YouTubeTranscript.dev vs Happy Scribe
Instant YouTube transcripts vs a subtitle production platform. Compare speed, pricing, accuracy, and features for your transcription needs.
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YouTubeTranscript.dev is faster, cheaper, and more feature-rich for YouTube-specific transcription with AI tools for content analysis. Happy Scribe is better if you need professional subtitle editing with a timeline editor, broadcast subtitle formats, or human transcription with team collaboration.
YouTube Workflow: Direct URL vs Upload
Paste any YouTube URL and get the transcript in seconds. No account required for basic use. Supports playlists and bulk URLs. The API accepts YouTube URLs directly for programmatic workflows.
Happy Scribe accepts YouTube URLs for its AI transcription service. You can paste a link, but the transcription still processes the full audio, taking several minutes. No playlist or bulk URL support.
Verdict: Both accept YouTube URLs, but YouTubeTranscript.dev is dramatically faster by pulling native captions instantly when available.
Transcription Speed: YouTubeTranscript.dev vs Happy Scribe
Caption extraction: under 10 seconds regardless of video length. AI audio transcription: 2-20 minutes. Bulk playlist processing runs in parallel — 50 videos in under a minute.
Happy Scribe's AI transcription takes approximately half the audio length (a 10-minute video takes ~5 minutes). Human transcription takes 24 hours. No parallel processing for multiple videos.
Verdict: YouTubeTranscript.dev is significantly faster, especially for videos with existing YouTube captions.
Pricing: How Do Happy Scribe and YouTubeTranscript.dev Compare?
Free tier: 10 credits/month, no credit card. Paid: $9/month (1,200 credits), $29/month (4,000 credits), $79/month (11,000 credits). Caption extraction costs 1 credit regardless of length.
Happy Scribe offers pay-as-you-go at $0.20/min (AI) or $1.95/min (human). Subscription plans start at around $17/month for 120 minutes. No permanent free tier — only a trial with limited minutes.
Verdict: YouTubeTranscript.dev is much more cost-effective, especially for long videos. A 2-hour video costs 1 credit ($0.007) vs $24 on Happy Scribe AI.
Subtitle Quality and Export
Exports in SRT and VTT formats with accurately timed segments ready for any video editor. The Interactive Viewer lets you preview subtitles synced to the video before downloading.
Happy Scribe includes a built-in subtitle editor with a timeline view for fine-tuning timing and text. Exports in SRT, VTT, STL, EBU-STL, and other broadcast formats. Strong focus on professional subtitle production.
Verdict: Happy Scribe has more subtitle-specific editing tools and broadcast formats. YouTubeTranscript.dev is faster for getting standard SRT/VTT files without manual editing.
Accuracy: AI Transcription Comparison
Caption extraction: 100% accurate (native YouTube data). AI audio transcription: up to 95% across 100+ languages. Handles noisy audio, accents, and background music well.
Happy Scribe AI: ~85% accuracy on average, higher for clean audio. Human transcription: 99% accuracy. Supports around 60 languages for AI and a smaller set for human transcription.
Verdict: YouTubeTranscript.dev offers native caption extraction (100%) and broader language coverage. Happy Scribe's human option provides 99% accuracy for those who need it.
Language Support and Translation
100+ languages for extraction and AI transcription. Built-in one-click translation to any supported language. Automatic language detection.
Happy Scribe supports ~60 languages for AI transcription. Translation is available as an additional paid feature. Good support for European languages.
Verdict: YouTubeTranscript.dev covers more languages and includes translation at no extra cost.
Collaboration and Editing
Designed for individual use with fast extraction. Shareable public transcript pages for easy sharing. The Interactive Viewer allows team review of synced transcripts.
Happy Scribe offers team workspaces, collaborative editing, and role-based access. Multiple editors can work on the same transcript simultaneously.
Verdict: Happy Scribe is stronger for team collaboration. YouTubeTranscript.dev is better for individual speed and efficiency.
Bulk and Batch Processing
Playlist extraction (up to 100 videos), batch URL processing, and REST API with batch endpoints and webhooks. Parallel processing for maximum speed.
Happy Scribe allows uploading multiple files but processes them sequentially. No YouTube playlist or channel support. No public API for batch operations.
Verdict: YouTubeTranscript.dev provides the superior bulk processing experience with native YouTube playlist support.
AI Features Beyond Transcription
AI summary, mind map visualization, chat with transcript, and Interactive Viewer with customizable subtitle overlays. All designed for understanding and repurposing video content.
Happy Scribe focuses on transcription and subtitle production. Limited AI features beyond the core transcription engine. No summarization, mind mapping, or transcript chat.
Verdict: YouTubeTranscript.dev offers significantly more AI-powered content analysis features.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is YouTubeTranscript.dev cheaper than Happy Scribe?+
Yes, significantly. YouTubeTranscript.dev's caption extraction costs 1 credit per video regardless of length (from $0.007 on Basic plan). Happy Scribe charges $0.20/minute for AI, making a 60-minute video cost $12 vs essentially nothing on YouTubeTranscript.dev.
Does Happy Scribe work with YouTube playlists?+
No. Happy Scribe does not support YouTube playlist extraction. YouTubeTranscript.dev processes entire playlists (up to 100 videos) with parallel processing, completing large batches in under a minute.
Which has better subtitle editing tools?+
Happy Scribe has a more comprehensive subtitle editor with timeline views and fine-tuning tools, making it better for professional subtitle production. YouTubeTranscript.dev is faster for generating standard SRT/VTT subtitle files without manual editing.
Can Happy Scribe transcribe YouTube videos without captions?+
Happy Scribe can transcribe YouTube videos via URL using its AI engine, but it always processes the full audio (no instant caption extraction). YouTubeTranscript.dev first attempts native caption extraction (instant), then falls back to AI only when needed.
Which supports more languages?+
YouTubeTranscript.dev supports 100+ languages for both extraction and AI transcription, plus built-in translation. Happy Scribe supports around 60 languages for AI transcription with translation as a separate paid feature.
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YouTube transcripts in seconds, not minutes. 10 free credits, no credit card.
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