The YouTube Data V3 API is completely "free". You have a default quota limit (quite limited even for small projects) and you can see here how it is consumed based on how you make use of the API.

Answer from E-Berry on Stack Overflow
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Google
developers.google.com › youtube › data api › quota calculator
Quota Calculator | YouTube Data API | Google for Developers
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-12-04 UTC."],[],["API requests have quota costs, with a minimum of one point per request, even if invalid. Retrieving multiple result pages from methods like `search.list` costs quota for each page. Live Streaming API methods, part of the YouTube Data API, also incur costs.
Discussions

Has anyone increased their YouTube Data V3 API quota before? What's the highest quota you have been granted?
I'm interested too, that limit seems extremly low... is there a version where you can pay for an youtube api ? More on reddit.com
🌐 r/googlecloud
20
7
March 26, 2024
Youtube Data API Quota Confusion - Nightbot - NightDev Community Forums
I am making a website of my own, that checks Youtube livestream chats. So I thought, “NightBot gets the chats/comments and responds to them” I read some of your topics. And I found out some people asked how, since asking for chats every 1 or some seconds is really bad. More on community.nightdev.com
🌐 community.nightdev.com
0
March 21, 2025
Does the YouTube node use too much Google API quota?
Hey! I unexpectedly ran into a YouTube API quota issue yesterday where I completely ran of of my 10,000 daily allowed operations. I’m using the ‘Get Many’ operation to fetch recent new uploads to a channel: Today I started testing why this happened, and I ran this for 5 channels total: ... More on community.n8n.io
🌐 community.n8n.io
1
0
November 23, 2023
Youtube V3 Api Pricing
Last time I checked, they didn't actually have a pricing model as far as I was able to determine. Just a form that would allow you to apply for a quota increase. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/webdev
22
2
September 23, 2018
People also ask

What is the YouTube Data API pricing?
The YouTube Data API v3 is free but uses quotas. For example, a search request costs 100 units, while retrieving video details costs 1 unit.
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getphyllo.com
getphyllo.com › post › is-the-youtube-api-free-costs-limits-iv
Is the YouTube API Free? Costs, Limits, and What You Actually Get
What is the cost of using the YouTube API?
The YouTube API is free but operates on a quota system. Each request consumes units, with a daily limit of 10,000 units by default.
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getphyllo.com
getphyllo.com › post › is-the-youtube-api-free-costs-limits-iv
Is the YouTube API Free? Costs, Limits, and What You Actually Get
Is the YouTube API free for developers?
Yes, the YouTube API is free for all developers, provided they stay within the quota limits.
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getphyllo.com
getphyllo.com › post › is-the-youtube-api-free-costs-limits-iv
Is the YouTube API Free? Costs, Limits, and What You Actually Get
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/googlecloud › has anyone increased their youtube data v3 api quota before? what's the highest quota you have been granted?
r/googlecloud on Reddit: Has anyone increased their YouTube Data V3 API quota before? What's the highest quota you have been granted?
March 26, 2024 -

I've currently got 100k quota (received an increase). But I can't really scale it at the moment because costs are high for quota (e.g posting a comment is 50 unitsx20 comments day = 100 users). I'd like to know if anyone has received any quota beyond this, thanks!

