# HasData YouTube

A read-only MCP server for YouTube search, video and channel details, and transcripts. Use it when an agent needs structured YouTube data.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, Gemini CLI · ★ 7
- Author: HasData
- License: MIT · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/HasData/youtube-mcp
- Updated: 2026-10-12
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/hasdata-youtube

## What it does

HasData YouTube exposes four read-only tools to an MCP client. They cover YouTube search, video details, channel data, and transcript retrieval, with results returned as JSON. The agent selects the relevant tool from the request.

You can connect over streamable HTTP or run the `@hasdata/youtube-mcp` stdio launcher. A HasData API key must be supplied through `HASDATA_API_KEY`; a Google Cloud project and a YouTube Data API key are not part of the setup. Without the HasData key, requests are not authorized.

Successful calls cost 10 credits each, and the free allowance is 1,000 credits per month. Multi-step research prompts can therefore use several calls when a search is followed by transcript retrieval.

## Requirements
- Needs: Node.js (commands run via npx)
- Remote server: `https://mcp.hasdata.com/mcp?apis=youtube`
- Environment variables: `HASDATA_API_KEY` — keys and tokens: ask the human for the values, never commit them or put them in shared files.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add youtube -e HASDATA_API_KEY=<HASDATA_API_KEY> -- npx -y @hasdata/youtube-mcp
```
Replace <…> with your own values

2. **Platform CLI: remote server**
```bash
claude mcp add --transport http hasdata-youtube 'https://mcp.hasdata.com/mcp?apis=youtube'
```

### Codex

1. **Platform CLI: remote server**
```bash
codex mcp add hasdata-youtube --url 'https://mcp.hasdata.com/mcp?apis=youtube'
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add hasdata-youtube --env HASDATA_API_KEY=<HASDATA_API_KEY> -- npx -y @hasdata/youtube-mcp
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "hasdata-youtube": {
            "url": "https://mcp.hasdata.com/mcp?apis=youtube"
        }
    }
}
```
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "hasdata-youtube": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@hasdata/youtube-mcp"
            ],
            "env": {
                "HASDATA_API_KEY": "<HASDATA_API_KEY>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "hasdata-youtube": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.hasdata.com/mcp?apis=youtube"
        }
    }
}
```
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "hasdata-youtube": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@hasdata/youtube-mcp"
            ],
            "env": {
                "HASDATA_API_KEY": "<HASDATA_API_KEY>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Gemini CLI

1. **Platform CLI: remote server**
```bash
gemini mcp add -t http hasdata-youtube 'https://mcp.hasdata.com/mcp?apis=youtube'
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add -e HASDATA_API_KEY=<HASDATA_API_KEY> hasdata-youtube npx -y @hasdata/youtube-mcp
```
Replace <…> with your own values

## When to use it
- search YouTube with topic filters
- read statistics for a video
- inspect a channel and its uploads
- retrieve a video's transcript
- compare related videos using YouTube data

## Example prompts
- Search YouTube for videos about the Model Context Protocol and compare their recurring themes.
- Inspect @GoogleDevelopers and summarize the topics repeated across its recent uploads.
- Read the transcript for video ID `dQw4w9WgXcQ` and list its main claims.

## Similar
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- [YouTube Transcript + YouTube Search MCP](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/youtube-transcript-youtube-search-mcp.md) — MCP server · ★ 22
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