plan on developers.google.com. YouTube Data API's [API docs](https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/docs/channels/list?utm_source=datacircle.dev&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=best-youtube-api) explain each input. [ScrapeUnblocker](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/scrapeunblocker/pay-as-you-go) is our #1 YouTube channel video API. You send `channel` to `POST https://api.scrapeunblocker.com/content/youtube-channel`. You can also send `tab`, `proxy_country` and `limit`. Add the API key from your plan on scrapeunblocker.com. ScrapeUnblocker's [API docs](https://docs.scrapeunblocker.com/api-reference/plugins/scrape-a-youtube-channels-videos?utm_source=datacircle.dev&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=best-youtube-api) explain each input.

### Does Google have a YouTube API?

Yes: Google has a YouTube API. We list [YouTube Data API's free plan](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free) with 2,174 other YouTube API plans.

[YouTube Data API's free plan](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free) ranks first of 45 in our YouTube channel API benchmark. [YouTube Data API's free plan](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free-default-quota-get-youtube-v3-search) ranks second of 48 in our YouTube channel video API benchmark.

### How do I get access to the YouTube Data API?

Anyone with a Google Account can get a key. Create a Google Cloud project and turn on the YouTube Data API in that project.

The YouTube Data API docs are on [developers.google.com](https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/docs/channels/list?utm_source=datacircle.dev&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=best-youtube-api).

### Can I use YouTube API data?

Each provider's terms say what you can do with the data.

We rank 60 YouTube API providers. 57 of the 60 publish API terms. 53 of the 60 set no time limit on keeping the data. 57 of the 60 set conditions on how you use the data. Each plan's page shows what the provider's terms say about keeping and using the data.

By Wayne Hamadi, founder of Datacircle. We don't sell any API. No provider has paid us to rank higher on this page. First published November 13, 2026. Last updated: November 13, 2026. The page: https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-api. Every plan: https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-api-pricing, https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-api-pricing.

You may reuse this ranking under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Credit Datacircle with a link to https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-api.