Hosted MCP server
YouTube transcripts in Cline
Cline can call tools on remote MCP servers. Add GetYouTubeTranscript to Cline's MCP settings and it can read the transcript of a tutorial or talk while it plans and edits your code.
Set it up
- 1
Get an API key
Sign in at getyoutubetranscript.com and create a key on the developers page (100 free credits, no card). Keys start with sk_live_.
- 2
Open Cline's MCP settings
In the Cline panel, click the MCP Servers icon, open Configure, then Configure MCP Servers.
- 3
Add the server
Add this entry under mcpServers. Keep "type": "streamableHttp"; without it Cline uses the older SSE transport and the connection fails.
{ "mcpServers": { "getyoutubetranscript": { "type": "streamableHttp", "url": "https://getyoutubetranscript.com/api/mcp", "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer sk_live_..." } } } }
What to ask Cline
- Read this tutorial and implement the same feature in this project: <YouTube URL>
- Summarize the last five uploads on @ThePrimeagen.
- Search YouTube for a talk on database indexing and list the rules of thumb it gives.
Tools Cline gets
| Tool | What it does | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| get_youtube_transcript | Full transcript plus title, author, thumbnail | 1 credit |
| get_transcript_languages | Caption languages a video offers, manual or auto-generated | 1 credit |
| search_youtube | Search videos or channels, paginated | 1 credit |
| get_channel_latest_videos | A channel's metadata and recent uploads | 1 credit |
| search_channel_videos | Search within one channel | 1 credit |
| list_channel_videos | Every video a channel has uploaded | 1 credit |
| list_channel_playlists | A channel's playlists, paginated | 1 credit |
| list_channel_posts | A channel's community posts, paginated | 1 credit |
| get_related_videos | Videos YouTube suggests next to a video | 1 credit |
| get_channel_banner | A channel's banner and avatar | 1 credit |
| get_video_dislikes | A video's estimated likes and dislikes | 1 credit |
| list_playlist_videos | Every video in a playlist | 1 credit |
| get_credits | Remaining credit balance for the key | Free |
Good to know
- The server is hosted, so there is nothing to run locally and no proxy to manage.
- Only the credit balance check is free; every other tool costs one credit per successful call.
Links
Questions about Cline
Can I add it from the Cline CLI?
Yes: cline mcp add getyoutubetranscript <server URL> --transport http --header "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_..." adds the same server.
Why does the type field matter?
Cline defaults to the legacy SSE transport when type is missing. This server speaks Streamable HTTP, so set "type": "streamableHttp".
What does it cost?
Each transcript, search or channel page uses one credit from your account, and failed requests are not charged. New accounts get 100 free credits, no card, and paid plans add more credits each month.
