YouTube Transcript AI vs YouTube Transcripts (via Apify)
YouTube Transcript AI is an MCP server published by youtube-transcript.ai. Marketplaces we read that list it: 1 (Official MCP Registry). YouTube Transcripts (via Apify) is an MCP server published by retracn. Marketplaces we read that list it: 1 (Official MCP Registry). As of our marketplace pass on 2026-10-21. This pair was picked by a reader, not by our comparison rule, so search engines are asked not to index the page.
Where each is published
| Marketplace |   YouTube Transcript AI |   YouTube Transcripts (via Apify) |
|---|---|---|
| Official MCP Registry | Listed Version: 1.1.0 Forks (GitHub): 0 Stars (GitHub): 0 Not marked · First seen |
Listed Version: 1.0.0 Forks (GitHub): 0 Stars (GitHub): 0 Not marked · First seen |
Each figure is the marketplace's own and is never added up across marketplaces. A marketplace that publishes no figure shows none: no number is not zero.
The facts side by side
| Fact | YouTube Transcript AI | YouTube Transcripts (via Apify) |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplaces that list it | 1 | 1 |
| Stars (GitHub) | 0 | 0 |
| Forks (GitHub) | 0 | 0 |
| Last release (differs) | 2026-10-14 | Not published |
| Where it runs (differs) | Remote server (youtube-transcript.ai/mcp) | Remote server (mcp.apify.com) |
| Transport | Streamable HTTP | Streamable HTTP |
| Tools it declares | Not published | Not published |
| Environment variables it asks for | Not published | Not published |
| Licence | Not stated | Not stated |
| Repository (differs) | github.com/zxl777/youtube-transcript-mcp | github.com/retracn/youtube-transcript-api |
| Changes in the last 7 days | 0 | 0 |
| First seen | 2026-10-11 | 2026-10-11 |
| Endpoint at the last check (differs) | Responded 5 days ago | Responded 4 days ago, requires a key |
Lines where the two differ have a tinted background and bold values. Where the data itself says which value is better (more marketplaces, a larger figure of the same marketplace, a fresher release, a verified mark on a marketplace that lists both), the better one is also marked green with ▲ and the worse one red with ▼. Where it runs, the transport, the tools, the settings, hooks, the bundle's parts, the licence and the week's changes are marked only as different: more or fewer is not better in itself.
What each says it does
YouTube Transcript AI
Fetch the full transcript of any YouTube video as text, in any caption language. Free API key.
YouTube Transcripts (via Apify)
YouTube transcripts for AI agents: text and timestamps for any video, channel or playlist.
How to run each
YouTube Transcript AI As a remote MCP server
claude mcp add --transport http youtube-transcript https://youtube-transcript.ai/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_KEY>"Requires: Authorization header
YouTube Transcripts (via Apify)
No data for an automatic command: what its marketplaces declare does not say unambiguously how to connect it.
Requires: Authorization header
Commands built only from what the marketplaces declare; the full set for every client is on each card.
Both endpoints responded at the last daily check. How we check endpoints
Tools each declares
Neither one's marketplaces publish a list of tools, so there is nothing to compare.
Settings each asks for
Neither one's marketplaces publish the settings it asks for.
What it can do: YouTube Transcript AI · What it can do: YouTube Transcripts (via Apify) · Compare two other plugins
Data comes from the Official MCP Registry (registry.modelcontextprotocol.io), CC0 1.0. Figures come from our own regular passes over the marketplaces, last read on . We publish no contact details for plugin publishers.