YouTube summarizer comparison: the specs, checked
Four tools people compare most often, with the limits each maker publishes. Every line below comes from the tool's own site or help docs, checked on the date shown.
YouTube Collector summarizes any YouTube video, even ones with no captions.
The table
| YouTube Collector | Gemini Notebook (was NotebookLM) | NoteGPT | BibiGPT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Works on a video with no captions | Yes, it makes its own AI transcript | No. Only videos "with captions, either user-uploaded or auto-generated" | Not documented | Not documented |
| Bulk playlist import | Yes, on Pro | Not documented; sources go in by URL | Not documented | Not documented |
| Summary timecodes that jump the player | Yes, chapters seek the in-app player | Not documented | Not documented | Timestamps in the summary text |
| Search across everything you've saved | Yes, one search over all your transcripts | Inside a single notebook | Not documented | Not documented |
| Turn a video into a blog post, thread or LinkedIn post | Yes | Not documented | Not documented | Markdown export, one-click push to Notion |
| Free tier | 30 videos, no card | Up to 50 sources per notebook | "15 free quotas each month" | Not documented |
"Not documented" means the maker's own pages don't say, so we won't guess. NoteGPT's paid Pro plan is $9 a month for 1,000 basic quotas and 100 premium credits.
tl;dv shows up in these searches too, but it records Google Meet, Zoom and Microsoft Teams calls. Its site doesn't mention summarizing a YouTube URL.
The short facts
- Gemini Notebook needs a caption track. No captions on the video, no import.
- Free Gemini Notebook accounts get up to 50 sources per notebook.
- NoteGPT gives every account 15 free quotas a month, shared across all its features.
- BibiGPT gives timestamped summaries and exports markdown to Notion or Obsidian.
- YouTube Collector transcribes with AI when captions are missing, and the chapter timestamps seek the player.
Choose the other one if
- Choose Gemini Notebook if most of your sources are PDFs and docs, and your videos already have captions. It reasons across a mixed pile of documents better than a video tool will.
- Choose BibiGPT if your notes have to end up in Notion or Obsidian and you want the push built in.
- Choose tl;dv if the recordings you care about are your own calls, not public video.
FAQ
Which of these handles a video with no captions? YouTube Collector, because it transcribes the audio itself. Gemini Notebook will refuse the import. The others don't say.
Can any of them do a whole playlist at once? YouTube Collector imports a playlist or channel in batches on Pro. We found no playlist import documented for the others.
Is a free tier enough to judge these? For one or two videos, yes. For a course or a back catalogue, the limits bite fast: 15 quotas a month, or 50 sources in a notebook.
Why no prices for every tool? Pricing pages move. We list only what we could read on the day shown.
Paste a YouTube link and see the transcript and chapters before you sign up: https://youtubecollector.com