# Channel details

> A channel's subscribers, total views, video count, join date, country, links and description.

- **Request:** `GET https://api.lurkapi.com/v1/youtube/channel`
- **Auth:** `x-api-key` header ([get a free key](https://lurkapi.com/login?next=/dashboard))
- **Cost:** 1 credit per call. Validation errors, `401`/`402`/`429` rejections and `5xx` failures are free; `not_found` is charged ([how charging works](https://lurkapi.com/docs.md#credits)).
- **MCP tool:** `youtube_channel` on `https://api.lurkapi.com/mcp`
- **Freshness:** responses are cached for up to 6 hours
- **Try it live:** https://lurkapi.com/docs/youtube/channel#try (no signup; free tool: [YouTube subscriber count](https://lurkapi.com/free-tools/youtube-subscriber-count))
- **Platform:** [YouTube](https://lurkapi.com/docs/youtube.md) (youtube.com)
- **Web page:** https://lurkapi.com/docs/youtube/channel

## When to use this

Use it to size up a creator: subscribers, lifetime views, number of videos, when they joined, where they're based and the links on their profile. Pass `channelId`, `handle` or a channel `url` (/@handle, /channel/UC…, /c/… and /user/… links all work).

YouTube rounds subscriber counts (519M), so `subscriberCount` is rounded too; `viewCount` and `videoCount` are exact from the about panel. If that panel is unavailable, the header supplies rounded `videoCount`, while views, join date, country and links can be missing. `email` is always null: YouTube only shows business emails to signed-in viewers.

Unknown and terminated channels return 404 `not_found`.

## Parameters

All parameters go in the query string.

| Name | Type | Required | Default | Allowed values | Description | Example |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `channelId` | string | no |  |  | Channel id, e.g. `UCX6OQ3DkcsbYNE6H8uQQuVA`. Pass this or `handle`. |  |
| `handle` | string | no |  |  | Channel handle, with or without the @, e.g. `MrBeast`. Pass this or `channelId`. | `MrBeast` |
| `url` | string | no |  |  | Channel URL, e.g. `https://www.youtube.com/@MrBeast`. Instead of `channelId` or `handle`. |  |

## Example request

Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with your key, or set `LURKAPI_KEY` for the code. [Get a free key](https://lurkapi.com/login?next=/dashboard).

curl:

```bash
curl "https://api.lurkapi.com/v1/youtube/channel?handle=MrBeast" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"
```

JavaScript:

```js
const params = new URLSearchParams({
  handle: "MrBeast",
});
const res = await fetch(`https://api.lurkapi.com/v1/youtube/channel?${params}`, {
  headers: { "x-api-key": process.env.LURKAPI_KEY },
});
const data = await res.json();
if (!data.success) throw new Error(`${data.code}: ${data.error}`);
console.log(data.links);
```

Python:

```python
import os
import requests

res = requests.get(
    "https://api.lurkapi.com/v1/youtube/channel",
    params={
        "handle": "MrBeast",
    },
    headers={"x-api-key": os.environ["LURKAPI_KEY"]},
    timeout=60,
)
data = res.json()
if not data["success"]:
    raise RuntimeError(f"{data['code']}: {data['error']}")
print(data["links"])
```

## Example response

A real response from this endpoint, captured from the live API and trimmed to a couple of items. Strings over 96 characters (mostly signed media URLs) are cut short and end in `…`.

