How can we help?

Every email is answered personally by the developer, usually within a day. But most questions are answered right here.

🔑
Set up your API key
The illustrated walkthrough, step by step.
💳
Billing & cancelling
Pro, refunds, and one-click cancel.
🛠
Troubleshooting
When something goes wrong.

Connect your YouTube API key

CommentGem runs on your own YouTube Data API key. Google gives every project 10,000 units a day for free, which is roughly 50,000 comments — far more than most people use. There is no card to add and no bill to receive; the free allowance simply resets each day.

It takes about three minutes. If you get stuck at any step, email us and we'll walk you through it.

  1. 1

    Open the Google Cloud Console

    Go to console.cloud.google.com and sign in with the Google account you want to own the key. Any Google account works — it does not have to be the one that owns your YouTube channel.

    Google CloudMy First ProjectSearch for resources, docs, productsV1WelcomeYou're working in a projectPick or create one from the pill aboveAPIs & ServicesLibrary · Credentials · Enabled APIs
    These are illustrations — the Console's layout changes from time to time, so match the labels rather than the pixels.
  2. 2

    Create a project

    Click the project pill in the top bar — left of the search box — then New project. This opens a full page, not a pop-up. Name it anything you like — CommentGem is fine. Leave Parent resource as No organization if you are on a personal account, then press Create at the bottom left. If you already have a project you can reuse it instead. A project is just a container for the key; nothing is billed.

    Google CloudSearch for resources, docs, productsVNew ProjectProject name *CommentGemProject ID: commentgem-472152. It cannot be changed later.EditParent resource *No organizationBrowseSelect the organization or folder where this resource will be createdCreateCancelAB
  3. 3

    Enable the YouTube Data API v3

    Go to APIs & Services → Library, search for YouTube Data API v3, open it and press Enable. This is the step people miss. A key created without it looks perfectly valid and fails on every request with “API not enabled”. If the button already says Manage next to a green API Enabled, it is done.

    Google CloudCommentGemSearch for resources, docs, productsVProduct detailsYouTube Data API v3GoogleThe YouTube Data API v3 is an API that provides accessto YouTube data, such as videos, playlists,…ENABLE!Skip this and every request failsOverviewDocumentationSupport
  4. 4

    Create the API key

    In the same left menu choose Credentials, then + Create credentials → API key at the top. Copy the key it shows you — it starts with AIza. It also appears in the API Keys table below, which is where you can check it later.

    Google CloudCommentGemSearch for resources, docs, productsVAPIAPIs & ServicesEnabled APIs & servicesLibraryCredentialsOAuth consent screenCredentials+ Create credentials ▾DeleteAAPI keyOAuth client IDService accountBAPI KeysNameCreation dateRestrictionsAPI key 1TodayYouTube Data API v3✓
  5. 5

    Restrict it (recommended)

    Open the new key and under API restrictions choose Restrict key, then tick only YouTube Data API v3. If the key ever leaks, it can do nothing except read public YouTube data. Leave Application restrictions set to None — CommentGem calls the API from a server, so an HTTP-referrer restriction would block it. Back on the Credentials list, the Restrictions column should now read YouTube Data API v3; that is your confirmation it saved.

    Application restrictionsNoneHTTP referrers— would block CommentGemAAPI restrictionsRestrict keyYouTube Data API v3B
  6. 6

    Paste it into CommentGem

    Open the CommentGem extension, paste the key into the setup box and press Connect. It is checked immediately against YouTube, so you find out it works before you rely on it.

    CCommentGemConnect your YouTube API keyAIza••••••••••••••••••ConnectChecked against YouTube before it is saved✓

Billing & cancelling

How do I cancel Pro?

Open the CommentGem panel → Settings → Manage subscription → Cancel. One click, no emails, no retention flows. You keep Pro access until the end of your billing period.

What happens to my data if I cancel?

Nothing changes — your saved settings and API key stay in your browser. You just lose the Pro features (unlimited AI Chat, CSV/JSON export, custom themes).

Do you offer refunds?

If something didn't work as promised, email us and we'll sort it out. We'd rather refund you than have you feel tricked.

Why isn't the AI part free?

Every AI answer costs us real compute — we can't afford to give it away. Everything that doesn't cost us per-use (collecting, filters, search, timestamps, sharing) stays free forever.

If something goes wrong

“API not enabled” or every analysis fails immediately

Step 3 was skipped, or it was enabled on a different project than the key belongs to. Open the console, make sure the project selector shows the same project, and check YouTube Data API v3 is enabled there.

“Requests from referer … are blocked”

The key has an Application restriction set to HTTP referrers. CommentGem calls YouTube from a server, which sends no referrer. Set Application restrictions to None and keep the API restriction from step 5 — that is the part that actually protects the key.

“Quota exceeded” partway through the day

You have used the day's 10,000 units. It resets at midnight Pacific time, not at your local midnight. Cached videos cost nothing to re-read, so re-opening a report you already ran is always free.

A video analysed but showed no comments

That video has comments disabled or genuinely has none. It is not an error and retrying will not change it — CommentGem skips it and carries on with the rest.

I want to replace or remove my key

Open the extension's settings and paste a new key over the old one, or clear the field to disconnect. The key is stored in your browser, and removing it removes our ability to use it.

Contact

Email hello@commentgem.com. Include what you were doing and any message you saw — it is usually enough to spot the cause without a back-and-forth.