What you get

An outline you'd write FROM, not just read.

Roman-numeral hierarchy

I, II, III for sections. A, B, C for subsections. 1, 2, 3 for evidence. The shape every writer was taught.

Thesis at the top

The argument the video makes, distilled into one sentence at the top of the outline.

Evidence under each point

Quotes, examples, and statistics from the video grouped under the relevant argument.

Markdown export

Compatible with Notion, Roam, Obsidian, Google Docs. The outline survives the format change.

How it works

From video to writing-ready outline.

01

Paste the URL

Best on argument-heavy videos — essays, talks, lectures, panels.

02

AI extracts the structure

Thesis, claims, evidence — extracted and hierarchized in seconds.

03

Write from it

The outline becomes the skeleton. You fill in the connective writing. Drafting time, halved.

Examples

Inputs, outputs.

▸ YouTube essay (40 min)
5-section outline with thesis, claims, and counterarguments
▸ Academic lecture
Topic-by-subtopic outline with evidence and citations
▸ Founder podcast
Story-arc outline: setup, conflict, decision, lesson
▸ Conference panel
Comparative outline showing where speakers agree and diverge
Built for

For writers using video as input.

Essayists & journalists

Use a podcast as a source for your piece. The outline organizes your evidence before you start writing.

Students writing papers

Lecture video becomes essay outline. Bibliographies, evidence, structure — all there.

Researchers synthesizing talks

Watch ten conference talks, generate ten outlines, synthesize one paper. The literature-review accelerator.

Questions

Honest answers.

Will the outline sound like me or like a robot?

RecapGPT preserves the speaker's voice in pull-quotes and writes connective prose in a neutral editorial tone. Most users tweak 10-15% before publishing — far less than starting from a raw transcript. If you want a stronger personal voice, edit the connective sentences and leave the quotes alone.

Is it really free?

Yes. You get 3 free conversions per month with no credit card required. Pro is $5.99/mo for unlimited conversions and longer videos. We don't run ads or sell your data.

What format does the output come in?

Markdown, HTML, or plain text — your choice. Works with WordPress, Ghost, Substack, Medium, Notion, Obsidian, and anything else that accepts standard text. No lock-in.

Can I convert someone else's YouTube video?

Yes, if the video is public. The output is your draft, but the underlying ideas belong to the original creator — cite them, link to the video, and don't republish verbatim. Best practice is to use AI drafts as a starting point for your own analysis or commentary, not a substitute for it.

Related

More ways to use RecapGPT.

Stop watching. Start reading.

3 notes free every month. Pro is $5.99/mo. No credit card required to start.

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