Recipes / News & Reading
YouTube channel summaries by email
Finds new videos on a channel, summarizes transcripts with ChatGPT, and emails the results.
Tool names link to each official site (opens in a new tab). Links marked “aff” are affiliate links. Disclosure
App vs bot, side by side
| Old app / habit | Bot | |
|---|---|---|
| Tool | Watching every new video | Make.comaff template + ChatGPT + email |
| Monthly cost | Not reported | Make free tier + OpenAI API (per our original read) |
| Setup | None (already in use) | Not reported · Beginner |
| Your time | Baseline | Not reported |
| Maintenance | Handled by vendor/you as before | Low. |
| Privacy | Data stays with the app vendor | Transcripts go to OpenAI. |
Full comparison
| Replaces | Watching every new video |
|---|---|
| Bot / agent stack | Make.com template + ChatGPT + email |
| Monthly cost before | Not reported |
| Monthly cost after | Make free tier + OpenAI API (per our original read) |
| Setup time | Not reported |
| Time saved | Not reported |
| Skill level | Beginner |
| Reliability | 3/5: official Make template. |
| Maintenance | Low. |
| Privacy & data | Transcripts go to OpenAI. |
| Best for | Following busy channels |
| Not for | Visual-heavy videos |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Official template
- No code
Cons
- Free-tier operation limits
How it works
- Open template
- Connect YouTube, OpenAI, email
- Pick channel
- Schedule
Source and evidence
Official Make template.
Read the original Template source ↗
Make (make.com) is a no-code tool for connecting apps into automated workflows, called scenarios, that you build on a visual canvas.
Make says (vendor claims, not tested by us):
- Visual drag-and-drop builder with routers and filters
- 3,500+ app integrations, plus AI agent and AI toolkit features
- Pay-per-action credits; most actions use 1 credit
Good for: multi-step automations you'd rather draw than code. Not ideal for: teams that want to self-host, or very high-volume flows where credits add up.
Free plan: 1,000 credits/month, limited active scenarios and a 15-minute minimum interval between runs. Paid plans start at Core ($9/mo billed annually, 10,000 credits). Our link has Make's referral promo switched on; Make shows the exact offer when you sign up. Facts as of Oct 2026, from Make's own website. More about Make →
Try Make ↗ Affiliate link: we earn a commission if you sign up, at no cost to you. It doesn't affect ratings. Disclosure
“Not reported” means the source doesn't say. We never fill gaps with guesses. Numbers marked “per author” or “vendor claim” are the source's own and weren't independently tested. Source last checked 2026-10-15.
Our rating is an editorial opinion based on the public source above, not lab testing. Spot an error? Request a correction.
Plain-text summary (for search and AI assistants)
YouTube channel summaries by email. Replaces Watching every new video with Make.com template + ChatGPT + email. Cost before: Not reported. Cost after: Make free tier + OpenAI API (per our original read). Setup: Not reported, Beginner. Time saved: Not reported. Reliability 3/5: 3/5: official Make template. Best for: Following busy channels. Not for: Visual-heavy videos. Source: https://www.make.com/en/templates/12000-get-youtube-videos-in-a-channel-summarize-transcripts-with-chatgpt-and-send-an-email
Related recipes
- AI RSS reader with a daily digest (4/5)
- Hourly AI-news digest to Telegram (3/5)
- One 5-minute digest for 30+ newsletters (3/5)
- Hacker News AI digest to Telegram (3/5)
More: all News & Reading recipes · Best AI agents to replace Zapier · AI agents that replace browsing and search · n8n vs Make: AI agent recipes compared
Questions, corrections or ideas?
Spotted an error, want a recipe covered, or have a partnership idea? Send us a message and we'll get back to you.
Starting your own newsletter? Try beehiiv ↗
Affiliate link: we earn a commission if you sign up, at no cost to you. It doesn't affect ratings. Disclosure
What is beehiiv?
beehiiv is a newsletter platform: you write and send emails, host a newsletter website, and grow and monetize a list from one place. We've used it for our own newsletter.
beehiiv says (vendor claims, not tested by us):
- Free plan with up to 2,500 subscribers and unlimited sends
- Built-in website, recommendation network and analytics
- 0% cut of paid subscription revenue (Stripe fees apply)
Good for: starting or growing an email newsletter. Not ideal for: email automations or removing beehiiv branding on a $0 budget (those need Lite or Pro).
Free plan: $0, no card needed. Paid plans from $49/mo billed annually (Lite, up to 1,000 subscribers). People who sign up through our link get a 14-day trial plus 20% off their first 3 months, per beehiiv's partner page. Facts as of Oct 2026, from beehiiv's own website. More about beehiiv →