YouTube Data API v3
YouTube Data API v3
YouTube Data API v3 lets apps query channels, videos, playlists, and comments — the standard entry point for YouTube integrations and analytics.
Public-data calls need only an API key — zero auth friction
Default quota of 10,000 units/day; Search costs 100 units/call and burns through quickly
Enable YouTube Data API v3 at console.cloud.google.com and generate an API key for public read access. OAuth is required only when operating on a user's own channel (uploads, playlist edits).
Uptime · 30-day window
About this API
YouTube Data API v3 is the standard surface for YouTube public metadata: videos, channels, playlists, comments, captions. The bulk of read operations (channel subscribers, video views, video search) need only an API key — no OAuth — which is ideal for trend analysis and aggregator sites.
Quota is the central constraint. Each call deducts quota units: videos.list costs 1, search.list costs 100, videos.insert costs 1,600. The default daily allowance is 10,000 units, and Search is by far the most common cause of exhaustion. Scaling beyond that usually requires applying for a quota extension, which Google reviews against your stated use case. Uploading videos or operating on a user channel requires OAuth with scopes like youtube.upload.
What you can build
- 1Build YouTube video aggregators or trend monitors
- 2Query channel and video stats for analytics dashboards
- 3Read/write a creator's own channel content
- 4Embed YouTube videos via search lookups
- 5Pull comments for sentiment or trend analysis
Strengths & limitations
Strengths
- Public-data calls need only an API key — zero auth friction
- Search, Videos, Channels, Comments cover most needs
- CC BY metadata included for licensing-aware use
Limitations
- Default quota of 10,000 units/day; Search costs 100 units/call and burns through quickly
- Video upload requires OAuth and is quota-limited
- Some fields (full view-history trends) require YouTube Analytics API
Example request
curl https://google.com/<endpoint> \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $ACCESS_TOKEN"Getting started
Enable YouTube Data API v3 at console.cloud.google.com and generate an API key for public read access. OAuth is required only when operating on a user's own channel (uploads, playlist edits).
FAQ
Does public-data access need OAuth?+
No — an API key is enough. OAuth is only required when operating on a user-owned channel.
Why did my quota burn out so fast?+
search.list costs 100 units per call out of 10,000/day. Cache search results or use videos.list with IDs for bulk lookups.
How do I get a higher quota?+
Apply for a quota extension in Cloud Console — describe your use case, traffic estimate, and audience. Google reviews it manually.
Is it accessible from China?+
No — googleapis.com is blocked in mainland China. You'll need an overseas deployment or VPN.
Technical details
- Auth type
- oauth
- Pricing
- free
- Protocols
- REST
- SDKs
- python, javascript, java, go, ruby
- Response time
- 40 ms
- Last health check
- 5/12/2026, 7:37:37 AM
Endpoints
Parsed from the OpenAPI spec. Showing 12 of 76 non-deprecated endpoints.
/youtube/v3/abuseReportsabuseReports/youtube/v3/activitiesactivities/youtube/v3/captionscaptions/youtube/v3/captionscaptions/youtube/v3/captionscaptions/youtube/v3/captionscaptions/youtube/v3/captions/{id}captions/youtube/v3/channelBanners/insertchannelBanners/youtube/v3/channelschannels/youtube/v3/channelschannels/youtube/v3/channelSectionschannelSections/youtube/v3/channelSectionschannelSections64 more endpoints not shown. See the OpenAPI spec for the full list.
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