Terms of use

Last updated 2026.

The service

Subtext displays the public captions of YouTube videos as text. It is provided as is, without any guarantee that a given video will work, that the text is accurate, or that the service will always be available.

Content

Videos and their captions belong to their creators. A transcript is shown so you can read, quote and study it; what you may do with the text beyond that depends on the creator's rights and the law where you live. If you own a video and want its transcript removed, use the contact details on the About page and it will be taken down.

Fair use of the site

Read the website in a normal browser. Bulk collection, scraping of its pages and other automated requests to them are not allowed and are blocked; requests are rate-limited per network.

Programs and AI agents

Programs and AI agents are welcome through the API and the MCP server, under an API key. One credit buys one transcript; paid plans are not available yet. The limits of the API are listed on its page.

Independence

Subtext is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by YouTube or Google.

Liability

To the extent the law allows, Subtext is not liable for losses that result from using, or being unable to use, the service.