For AI

YouTubeSocial media

YouTube channel search API

Find channels by keywords, 20 a page in YouTube's order: channel ID, name, the start of the description, avatar and subscribers (rounded as YouTube shows them). No handle or badge here; youtube.channels.get gives the badge.

GEThttps://api.okdata.online/v1/youtube/channels/search

Also calledfind youtube channelsyoutube creator searchyoutube youtuber search

Price
$0.004
per call · failed calls are free
Returns
About 20 accounts a page
with a cursor for the next page
If a call fails
Not charged
When a data source fails, the next one is tried; errors and timeouts cost nothing.
Status
preview
It may still change; any change is announced beforehand.

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
queryrequiredstringKeywords, as a person would type them into the platform search box. e.g. nasa
cursorstringOpaque cursor from page.next_cursor of the previous call. Each page is a separate call.
viewstringcompactstandardfullHow much of each object comes back. full adds platform-specific fields under ext. default standard
fieldsstring[]Fields to keep, by path (author.name), to save tokens. In a query string: comma-separated.

cursor, view and fields work the same on every endpoint: how requests work.

Request

cURL

curl -G "https://api.okdata.online/v1/youtube/channels/search" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OKDATA_API_KEY" \
  --data-urlencode 'query=nasa'

Python

import os
import requests

resp = requests.get(
    "https://api.okdata.online/v1/youtube/channels/search",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['OKDATA_API_KEY']}"},
    params={"query": "nasa"},
    timeout=60,
)
body = resp.json()
if body["code"] != "ok":
    raise RuntimeError(f"{body['code']}: {body['message']} (charged: {body['charged']})")

for row in body["data"]["items"]:
    print(row["name"], row["followers"])
print("cost: $" + body["meta"]["billing"]["amount"])

TypeScript

const url = new URL('https://api.okdata.online/v1/youtube/channels/search');
url.searchParams.set('query', "nasa");

const res = await fetch(url, {
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.OKDATA_API_KEY}`,
  },
});
const body = await res.json();
if (body.code !== 'ok') throw new Error(`${body.code}: ${body.message}`);

for (const row of body.data.items) {
  console.log(row.name, row.followers);
}
console.log('cost: $' + body.meta.billing.amount);

MCPtools/call

{
  "name": "call",
  "arguments": {
    "capability": "youtube.channels.search",
    "query": "nasa"
  }
}

Response

200 · application/jsonmeta.billing.amount = 0.004
{
  "code": "ok",
  "request_id": "0f6c2a8e-4b1d-4e0a-9a51-3c7d2b9e1f20",
  "data": {
    "items": [
      {
        "id": "UCa1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8i9j0kL",
        "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@trailkit",
        "username": "@trailkit",
        "name": "Trail Kit",
        "bio": "Light packs, long walks.",
        "avatar_url": "https://cdn.example.com/avatar/trailkit.jpg",
        "verified": true,
        "followers": 182300,
        "following": 312,
        "posts": 486,
        "likes": null
      }
    ]
  },
  "page": {
    "next_cursor": "eyJvIjoyMH0",
    "has_more": true
  },
  "warnings": [],
  "meta": {
    "capability": "youtube.channels.search",
    "billing": {
      "amount": "0.004",
      "currency": "USD",
      "balance_after": "9.996"
    },
    "unavailable": {},
    "cached": false,
    "replayed": false,
    "fetched_at": "2026-11-11T08:00:00Z"
  }
}

Try it

This sends a real call to https://api.okdata.online and is billed as usual: at most $0.004. Failed calls are free. Your key goes only to that address and is never stored on this site.

Known limits

  • About 20 accounts come back per page; the platform sets the page size, so there is no page-size parameter.
  • For the next page, pass page.next_cursor back as cursor. A cursor stays valid for 24 hours. When page.has_more is false there is nothing left.

Returned fields

data.items is a list of Account.

FieldTypeViewDescription
idstringcompactAccount ID on the platform.
urlstringcompactProfile link.
usernamestring | nullcompactHandle, where the platform has one.
namestringcompactDisplay name.
biostring | nullcompactProfile bio.Long text: view=compact may shorten it.
avatar_urlstring | nullstandardAvatar image URL.
Show all 12 fieldsHide the other 6
FieldTypeViewDescription
verifiedboolean | nullstandardWhether the platform shows a verification badge.
followersinteger | nullcompactFollowers.
followinginteger | nullcompactAccounts it follows.
postsinteger | nullcompactPosts, videos, notes or articles published.
likesinteger | nullcompactTotal likes received, where the platform shows it.
extobjectfullPlatform-specific extras. Only returned with view=full.

