# YouTube Data API (Google), free: YouTube channel API

> Returns a collection of zero or more channel resources that match the request criteria.

YouTube Data API (Google)'s YouTube channel API on its Default quota plan. It costs $0.00 per 1,000 channels. It returns 6 of the 11 key fields we check: Bio, Photo, Location, Followers, Posts, Views.
Half of the 127 plans we rank by price cost $2.622 per 1,000 channels or less. This plan is the cheapest of the 127 plans.
[YouTube Data API (Google)](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free/llms.txt), [Litescrape](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/litescrape/top-up-from-10/llms.txt) and [HasData](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/hasdata/249-monthly/llms.txt) are the best YouTube channel API providers in our benchmark.

- This page: https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free
- [Best YouTube channel API in 2026](https://datacircle.dev/best-youtube-channel-api.txt)
- Get it: https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/determine_quota_cost
- Request: `GET https://www.googleapis.com/youtube/v3/channels`
- API key: with the plan, on https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/determine_quota_cost
- Its API docs: https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/docs/channels/list
- Sold by: YouTube Data API (Google) (https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3)
- Checked: 2026-10-29

## In the answer

- Completeness: 55%
- Bio: ✓
- Photo: ✓
- Location: ✓
- Followers: ✓
- Posts: ✓
- Views: ✓

## Score

- Overall score: 91.4
- Price score: 100
- Data score: 77
- Cost to get started score: 100
- Bundle score: 99
- Performance score: 100

## Price

- $ per 1,000 channels: $0.00
- Per: call
- Billing: free

## Charges

- Start fee: $0.00
- Also pays for: Search: 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 pitch: Returns a collection of zero or more channel resources that match the request criteria.

## Data

- Freshness: live
- Keep data: API 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 data: Aside 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 get: 10,000 credits a day
- Enough for: 5,000 calls a day
- Expires: at midnight Pacific Time

## Speed

- Answer: in the call
- Median: 0.00 s

## The call

- You send: part, one of forHandle, id or forUsername. Optional: hl, maxResults, pageToken
- Method: GET
- Path: /youtube/v3/channels

## About the plan

- Plan: Default quota
- Who can get it: anyone 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

## YouTube Data API (Google)'s plans (1)

- [YouTube Data API (Google), free](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free/llms.txt): $0.00 per 1,000, 55% complete, live

## YouTube Data API (Google)'s calls for this API (1)

- `GET /youtube/v3/channels`: [YouTube Data API (Google), free](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free/llms.txt)

## YouTube Data API (Google)'s APIs (2)

- [YouTube Data API (Google): YouTube channel API pricing, 1 plan](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free/llms.txt)
- [YouTube Data API (Google): YouTube channel video API pricing, 1 plan, GET /youtube/v3/playlistItems](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free-default-quota-get-youtube-v3-playlistitems/llms.txt)
- [YouTube Data API (Google): YouTube channel video API pricing, 1 plan, GET /youtube/v3/search](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-video-apis/youtube-data-api-google/free-default-quota-get-youtube-v3-search/llms.txt)

## YouTube Data API (Google): YouTube channel API alternatives

- [HasData, free](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/hasdata/free/llms.txt): $0.00 per 1,000, 55% complete, live
- [ScrapeCreators, free](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/scrapecreators/free/llms.txt): $0.00 per 1,000, 73% complete, live
- [lobstr.io, free, POST /v1/runs, YouTube Channel Scraper](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/lobstr-io/free-post-v1-runs-youtube-channel-scraper/llms.txt): $0.00 per 1,000, 82% complete, live
- [Captapi, free](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/captapi/free/llms.txt): $0.00 per 1,000, 82% complete, live
- [Influencers.club, free](https://datacircle.dev/youtube-channel-apis/influencers-club/free/llms.txt): $0.00 per 1,000, 55% complete, live

## 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.

- https://developers.google.com/youtube/terms/api-services-terms-of-service
- https://developers.google.com/youtube/terms/developer-policies
- https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3
- https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/determine_quota_cost
- https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/docs/channels
- https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/docs/channels/list
- https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/getting-started