YouTube Comment Extractor: Download All Comments (Free Tool)

A YouTube comment extractor is a tool that downloads all comments from any video into a structured file format like CSV, JSON, or Excel. The fastest free method is using an online tool like NoteLM.ai's Comment Extractor—just paste the video URL and export all comments with usernames, timestamps, and like counts in seconds.

Key Takeaways

• Extract unlimited YouTube comments from any public video for free
• Export formats include CSV, JSON, Excel, and plain text
• Comments include usernames, timestamps, like counts, and reply threads
• Three methods: online tools, browser extensions, and YouTube Data API
• Processing time: 2-30 seconds depending on comment volume
• No YouTube account or login required for most tools

What Is a YouTube Comment Extractor?

A YouTube comment extractor is software that retrieves and exports all comments from a video into a downloadable file. Unlike manually copying comments, extractors automatically capture:

Why Extract YouTube Comments?

For Content Creators:

• Analyze audience sentiment and feedback
• Find frequently asked questions for future content
• Identify engaged community members
• Run comment-based giveaways fairly

For Researchers:

• Conduct sentiment analysis studies
• Analyze language patterns and trends
• Study community engagement metrics
• Gather qualitative data at scale

For Marketers:

• Monitor brand mentions
• Understand competitor audiences
• Identify influencer opportunities
• Gather customer feedback

Method 1: Free Online Comment Extractors

Online tools provide the fastest way to extract YouTube comments without installing anything.

Using NoteLM.ai Comment Extractor

Processing Time by Comment Volume

Features Comparison: Popular Online Tools

Advantages of Online Tools

• Zero installation: Works in any browser
• Always updated: No software updates needed
• Cross-platform: Works on Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile
• Quick access: Start extracting in seconds
• Free options: Many tools offer generous free tiers

Limitations of Online Tools

• Requires internet connection
• Some have daily limits
• Very large videos may timeout
• Dependent on tool availability

Method 2: Browser Extensions

Browser extensions add comment extraction directly to the YouTube interface.

How Browser Extensions Work

Once installed, comment extractor extensions typically add:

• A "Download Comments" button on video pages
• Export format selection (CSV, JSON, TXT)
• Options to include/exclude replies
• Filtering by date, likes, or keywords

Recommended Chrome Extensions

YouTube Comment Suite:

• Download all comments and replies
• Export as CSV or JSON
• Filter by keyword
• Sort by date or popularity

Comment Exporter for YouTube:

• One-click comment export
• Multiple format support
• Reply thread preservation
• Works offline (for processing)

Installing a Comment Extractor Extension

Extension vs. Online Tool Comparison

Method 3: YouTube Data API (For Developers)

The YouTube Data API provides programmatic access to comments for custom applications.

API Overview

The YouTube Data API v3 offers CommentThreads and Comments endpoints that return structured comment data in JSON format.

Basic API Request Example

GET https://www.googleapis.com/youtube/v3/commentThreads
?part=snippet,replies
&videoId=VIDEO_ID
&key=YOUR_API_KEY
&maxResults=100

API Rate Limits

When to Use the API

✅ Building custom applications

✅ Automating regular exports

✅ Processing thousands of videos

✅ Need specific filtering logic

✅ Integrating with other systems

❌ One-time exports (use online tools)

❌ Non-technical users

❌ Quick ad-hoc analysis

Understanding Extracted Comment Data

CSV File Structure

A typical exported CSV file contains these columns:

JSON File Structure

JSON exports provide nested data perfect for programmatic access:

{
  "video_id": "dQw4w9WgXcQ",
  "total_comments": 1523,
  "extracted_at": "2026-01-07T10:30:00Z",
  "comments": [
    {
      "id": "UgyxQmZp...",
      "author": "@TechReviewer",
      "text": "Great tutorial!",
      "likes": 42,
      "published_at": "2026-01-05T15:20:00Z",
      "replies": [
        {
          "id": "UgyxQmZp...-reply1",
          "author": "@VideoCreator",
          "text": "Thanks!",
          "likes": 5
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Practical Use Cases

1. Sentiment Analysis

Extract comments to analyze audience sentiment using tools like:

• MonkeyLearn for automated classification
• VADER sentiment analysis (Python)
• Google Cloud Natural Language API

Process:

1. 1.Extract all comments as CSV
2. 2.Import into sentiment analysis tool
3. 3.Categorize as positive/negative/neutral
4. 4.Generate sentiment report

2. Giveaway Winner Selection

Run fair giveaways by extracting all commenters:

3. Content Idea Mining

Find popular questions and topics in comments:

4. Community Moderation

Identify problematic comments at scale:

Tips for Better Results

Handling Large Comment Volumes

For videos with 10,000+ comments:

• Use tools that support pagination
• Export in batches if needed
• Allow extra processing time
• Consider using the API for automation

Ensuring Complete Data

To capture all comments:

• Wait for complete processing
• Verify reply threads are included
• Check for pagination completion
• Compare against YouTube's comment count

Data Cleaning Best Practices

After extraction:

1. 1.Remove duplicate comments
2. 2.Handle encoding issues (emojis, special characters)
3. 3.Standardize date formats
4. 4.Remove spam if needed

Troubleshooting Common Issues

"No Comments Found" Error

Possible causes:

• Video has comments disabled
• Video is private or unlisted
• Invalid video URL

Solutions:

• Verify video has public comments
• Check URL format is correct
• Try a different extraction method

Incomplete Comment Export

Possible causes:

• Tool hit rate limits
• Network timeout
• Processing interrupted

Solutions:

• Try again during off-peak hours
• Use a tool with better limits
• Split large exports into batches

Missing Reply Threads

Possible causes:

• Tool doesn't support replies
• Reply depth limitations
• API quota exhausted

Solutions:

• Use a tool that explicitly supports replies
• Check tool settings for reply inclusion
• Upgrade to a paid tier if needed

Legal and Ethical Considerations

What's Allowed

✅ Extracting public comments for personal analysis

✅ Research purposes with proper attribution

✅ Running giveaways on your own videos

✅ Analyzing your own channel's engagement

What to Be Careful About

⚠️ Bulk scraping may violate YouTube ToS

⚠️ Using data for spam or harassment

⚠️ Sharing personal information from comments

⚠️ Commercial use without proper licensing

Best Practices

• Only extract what you need
• Don't publish raw user data
• Respect privacy expectations
• Follow GDPR if applicable
• Credit YouTube as data source in research

Remember to use extracted data responsibly, respecting both YouTube's terms of service and commenter privacy. Start with a free tool to extract comments from your first video and explore the insights hidden in your audience's feedback.

Related Resources:

• YouTube Comment Picker for Giveaways
• How to Search YouTube Comments
• Export YouTube Comments to Excel