Datacircle

YouTube Data API (Google) pricing and alternatives: YouTube channel API

YouTube Data API (Google)'s sitellms.txtBest YouTube channel API in 2026
55% complete: 6 of the 11 key fields we checkSee the 11 fields
$0.00per 1,000 channelsHalf of the 103 plans we rank by price cost $2.667 per 1,000 channels or less. This plan is the cheapest of the 103 plans.Litescrape, HasData and ScrapeCreators are the best YouTube channel API providers in our benchmark.
Plan: Default quota YouTube Data API (Google)'s only plan
Call: GET /youtube/v3/channels YouTube Data API (Google)'s only call for this API
API: YouTube channel API one of YouTube Data API (Google)'s 2 APIs

About this item

  • Live. You get the channel from YouTube when you call.
  • 6 of the 11 key fields we check. Bio, Photo, Location, Followers, Posts, Views.
  • Nothing to pay. You get 10,000 credits a day, enough for 5,000 calls. Unused credits expire at midnight Pacific Time.
  • One call. You call GET /youtube/v3/channels. You send part, one of forHandle, id or forUsername. You can also send hl, maxResults and pageToken. The call returns the channel's details.
  • Who can get it: with conditions. Keep data: with conditions. Use data: with conditions.

YouTube Data API (Google): YouTube channel API alternatives

We list other providers' plans closest to this plan in price per 1,000 channels. Each plan in the table gives live data.

This planYouTube Data API (Google), freeScrapeCreators, freeHasData, freelobstr.io, free, POST /v1/runs, YouTube Channel ScraperDataBlue, free
$ per 1,000 channels$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
Completeness55%73%55%82%73%
Billingfreefreefreefreefree
Pay$0$0$0$0$0
Enough for5,000 calls a day100 calls, once100 calls a month100 results a month125 calls
Freshnesslivelivelivelivelive
Who can get itanyone of legal age and not barred by law, with a Google Account and a Google Cloud project that has the YouTube Data API enabledanyone legally able to enter into a binding agreementanyoneprofessionals, not consumersanyone at least 16 years old and legally able to enter into the Terms of Service

Every YouTube channel API provider we score, ranked

Sources

From each provider's own pricing page and docs, and from what providers tell us. We read this row from these pages on 2026-10-29.

  1. developers.google.com/youtube/terms/api-services-terms-of-service
  2. developers.google.com/youtube/terms/developer-policies
  3. developers.google.com/youtube/v3
  4. developers.google.com/youtube/v3/determine_quota_cost
  5. developers.google.com/youtube/v3/docs/channels
  6. developers.google.com/youtube/v3/docs/channels/list
  7. developers.google.com/youtube/v3/getting-started

Product details

The key fields this plan's answer can hold, then each filled column in its row on the sheet.

  • Bio
  • Photo
  • Links, not in the answer
  • Contact, not in the answer
  • Location
  • Verified, not in the answer
  • Followers
  • Following, not in the answer
  • Posts
  • Likes, not in the answer
  • Views
Price
$ per 1,000 channels$0.00
Percall
Billingfree
Charges
Start fee$0.00
Also pays forSearch: list: 100 calls a day · Videos: insert: 100 calls a day · from the same budget: 68 other calls
Not found
$ per 1,000$0.00
In their words
Their pitchReturns a collection of zero or more channel resources that match the request criteria.
Data
Freshnesslive
Keep dataAPI Clients may temporarily store limited amounts of Non-Authorized Data for as long as is necessary for the purposes of the API Client but not longer than 30 calendar days. As in section (III.E.4.c) immediately above, this means that after 30 calendar days, the API Client must either delete or refresh the stored data. [...] an API Client must not store statistics retrieved as Non-Authorized Data for more than 30 days. For example, an API Client must not store the subscriber count for a YouTube channel for more than 30 days without authorization from the channel owner.
Use dataAside from the permissions and rights granted in this section, you and your API Clients have no further permissions or rights to API Data, including to temporarily stored API Data. [...] You and your API Clients must not, and must not encourage, enable, or require others to: download, import, backup, cache, or store copies of YouTube audiovisual content without YouTube's prior written approval, make content available for offline playback, or use any aspect of the YouTube API Services to facilitate or promote copyright infringement or the exploitation of copyright-infringing materials. [...] Do not aggregate API Data except that you may only aggregate API Data relating to YouTube channels that are under the same content owner as recognized by YouTube pursuant to content licensing agreement(s) between YouTube and such content owner. Such aggregated API Data must only be viewable by that content owner. Do not aggregate API Data or otherwise use API Data or YouTube API Services to gain insights into YouTube's usage, revenue, or any other aspects of YouTube's business. [...] You may distribute or sell API Clients subject to the restrictions defined in the "Prohibited Actions" subsection below and, of course, to the other terms of the Agreement. [...] You and your API Clients must not, and must not encourage, enable, or require others to: sell, purchase, lease, lend, convey, redistribute, or sublicense all or any portion of YouTube API Services, including YouTube audiovisual content, sell YouTube API Services or access to any components of YouTube API Services unless you obtain YouTube's prior written approval, sell advertising, sponsorships, or promotions that are placed on or within YouTube audiovisual content or the YouTube player without YouTube's prior written approval, or sell advertising, sponsorships, or promotions on any page or screen that contains YouTube API Data unless other data, content, or material not obtained from YouTube appears on the same page and offers enough independent value to justify such sales if the YouTube API Data were removed. [...] You and your API Clients must not, and must not encourage, enable, or require others to: use YouTube API Services to create, offer, or act as a substitute for, or substantially similar service to, any YouTube Applications. [...] You and your API Client(s) will not, and will not attempt to, exceed or circumvent use or quota restrictions.
Plan
Pay$0
You get10,000 credits a day
Enough for5,000 calls a day
Expiresat midnight Pacific Time
Speed
Answerin the call
The call
You sendpart, one of forHandle, id or forUsername. Optional: hl, maxResults, pageToken
MethodGET
Path/youtube/v3/channels
About the plan
PlanDefault quota
Who can get itanyone of legal age and not barred by law, with a Google Account and a Google Cloud project that has the YouTube Data API enabled
The 27 fields the plan's answer can hold

channel ID, name, bio, handle, joined, profile picture, profile picture sizes, country, default language, localized title, localized description, localizations, likes playlist ID, uploads playlist ID, views count, subscribers, hidden subscriber count, videos count, topic IDs, topic categories, privacy status, is linked, made for kids, keywords, tracking analytics account ID, featured video, banner image

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