Hosted MCP server
YouTube transcripts in Gemini CLI
Gemini CLI can use remote MCP servers over HTTP. One command adds GetYouTubeTranscript to your user settings, so every Gemini CLI session can read video transcripts and search YouTube.
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
Add the server
Run this with your key in place of sk_live_... (requires a recent Gemini CLI):
gemini mcp add --scope user --transport http \ --header "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_..." \ getyoutubetranscript https://getyoutubetranscript.com/api/mcp - 3
Check it
Run gemini mcp list. The server shows as connected in any folder you have trusted.
What to ask Gemini CLI
- Summarize this video in five bullet points with timestamps: <YouTube URL>
- Find three recent talks about vector databases and compare what each one recommends.
- List the last 10 uploads on @veritasium and tell me which ones mention climate.
- Pull the transcripts for the first five videos in this playlist and turn them into study notes: <playlist URL>
Tools Gemini CLI gets
| Tool | What it does | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| get_youtube_transcript | Full transcript plus title, author, thumbnail | 1 credit |
| search_youtube | Search videos or channels, paginated | 1 credit |
| get_channel_latest_videos | A channel's metadata and recent uploads | Free |
| search_channel_videos | Search within one channel | 1 credit |
| list_channel_videos | Every video a channel has uploaded | 1 credit |
| list_playlist_videos | Every video in a playlist | 1 credit |
| get_credits | Remaining credit balance for the key | Free |
Good to know
- --scope user writes the server to ~/.gemini/settings.json; without it, the server is added to the current project only.
- Gemini CLI disables MCP servers in folders you haven't trusted, so trust the folder when it asks.
- The server is hosted, so there is nothing to run locally and no proxy to manage.
- Tools that only read metadata, like a channel's latest uploads and your credit balance, are free.
Links
Questions about Gemini CLI
gemini mcp add says "Unknown arguments".
Your Gemini CLI is too old to have the mcp command. Update it with npm install -g @google/gemini-cli@latest and run the command again.
The server shows as Disabled.
Gemini CLI turns off MCP servers in untrusted folders. Trust the folder when prompted and the server connects.
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.