Extract YouTube Clips
via Single API Call
Precise byte-range extraction. Up to 4K raw quality. No re-encoding, no quality loss. One endpoint. Pay only for what you use.
curl -X POST \
https://api.clipscutter.com/c/clips/youtube \
-H "x-api-key: f47ac10b58cc4372a5670e02b2c3d479" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"video_id": "dQw4w9WgXcQ",
"start_time": 90,
"end_time": 165,
"format": "mp4",
"quality": "high"
}'Built for Developers. Engineered for Scale.
Everything you need to build powerful video clipping features into your product, with zero infrastructure overhead.
4K Raw Quality
Get clips in original 4K resolution. We extract the raw stream with no transcoding pipeline, no quality loss, no artifacting.
Up to 2160pZero Re-encoding
Stream-copy byte-range extraction means processing happens in milliseconds, not minutes. The video stream is never touched.
Stream copySingle Endpoint
One POST request with a YouTube URL and timestamps is all it takes. No complex workflows, no SDK required.
POST /clips/youtubePay As You Go
Pay only per clip generated. No monthly fees, no minimum spend, no lock-in contracts. Credits never expire and scale up as your traffic grows.
$0.01 / clipEfficient File Sizes
Byte-range delivery means you only transfer the exact bytes for your clip, not the entire video. Lower bandwidth, smaller files.
$1 / 10 GBAI-Ready Integration
Build AI workflows on top of the API: highlight detection, automated clipping, content curation, and more.
AI use casesSimple. Powerful. One Endpoint.
One POST request creates your clip. Poll the status endpoint every 5 seconds. Most clips are ready in under 2 minutes.
# Step 1 - create clip (returns clip_id immediately)
curl -X POST https://api.clipscutter.com/c/clips/youtube \
-H "x-api-key: f47ac10b58cc4372a5670e02b2c3d479" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"video_id": "dQw4w9WgXcQ",
"start_time": 90,
"end_time": 165,
"format": "mp4",
"quality": "high"
}'
# Step 2 - poll every 5s until status = Completed
curl https://api.clipscutter.com/c/clips/{clip_id} \
-H "x-api-key: f47ac10b58cc4372a5670e02b2c3d479"{
"success": true,
"statusCode": 200,
"data": {
"clip_id": "a3f8c1d2-4b5e-...",
"input_id": "dQw4w9WgXcQ",
"title": "Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up",
"status": "Completed",
"format": "mp4",
"quality": "720p",
"type": "video",
"duration": 75,
"size": 12400000,
"start_time": 90,
"end_time": 165,
"created_at": "2026-07-22T10:32:18.000Z",
"url": "https://sn---s.clipscutter.com/clips/a3f8c1d2.mp4"
}
}Up and Running in 3 Steps
No complex SDK to install. No infrastructure to configure. Start clipping in minutes.
Get Your API Key
Subscribe to a plan and generate your API key from the developer dashboard in under a minute.
x-api-key: f47ac10b58cc4372a5670e02b2c3d479Submit a Clip Request
POST a video_id with start_time and end_time in seconds. You get back a clip_id instantly (202 Accepted).
POST /clips/youtube { video_id, start_time, end_time }Poll Until Ready
Poll GET /clips/:id every 5 seconds. Once status is Completed, your download url is ready.
GET /clips/:id → url on CompletedReady to start extracting clips?
Transparent pricing. Cancel anytime.
Pay Only for What You Use
Two simple metrics. No subscriptions. No hidden fees. Scale from zero to millions of clips.
Clip Generation
Charged once per successful clip request, regardless of clip length or resolution. Extraction is instant.
- Unlimited clip length
- Up to 4K (2160p) quality
- Instant download URL
- MP4 output, raw stream
Bandwidth
Only transfer the exact bytes needed for your clip. A typical 4K clip at 75 seconds costs under $0.05 in bandwidth.
- CDN-backed fast delivery
- No throttling or rate limits
- Global edge locations
- HTTPS encrypted transfer
What Developers Build
From AI content pipelines to social media automation, the Clipscutter API is the extraction layer your product needs.
AI Highlight Detection
Feed transcripts or audio analysis to an AI model, get timestamps back, then call our API to extract the highlights automatically.
ai.getTimestamps(video) → clipscutter.clip(url, start, end)
Social Media Automation
Auto-generate short-form clips from long videos for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, without manual editing.
clip.quality = "1080p" clip.duration ≤ 60s → Reels ready
Content Repurposing
Transform webinars, podcasts, and long-form interviews into bite-sized clips for newsletters, blogs, and social feeds.
90 min webinar → 15 shareable clips
E-learning Platforms
Embed specific lesson segments directly in your LMS or app. Point students to an exact 3-minute concept without buffering a 2-hour lecture.
lesson.videoSegment(start, end) → embed in course page
Sports & News Clips
Extract real-time highlights, press conference clips, or match moments from publicly available streams and broadcast archives.
matchEvent.timestamp → clipUrl → publish to feed
Podcast Video Clips
Pull the best 60-second moments from video podcasts and auto-publish them as promotional clips across social platforms.
"best quotes" → extract clips → queue for publishing
Infrastructure You Can Rely On
Production-grade API with the reliability and security your applications demand.
Enterprise-grade reliability backed by redundant infrastructure and automatic failover.
All API requests and clip transfers are encrypted end-to-end with TLS 1.3.
Byte-range extraction means clips are ready in under 2 seconds for most requests.
Infrastructure scales automatically to handle 1 request or 1 million without configuration.
Start Extracting Clips
in Under 5 Minutes
Sign up free, grab your API key, and make your first clip request before your coffee gets cold.