YouTube transcripts in n8n

BulkTranscripts community node (easiest)

1. In n8n open Settings → Community Nodes → Install and enter n8n-nodes-bulktranscripts (npm, source).
2. Create a BulkTranscripts API credential and paste a free key from MCP & API → API keys.
3. Add the BulkTranscripts node and pick an operation: get a transcript, list a channel or playlist, search YouTube or one channel, or get a channel's latest uploads for free. List operations output one item per video, so they connect straight into a transcript step.
4. Import the ready-made new-uploads workflow: it polls a channel for free every hour and transcribes only videos it has not seen.

The node also works as a tool inside n8n's AI Agent. Prefer no install? Use the HTTP Request node below; both call the same API.

HTTP Request node (any workflow)

1. Add an HTTP Request node, method GET.
2. URL: https://bulktranscripts.co/api/v1/transcript
3. Query parameters: video → {{ $json.videoUrl }} (and optionally segments=0 for smaller payloads).
4. Authentication → Generic → Header Auth: name Authorization, value Bearer YOUR_API_KEY.
5. The response is JSON — text, paragraphs, segments, plus title/channel metadata, ready for the next node.

The free monitoring pattern

/api/v1/channel/latest costs nothing, which makes it the perfect trigger feed:

1. Schedule Trigger — e.g. every morning.
2. HTTP Request — GET …/api/v1/channel/latest?channel=@yourtarget (free of credits, but send your API key like every other call).
3. IF — keep items where published is newer than the last run (workflow static data works well for the cursor).
4. HTTP Request — fetch the transcript for the new video ids only (1 credit each).
5. Send to Slack, Notion, email, or an LLM node for a daily brief.

MCP Client (AI Agent workflows)

Using n8n's AI Agent? Add the MCP Client Tool with endpoint https://bulktranscripts.co/mcp?key=YOUR_API_KEY and the agent gets all ten YouTube tools at once. (The MCP endpoint requires a credential and n8n doesn't run the OAuth sign-in, so use the key-in-URL form. Nothing to buy: create a free API key in the app at MCP & API → API keys and it works on both the MCP endpoint and the REST endpoints above.)

Notes

Every REST call needs an API key. Creating one is free: sign in with Google at bulktranscripts.co/app, open MCP & API → API keys, and hit Create key. The account comes with 30 free credits, no card. Buying a one-time credit pack tops up the same account, so the key keeps working; credits never expire and repeat reads from your own library are free.

Failures (video without captions) return HTTP 4xx with a stable error.code — branch on it with an IF node; failed extractions are never charged.