Automate Video Transcription with the ReelScribe n8n Node
If you use n8n to automate workflows, you can now transcribe Instagram Reels, TikTok videos, and YouTube content directly from your automations — no custom HTTP requests required. The official ReelScribe community node is available on npm and installs in seconds.
Whether you're building a content pipeline, monitoring competitor accounts, or archiving video transcripts to a database, this node handles the transcription step so you can focus on the rest of your workflow.
What is n8n?
n8n (pronounced "n-eight-n") is an open-source workflow automation platform — similar to Zapier or Make, but self-hostable and developer-friendly. It lets you connect APIs, trigger actions based on events, and build complex automations using a visual node editor.
n8n supports hundreds of integrations through built-in nodes and a growing library of community nodes — packages published by third parties that add new capabilities. The ReelScribe node is one of these community nodes.
What the ReelScribe Node Can Do
The node wraps the ReelScribe API and exposes four operations:
- Transcribe: Submit any Instagram Reel, TikTok video, or YouTube video URL for transcription. The node can wait for the result automatically or fire-and-forget with a webhook callback.
- Get Transcription: Retrieve a specific transcription by its ID or request ID — useful for checking status in multi-step workflows.
- List Transcriptions: Fetch all your transcriptions with optional filters by status (completed, failed, processing) or video URL.
- Get Credits: Check your current credit balance and subscription tier to build credit-aware automations.
How to Install
Installation takes under a minute:
- In your n8n instance, go to Settings > Community Nodes.
- Click Install a community node.
- Enter n8n-nodes-reelscribe and click Install.
- The ReelScribe node appears in your node palette immediately.
Set Up Your API Key
- In n8n, go to Credentials > New Credential and search for ReelScribe API.
- Enter your API key — you can generate one from your ReelScribe dashboard settings. API keys start with
rs_. - Click Save. The credential is tested automatically by checking your credit balance.
Example Workflows
Here are three practical automations you can build with the ReelScribe node:
1. Auto-Transcribe New Videos to Google Sheets
Use a trigger (RSS feed, webhook, or scheduled scrape) to detect new video URLs. Pass each URL to the ReelScribe node with Wait for Completion enabled, then append the transcript, video metadata, and a timestamp to a Google Sheets row. This gives you a living spreadsheet of transcribed content — perfect for content teams tracking what competitors post.
2. Bulk Transcription Pipeline
Read a list of video URLs from a spreadsheet, database, or CSV file. Loop through each URL with the ReelScribe node in fire-and-forget mode, which returns immediately with a request ID. Use a separate workflow triggered by a webhook (the node's Resume URL parameter) to process results as they come in. This pattern handles hundreds of videos without blocking.
3. Content Repurposing Workflow
Transcribe a video, then pass the transcript text to an AI node (like OpenAI or Claude) to generate a blog post summary, social media captions, or SEO-optimized descriptions. Chain the output into a CMS, email tool, or Slack channel for review. One video URL in, multiple content pieces out.
Key Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Multi-Platform | Instagram Reels, TikTok videos, YouTube videos and Shorts |
| Wait for Completion | Automatically polls until the transcription is ready (configurable interval and timeout) |
| Fire-and-Forget | Returns immediately with a request ID; optionally sends a webhook when done |
| Duplicate Detection | If you've already transcribed a URL, the node returns the existing result instead of charging another credit |
| 99+ Languages | Automatic language detection with support for 99 languages |
| Rich Metadata | Returns transcript text, timestamped segments, video duration, engagement metrics, hashtags, and more |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a ReelScribe account to use the n8n node?
Yes. You need a ReelScribe account and an API key. Sign up for free to get 25 credits, then generate an API key from your dashboard settings.
How many credits does each transcription cost?
One credit per video, regardless of video length or platform. If you submit a URL that has already been transcribed on your account, the existing result is returned at no additional cost.
Can I use this with n8n Cloud or only self-hosted?
Both. Community nodes work on n8n Cloud and self-hosted instances. On self-hosted, you can also install via npm install n8n-nodes-reelscribe.
What happens if a transcription fails?
Your credit is automatically refunded. The node returns the error details so you can handle failures in your workflow — for example, by retrying or sending an alert.
Ready to automate video transcription?
Start with 25 free credits — no credit card required. Install the n8n community node and start building workflows in minutes.
Get Your Free API Key →Also see: How to transcribe YouTube videos · How to transcribe TikTok videos · How to transcribe Instagram Reels