https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/determine_quota_cost

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Apidog
apidog.com › blog › youtube-api
YouTube Data API Overview | How to Implement it in Your Applications
July 26, 2025 - YouTube Data API (v3) - Quota Calculator | Google for Developers
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Google
developers.google.com › youtube › data api › youtube data api overview
YouTube Data API Overview | Google for Developers
The YouTube Data API uses a quota to ensure that developers use the service as intended and do not create applications that unfairly reduce service quality or limit access for others. All API requests, including invalid requests, incur at least a one-point quota cost.
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Google Cloud
console.cloud.google.com › marketplace › product › google › youtube.googleapis.com
YouTube Data API v3 – Marketplace
Spend smart, procure faster and retire committed Google Cloud spend with Google Cloud Marketplace. Browse the catalog of over 2000 SaaS, VMs, development stacks, and Kubernetes apps optimized to run on Google Cloud.
Find elsewhere
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Google Groups
groups.google.com › g › google-api-objectivec-client › c › -xhvHwtI25o
YouTube API v3 - API request quotas, costs, pricing, rates
March 7, 2014 - The docs for the apis and/or the developer console for enabling apis would be where you are more likely to find information about quotas and costs. ... Either email addresses are anonymous for this group or you need the view member email addresses permission to view the original message ... Thanks for the response. Google provides an excellent Youtube quota calculator.
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Elfsight
elfsight.com › blog › youtube-data-api-v3-limits-operations-resources-methods-etc
Your Complete Guide to YouTube Data API v3 – Quotas, Methods, and More
4 weeks ago - Learn YouTube Data API v3 quota limits, cost structure, HTTP methods, authentication, and optimization techniques. Includes real scenarios and quota increase strategies.
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HubSpot
blog.hubspot.com › website › how-to-get-youtube-api-key
How to get a YouTube API key [tutorial + examples]
September 23, 2025 - If we want to connect our website or app to YouTube using code, whether you’re working in Java, JavaScript, PHP, Python, or even curl, the YouTube Data API v3 documentation offers a rich library of customizable code samples to help us get started quickly.
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Phyllo
getphyllo.com › post › youtube-api-limits-how-to-calculate-api-usage-cost-and-fix-exceeded-api-quota
Youtube API limits : How to calculate API usage cost and fix exceeded API quota | Phyllo
July 26, 2025 - It is imperative to judiciously utilize the YouTube v3 API, ensuring efficient data retrieval while staying within the quota limits. The importance of employing an API cache to reduce the consumption of API units cannot be overemphasized.
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YouTube
youtube.com › daimto developer tips
Intro to YouTube API and Cost-Based Quota: Everything You Need to Know #youtubeapi - YouTube
403 when requesting The request cannot be completed because you have exceeded your quota.The YouTube API is a set of APIs that allow developers to create app...
Published   February 16, 2021
Views   18K
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GitHub
github.com › ThioJoe › YT-Spammer-Purge › wiki › Understanding-YouTube-API-Quota-Limits
Understanding YouTube API Quota Limits
January 8, 2022 - There is actually a process by which you can request an increase to your project's API quota
Author   ThioJoe
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ExpertFlow
docs.expertflow.com › cx › 4.9 › understanding-the-youtube-data-api-v3-quota-system
Understanding the YouTube Data API v3 Quota System
They expect you to comply with strict API policies. They may require OAuth verification or branding review. They might ask you to switch to a commercial license if you’re using it at scale for a product/business. Keep your request clear, specific, and honest. Make sure your OAuth consent screen is verified, especially if requesting large quotas. Mention data retention policies, user control, and how your app respects YouTube policies.
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NightDev Community
community.nightdev.com › nightbot
Youtube Data API Quota Confusion - Nightbot - NightDev Community Forums
March 21, 2025 - I am making a website of my own, that checks Youtube livestream chats. So I thought, “NightBot gets the chats/comments and responds to them” I read some of your topics. And I found out some people asked how, since aski…
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W3Things
w3things.com › blog › youtube-data-api-v3-fetch-video-data-nodejs
YouTube Data API v3 — Fetch Video Data Using Node.js
March 5, 2025 - As of writing this article, you don't need to pay to use the YouTube Data API v3.
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Scipress
scipress.io › post › jBCHKfSChrZWch9DFSwa › YouTube-Data-API
YouTube Data API - Scipress
June 19, 2024 - You'll need to provide a credit card in order to use Google Cloud. However, **the YouTube data API is 100% free** :smiley:
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ProxiesAPI
proxiesapi.com › articles › accessing-youtube-apis-pricing-quotas-and-keys
Accessing YouTube APIs: Pricing, Quotas and Keys | ProxiesAPI
February 20, 2024 - The YouTube API allows free access for non-commercial use, but there are daily request quotas. To increase quotas, register and get an API key. Paid plans are available for larger user bases. Be aware of potential changes and restrictions.
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YouTube
youtube.com › playlist
Youtube Data API V3 - YouTube
Share your videos with friends, family, and the world