Use YouTube transcripts in Paperclip
Paperclip runs a company of agents. Give the research agent YouTube and it can work from what was actually said in the videos.
Setup steps ↓claude mcp add --transport http --scope user bulktranscripts https://bulktranscripts.co/mcpTwo steps from install to answers
Add the skill
Company Skills page → paste the repo → Add, then tick it on the agent.
https://github.com/pratie/youtube-transcript-skillAsk Paperclip in plain words
Paperclip picks the right tool by itself. You never name one.
search_channel3 channels searched3 creditsget_transcripts9 full transcripts9 credits- Each competitor's pitch in their own words
- Claims we can answer
- Source videos and timestamps
Step by step
Option 1 — add the skill (simplest)
- Open your company's Skills page.
- Paste
https://github.com/pratie/youtube-transcript-skillinto the source field and click Add. - Open the agent's Skills tab and tick the YouTube transcripts skill.
- Give the agent a free API key as
BULKTRANSCRIPTS_API_KEY, held as a secret.
The skill teaches the agent the plain REST API, so it needs curl and a free API key in BULKTRANSCRIPTS_API_KEY. Create the key at bulktranscripts.co/app → MCP & API → API keys; it includes the 30 free credits.
Option 2 — MCP in the runtime
Paperclip does not speak MCP itself; the agent runtime it launches does. For Claude Code, run this as the same OS user the heartbeat runs as, then finish the sign-in once with /mcp:
claude mcp add --transport http --scope user bulktranscripts https://bulktranscripts.co/mcpRuns are headless, so the OAuth sign-in has to be completed interactively once. The openclaw_gateway adapter can't sync skills; use MCP there.
Check it worked
claude mcp get bulktranscripts shows OAuth: configured. For the skill, the agent's Skills tab shows it ticked.
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skill | Company Skills page → Add → tick on the agent | API key as a secret | Most companies |
| MCP in Claude Code | claude mcp add --scope user … | Google, once, interactively | Agents running on Claude Code |
What to ask Paperclip
Paste any of these once the server is connected.
“Research how competitors pitch on YouTube and file a report.”
“Find the top videos in our niche and propose ten video ideas we haven't covered.”
“Read reviews of our product on YouTube and list the top complaints.”
“Watch this candidate's talks and summarize their expertise for the hiring agent.”
“Every Monday, check competitor channels and update the market memo.”
“Turn this course playlist into onboarding docs for new agents.”
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
Codex
One config.toml block (MCP) or the 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
Questions about Paperclip
How do I give a Paperclip agent YouTube transcripts?
Add https://github.com/pratie/youtube-transcript-skill on the company Skills page, tick it on the agent, and give the agent a free API key as BULKTRANSCRIPTS_API_KEY.
Does Paperclip support MCP?
Paperclip itself does not; the agent runtime it launches does. For Claude Code, add the server with claude mcp add --scope user as the heartbeat's OS user and finish the sign-in once.
Is BulkTranscripts free to use in Paperclip?
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 Paperclip 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 Paperclip
30 free credits, no card. One sign-in for the MCP connector, one free API key for the REST API.