200 OK (application/json):

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "credits_remaining": 999995,
  "credits_charged": 1,
  "channelId": "UCX6OQ3DkcsbYNE6H8uQQuVA",
  "channel": "https://www.youtube.com/@MrBeast",
  "handle": "MrBeast",
  "name": "MrBeast",
  "description": "SUBSCRIBE FOR A COOKIE!\nNew MrBeast or MrBeast Gaming video every single…",
  "avatar": {
    "image": {
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://yt3.googleusercontent.com/nxYrc_1_2f77DoBadyxMTmv7ZpRZapHR5jbuYe…",
          "width": 72,
          "height": 72
        },
        {
          "url": "https://yt3.googleusercontent.com/nxYrc_1_2f77DoBadyxMTmv7ZpRZapHR5jbuYe…",
          "width": 120,
          "height": 120
        },
        {
          "url": "https://yt3.googleusercontent.com/nxYrc_1_2f77DoBadyxMTmv7ZpRZapHR5jbuYe…",
          "width": 160,
          "height": 160
        },
        {
          "url": "https://yt3.googleusercontent.com/nxYrc_1_2f77DoBadyxMTmv7ZpRZapHR5jbuYe…",
          "width": 900,
          "height": 900
        }
      ]
    }
  },
  "avatarUrl": "https://yt3.googleusercontent.com/nxYrc_1_2f77DoBadyxMTmv7ZpRZapHR5jbuYe…",
  "banner": "https://yt3.googleusercontent.com/mHMO_eEMp0dPvh0ADwXhPXNYb_GnjSVsLI8biq…",
  "isVerified": true,
  "isFamilySafe": true,
  "subscriberCount": 519000000,
  "subscriberCountText": "519M subscribers",
  "videoCount": 1004,
  "videoCountText": "1,004 videos",
  "viewCount": 141227305543,
  "viewCountText": "141,227,305,543 views",
  "joinedDate": "2012-02-19",
  "joinedDateText": "Joined Feb 19, 2012",
  "country": "United States",
  "email": null,
  "links": [
    "https://www.themostdangerousgames.com/",
    "https://www.instagram.com/mrbeast/",
    "https://twitter.com/MrBeast",
    "https://facebook.com/mrbeast/"
  ],
  "twitter": "https://twitter.com/MrBeast",
  "instagram": "https://www.instagram.com/mrbeast/",
  "tags": "mrbeast6000, beast, mrbeast, Mr.Beast, mr",
  "keywords": [
    "mrbeast6000",
    "beast",
    "mrbeast",
    "Mr.Beast",
    "mr"
  ]
}
```

## Response fields

Every field of a successful response. `[]` marks a list: `a[].b` is the `b` of each item in `a`. **nullable** fields can be `null`; **optional** fields can be missing.

| Field | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `success` | `true` | Always true here; errors have `success: false`. |
| `credits_remaining` | `number` | Your balance after this call. On anonymous playground calls: free tries left today. |
| `credits_charged` | `number` | Credits this call cost; 0 on free endpoints. On anonymous playground calls: tries used (1). |
| `channelId` | `string` | Channel id, `UC…`. |
| `channel` | `string` | Channel page, e.g. `https://www.youtube.com/@MrBeast` (or /channel/UC… without a handle). |
| `handle` | `string`, nullable | Handle without the @, e.g. `MrBeast`; null if the channel has none. |
| `name` | `string` | Channel name. |
| `description` | `string` | The full channel description. |
| `avatar` | `object`, nullable | Channel picture in several sizes (YouTube's own shape). `avatarUrl` is the largest. |
| `avatar.image` | `object` | The picture. |
| `avatar.image.sources` | `object[]` | The same picture in several sizes, smallest first. |
| `avatar.image.sources[].url` | `string` | Image URL. |
| `avatar.image.sources[].width` | `number` | Width in pixels. |
| `avatar.image.sources[].height` | `number` | Height in pixels. |
| `avatarUrl` | `string`, nullable | Largest channel picture URL (900 px). |
| `banner` | `string`, nullable | Largest banner image URL; null without a banner. |
| `isVerified` | `boolean` | Has YouTube's verified or official artist badge. |
| `isFamilySafe` | `boolean` | YouTube marks the channel family safe. |
| `subscriberCount` | `number`, nullable | Subscribers, rounded as YouTube shows them (519M → 519000000). null when hidden. |
| `subscriberCountText` | `string`, nullable | e.g. "519M subscribers". |
| `videoCount` | `number`, nullable | Public videos, Shorts and past streams. Exact from the about panel; rounded as videoCountText if that panel is unavailable. |
| `videoCountText` | `string`, nullable | e.g. "1,004 videos". |
| `viewCount` | `number`, nullable | Lifetime views across the channel, exact; null if the about panel is unavailable. |
| `viewCountText` | `string`, nullable | e.g. "141,227,305,543 views". |
| `joinedDate` | `string`, nullable | When the channel was created, `YYYY-MM-DD`. |
| `joinedDateText` | `string`, nullable | e.g. "Joined Feb 19, 2012". |
| `country` | `string`, nullable | Country the channel lists, e.g. "United States"; null if it lists none. |
| `email` | `null` | Always null: YouTube only shows a channel's business email to signed-in viewers. |
| `links` | `string[]` | The links on the channel's profile (website, socials, store), in the channel's order. |
| `twitter` | `string`, nullable | The X / Twitter link from `links`, if any. |
| `instagram` | `string`, nullable | The Instagram link from `links`, if any. |
| `tags` | `string`, nullable | The channel's keywords, comma-separated, e.g. "mrbeast6000, beast, mrbeast"; null if none. |
| `keywords` | `string[]` | The same keywords as a list. |

## Caching and freshness

Responses are cached for up to 6 hours, so a repeat call within that window can return the same data. It still costs 1 credit.

## Errors

Errors return `{ success: false, error, code, docs }` with the HTTP status below. Validation errors, `401`/`402`/`429` rejections and `5xx` failures are free; `not_found` is charged ([how charging works](https://lurkapi.com/docs.md#credits)). [All error codes](https://lurkapi.com/docs.md#errors).

| Status | Code | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 401 | `missing_api_key` | No API key. Send it in the `x-api-key` header. |
| 401 | `invalid_api_key` | The key is unknown or was revoked. |
| 402 | `insufficient_credits` | Not enough credits for this call. Buy a pack or wait for tomorrow's top-up. |
| 404 | `not_found` | The endpoint, or the thing you asked for (ad, post, subreddit), doesn't exist. Charged when the platform was checked. |
| 405 | `method_not_allowed` | Endpoints take GET with query params. |
| 429 | `rate_limited` | Too many calls at once. Wait for the `retry-after` seconds, then retry. |
| 500 | `internal_error` | Something broke on our side. Retry; 5xx errors are free. |
| 502 | `upstream_error` | The platform didn't give a usable answer. Retry; 5xx errors are free. |
| 503 | `upstream_busy` | All our connections to the platform are busy. Retry in a few seconds; 5xx errors are free. |
| 504 | `upstream_timeout` | The platform took over 30 seconds to answer. Retry; timeouts are free. |

## Use it in Claude

Once LurkAPI is [connected to Claude](https://lurkapi.com/docs.md#claude), this endpoint is the `youtube_channel` tool. Ask in plain English, for example:

Ask Claude:

```text
Use LurkAPI's youtube_channel with handle "MrBeast" and summarize what you find.
```

Claude calls `youtube_channel` with arguments like these, and each call costs 1 credit:

Tool arguments:

```json
{
  "handle": "MrBeast"
}
```

Tool results skip nulls and empty lists to save tokens.

---

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