Can NotebookLM import a YouTube playlist?
Google's help page for YouTube sources covers pasting video URLs into the sources panel, with multiple web links separated by a space or a new line, and says nothing about playlists. For a 40-lecture course, that means collecting 40 links by hand.
What four tools do with a course playlist
| YouTube Collector | Gemini Notebook (NotebookLM) | NoteGPT | Glasp | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulk playlist import | Paste one playlist or channel URL, imports in batches (Pro, Creator) | Not in the docs: video URLs are added individually | Playlist URL accepted in Batch Summarize | Not described on their site |
| AI summaries with clickable timecodes | Chapter list, each timestamp jumps the in-app player | Inline citations into the transcript text, no chapter outline | Timestamped summaries | Timestamps you can click to jump the video |
| Unified search | Search across every transcript you've saved | Ask across the sources inside one notebook (50 on free) | Not described on their site | Not described on their site |
| Repurpose a video | Blog post, tweet thread, LinkedIn post in the same app | Not built for it | Not described on their site | Export highlights to Notion, Obsidian, Roam |
| Community transcript cache | Yes, searchable | No | No | No |
Checked 6 Oct 2026, all from each tool's own pages.
Three things worth knowing before you pick
Gemini Notebook (the new name for NotebookLM) only imports public videos that already have captions, user-uploaded or auto-generated, and it imports the text transcript only. Videos posted in the last 72 hours may not be importable yet.
NoteGPT does take a playlist link. How many videos run at once depends on the plan: 2 on Pro at $9/month, 10 on Unlimited, 20 on Max.
If a lecture has no captions at all, a captions-only tool stops there. YouTube Collector generates the transcript itself, billed as credits.
Choose the other tool if
- Choose Gemini Notebook if every lecture already has captions and you want one place to ask questions across up to 50 sources, free.
- Choose NoteGPT if a playlist URL is the main thing you need and the per-plan limit on simultaneous videos suits your course size.
- Choose Glasp if you watch one video at a time and want the highlights in Notion or Obsidian.
YouTube Collector is the better fit when the list is long, some recordings have no captions, and you want to search the whole set later.
FAQ
Does NotebookLM accept a playlist URL? Google's documentation describes adding YouTube URLs of public videos, and pasting several web URLs separated by a space or new line. Playlists are not mentioned.
What happens to a lecture with no captions? Gemini Notebook can't import it. YouTube Collector transcribes the audio and then summarizes it.
How many lectures can I import at once? Paste the playlist or channel URL and Pro and Creator plans import the videos in batches, so you're not queueing links one by one.
Is there a free tier? Free for 30 videos, no card.
Try it on one playlist
Summarize any YouTube video — even ones with no captions. Paste the URL of a course playlist you're already working through and see what the first batch gives you.