The view column is the smallest view a field comes back in: compact returns only compact fields, standard adds the standard ones, full returns everything. The default is standard.

When it is charged

One call costs $0.004 and returns one page of about 20 accounts. Collecting 1,000 accounts takes about 50 calls, $0.20 in total. Each page is a separate call; failed calls are not charged.

Data comes back$0.004 per call

Bad parameters, errors, timeoutsFree

WhenCharge
Each further pageA new call: $0.004
Most one call costs$0.004
An empty answer$0.004
Bad parameters, errors, timeoutsFree
A retry with the same Idempotency-Key within 24 hoursCharged once

A failed call is free; an empty answer costs $0.004; not found is free.

Prices from price book 1b273c48fea9634e. Every price on this platform →

Common errors

Every error has the same shape and says whether it was charged. The ones this endpoint can return:

HTTPCodeMeaningCharged
400invalid_paramsA parameter is missing, has the wrong type or value, or the method is wrong. problems lists each one; param names the first.Retry: after a fixno
400cursor_mismatchThe cursor was sent to another endpoint, or with other parameters than the page it came from (view and fields may change).Retry: after a fixno
401unauthorizedThe key is missing, malformed, revoked, disabled or expired (reason says which when known).Retry: nono
402insufficient_balanceThe balance (available) cannot cover the most this call could cost (required).Retry: after a fixno
410cursor_expiredThe cursor is older than the endpoint's cursor lifetime (page.cursor_expires_at said when).Retry: nono
429rate_limitedThe account sent too many requests this minute (reason: rate) or has too many calls running (reason: concurrency).Retry: yesno
500settlement_unknownThe data came back, but the charge could not be confirmed.Retry: with the same Idempotency-Keyunknown until looked up
502upstream_failedEvery data source for this endpoint failed on this request.Retry: yesno
503capability_pausedThis endpoint is paused right now; nothing ran.Retry: yesno
504timeoutThe data did not come back in time. The hold was released, so nothing was charged.Retry: yesno

All error codes →

Questions

How much does the YouTube channel search API cost?

One call costs $0.004 and returns one page of about 20 accounts. Collecting 1,000 accounts takes about 50 calls, $0.20 in total. Each page is a separate call; failed calls are not charged.

How do I get the next page?

Pass page.next_cursor from the response back as the cursor parameter. When page.has_more is false there is nothing left. Every page is its own call at $0.004.

Do I need a YouTube account, cookies or a QR login?

No. You send only your okdata API key. The data is public data from YouTube; nothing is fetched with your own YouTube account.

Am I charged when a call fails?

No. Every error response says charged: false, except a timeout, which says charged: null until the outcome is known. Resend with the same Idempotency-Key and you are never charged twice.

What if YouTube does not show a field?

The field is null, and meta.unavailable names it with the reason: platform (the platform never shows it) or capability (we cannot fetch it yet).

Use it in your AI

Paste this into Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any agent that can open a web page. It reads this endpoint’s page and calls it with your key.

Read https://okdata.online/apis/youtube/channels/search.md, then call this endpoint for me through okdata; my key is in the OKDATA_API_KEY environment variable. Use YouTube channel search and tell me the follower count and what the account posts about.

With the MCP server connected, just ask: Use YouTube channel search and tell me the follower count and what the account posts about.

All 10 YouTube endpoints

YouTube API overview →YouTube API pricing →

Names and ID

Name
YouTube channel search API
Short name
YouTube channel search
ID
youtube.channels.search
Endpoint
GET /v1/youtube/channels/search
Category
Social media
Also called
find youtube channels, youtube creator search, youtube youtuber search
Returns
Account[]: 12 fields

Connect once, then just ask.

Every new key comes with $0.10 to try it. One sentence connects your agent.

Start free
Connect your AI

Paste this into your agent

Read https://okdata.online/agents.md and set up okdata for me; my key is in the OKDATA_API_KEY environment variable.

Claude Code, Cursor, Codex and other agents that can open a link set themselves up from it.

MCP serverhttps://api.okdata.online/mcp