Use YouTube transcripts in Codex
Point Codex at one remote MCP server and it can read any YouTube video, channel, or playlist as text.
Setup steps ↓[mcp_servers.bulktranscripts]
url = "https://bulktranscripts.co/mcp"Two steps from install to answers
Add one block to config.toml
Paste it into ~/.codex/config.toml. Builds with MCP OAuth open a Google sign-in; older builds use the key-in-URL form from the guide.
[mcp_servers.bulktranscripts]
url = "https://bulktranscripts.co/mcp"Ask Codex in plain words
Codex picks the right tool by itself. You never name one.
get_transcript1 full transcript1 credit- Five breaking changes, each with the quote that announced it
- Code changes needed in this repo, file by file
- Timestamps to re-watch the tricky parts
Step by step
Option 1 — MCP server
Recent Codex CLI versions support remote (streamable HTTP) MCP servers. Add this to ~/.codex/config.toml:
[mcp_servers.bulktranscripts]
url = "https://bulktranscripts.co/mcp"The server requires a credential. Codex builds with MCP OAuth support open the sign-in when the server first answers 401 (check your build's codex mcp help for the login subcommand); on builds without MCP OAuth, use the key-in-URL form — it behaves identically:
[mcp_servers.bulktranscripts]
url = "https://bulktranscripts.co/mcp?key=YOUR_API_KEY"Nothing to buy for that: create a free API key in the app — sign in with Google at bulktranscripts.co/app, then MCP & API → API keys → Create key. It includes the 30 free credits and works on the MCP endpoint and the REST API alike. A license key from a credit-pack purchase works in the same slot.
Option 2 — agent skill
Codex reads Agent Skills (SKILL.md folders) too:
mkdir -p ~/.codex/skills/youtube-transcripts
curl -fsSL https://bulktranscripts.co/skill.md \
-o ~/.codex/skills/youtube-transcripts/SKILL.mdThe skill teaches Codex the plain REST API, so it works even on Codex builds without remote-MCP support — it just needs curl.
Try asking
- Summarize this video and pull the key quotes: https://youtube.com/watch?v=…
- What has @TED published about AI? Fetch the three most relevant transcripts.
- Check if @mkbhd uploaded anything this week and brief me on it.
- Get every transcript in this course playlist and turn it into study notes.
Notes
Connecting the MCP server takes one sign-in — Google or a license key — and includes 30 free credits, no card needed. Buying a one-time credit pack gets you a license key that doubles as the API key; credits never expire and repeat reads from your own library are free.
On older Codex versions, verify MCP support with codex mcp --help; if your build only supports stdio servers, use the skill instead.
Which setup fits you
All of them share one account, one credit balance and one library.
| Way in | How you connect | Sign-in | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCP server | [mcp_servers.bulktranscripts] in config.toml | Google, or a key in the URL | Most Codex CLI builds |
| Agent skill | SKILL.md in ~/.codex/skills | BULKTRANSCRIPTS_API_KEY | Builds without remote MCP; only needs curl |
| REST API | Plain curl calls | API key | Scripts Codex writes for you |
What to ask Codex
Paste any of these once the server is connected.
“Read this release talk and list every breaking change that affects this repo.”
“Follow this tutorial video and scaffold the same project here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=…”
“Find the three most-watched videos on Bun vs Node and summarize the trade-offs.”
“Turn this conference talk into a docs/ page with the architecture it describes.”
“Check @vercel for new uploads this week and note anything about Next.js.”
“Did the speaker really recommend this pattern? Quote the line and timestamp.”
Codex or ChatGPT?
Both are OpenAI. The setup is different.
Codex CLI
A terminal coding agent. One block in config.toml or the skill. Best when the transcript should change files.
ChatGPT
The chat app. A custom connector in Developer mode. Best for reading, summaries and research. ChatGPT guide
Use it in your other tools too
Same account and credits everywhere. Your library follows you.
Claude Code
One terminal command (MCP) or the agent skill
Cursor
One-click install button or mcp.json
Grok Bot
MCP server with OAuth
ChatGPT
Custom connector in Developer mode
VS Code
Copilot agent mode, one mcp.json entry
n8n
Community node or HTTP Request
Make
HTTP module with an API key
Gemini CLI
One extension install, or gemini mcp add
Claude Cowork
Custom connector, Google sign-in
Perplexity Computer
Custom remote connector, OAuth
MManus
Custom MCP connector, OAuth or Bearer key
OpenClaw
openclaw mcp add, or the ClawHub skill
HHermes Agent
hermes mcp add with OAuth
Kimi Code
One mcp.json entry, then /mcp-config login
NNanoClaw
ncl add-mcp-server with an API key
PPaperclip
Skill from the company Skills page
Questions about Codex
How do I add BulkTranscripts to Codex?
Add [mcp_servers.bulktranscripts] with url = "https://bulktranscripts.co/mcp" to ~/.codex/config.toml. Builds with MCP OAuth open a Google sign-in; on older builds put a free API key in the URL as ?key=YOUR_API_KEY.
My Codex build has no remote MCP support. Can I still use it?
Yes. Install the agent skill instead: it teaches Codex the plain REST API, so all it needs is curl and a free API key in BULKTRANSCRIPTS_API_KEY.
Is BulkTranscripts free to use in Codex?
You start with 30 free credits when you sign in with Google, no card needed. One credit fetches one new transcript. Reading a transcript that is already in your library is free, and checking a channel for new uploads is free. After that, one-time credit packs that never expire; there is no subscription.
Does every YouTube video have a transcript?
No. A transcript can only be fetched when the video has captions, either uploaded by the creator or generated by YouTube. Videos without captions are skipped and never charged.
Can Codex read a whole channel or playlist?
Yes. Ask for a channel or playlist and the server lists the videos, then fetches their transcripts. Large jobs of up to 1,000 videos run on the server in the background and report progress, so they survive a long conversation.
The same engine, three other ways in
MCP server
Ten tools for any MCP client: transcripts, search, channels, bulk jobs, upload alerts.
REST API
Plain GET requests with an OpenAPI spec, for scripts, n8n, Make and Sheets.
Agent skill
One SKILL.md that teaches Claude Code, Codex and OpenClaw the whole API.
Developer docs
Every endpoint, parameter, error code and credit rule in one place.
Connect it in Codex
30 free credits, no card. One sign-in for the MCP connector, one free API key for the REST API.