7 Best YouTube Summary Tools in 2026: Free and Paid Options Compared
Looking for the best YouTube summary tools to save time? There are dozens of options out there, from browser extensions to Telegram bots to full web apps. This guide breaks down seven solid choices so you can pick the one that fits your workflow.
What Makes a Good YouTube Summary Tool?
Before diving into specific tools, here is what to look for:
- Accuracy: Does it capture the key points without hallucinating details?
- Speed: How fast do you get your summary?
- Ease of use: Can you get a summary in one or two clicks?
- Language support: Does it handle non-English videos?
- Price: Free tier? Reasonable limits?
- Output format: Plain text, bullet points, chapters?
1. Get Summary AI (Telegram Bot)
A Telegram bot that summarizes YouTube videos directly in your messenger. Send a link, get a summary and full transcript back in seconds.
Pros:
- No installation needed, works in Telegram
- Fast results, usually under 30 seconds
- Works on mobile and desktop equally well
- Provides both summary and full transcript
- Handles long videos
Cons:
- Requires Telegram
- Interface is chat-based (no web dashboard)
Price: Free tier available
Best for: People who want quick summaries without leaving their messaging app.
2. YouTube’s Built-in Summary (Experimental)
YouTube has been rolling out AI-generated summaries for some videos. These appear below the video description.
Pros:
- Built right into YouTube
- No extra tools needed
Cons:
- Not available for all videos
- Limited to short summaries
- No customization options
- Availability varies by region
Price: Free
Best for: Casual use when the feature happens to be available.
3. ChatGPT (with Transcript Paste)
You can copy a YouTube transcript and paste it into ChatGPT with a prompt like “Summarize this video transcript.”
Pros:
- Very flexible, you control the prompt
- Can ask follow-up questions
- Good for detailed analysis
Cons:
- Multi-step process (copy transcript, open ChatGPT, paste, prompt)
- Transcript must fit within context window
- Requires ChatGPT subscription for best results
- Does not work directly with video links
Price: Free tier available, Plus from $20/month
Best for: Power users who want custom analysis beyond simple summaries.
4. Glasp YouTube Summary
A Chrome extension that adds a summary button to YouTube pages. Uses AI to generate summaries right on the video page.
Pros:
- One-click summaries on YouTube
- Shows transcript alongside summary
- Clean interface
Cons:
- Chrome only (no Firefox or Safari)
- Requires browser extension installation
- Does not work on mobile
Price: Free
Best for: Desktop Chrome users who watch a lot of YouTube.
5. Eightify
Another Chrome extension focused on YouTube summaries. Breaks videos into key points with timestamps.
Pros:
- Good timestamp-based summaries
- Key insights format is useful
- Works on long videos
Cons:
- Limited free uses per month
- Chrome extension only
- Can be slow on very long videos
Price: Free tier with limits, paid plans available
Best for: Users who want timestamped key points rather than paragraph summaries.
6. NoteGPT
A web app and extension that summarizes YouTube videos and lets you save notes alongside them.
Pros:
- Note-taking features built in
- Supports multiple video platforms
- Saves summary history
Cons:
- More complex than needed for quick summaries
- Paid features for full access
- Learning curve for all features
Price: Free tier, paid plans from $9.99/month
Best for: Students and researchers who want to organize summaries with their own notes.
7. Summarize.tech
A web-based tool where you paste a YouTube URL and get a summary. Simple and straightforward.
Pros:
- No installation or sign-up needed
- Clean, simple interface
- Works in any browser
Cons:
- Quality varies depending on video length
- No transcript access
- Limited customization
- Can be slow during peak usage
Price: Free
Best for: One-off summaries when you do not want to install anything.
Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | Platform | Speed | Free Tier | Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Get Summary AI | Telegram | Fast | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube Built-in | YouTube | Instant | Yes | Yes |
| ChatGPT | Web/App | Medium | Yes | Yes |
| Glasp | Chrome | Fast | Yes | No |
| Eightify | Chrome | Medium | Limited | No |
| NoteGPT | Web/Chrome | Medium | Limited | Partial |
| Summarize.tech | Web | Slow | Yes | Yes |
Which One Should You Pick?
It depends on your workflow:
- Always on your phone? Go with a Telegram bot or web-based tool.
- Live in Chrome on desktop? A browser extension like Glasp or Eightify makes sense.
- Need deep analysis? ChatGPT with manual transcript paste gives you the most control.
- Want the simplest option? A bot where you just paste a link and get results wins.
If you want to try the fastest option right now, send a YouTube link to Get Summary AI on Telegram and see your summary in seconds. No sign-up, no extension, no hassle.
Related reads:
- How to Summarize YouTube Videos with AI — step-by-step guide
- How to Convert a YouTube Video to Text — 5 methods that work
- How to Summarize YouTube Podcasts with AI — for long-form content