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Synop
What it is
Synop is a self-hosted web application that turns YouTube videos, playlists, and channels into summaries and study materials. Its searchable library provides full-text search, a cross-video topic map, and questions across saved content. Study Mode creates flashcards and quizzes, supports spaced-repetition review, and converts playlists into Anki decks. Individual video analysis includes semantic topic clusters, a multi-speaker debate matrix, freshness checks, and bias critique. Users can follow channels so new uploads are summarized automatically into the library. Summaries export as Markdown or PDF, or sync to Obsidian and Notion with generated wiki-links. Synop says videos can be summarized and discussed in over 12 languages and supports OpenAI-compatible providers, including OpenAI, DeepSeek, Groq, OpenRouter, Gemini, and local Ollama. Notes and summaries remain in a local SQLite database; the project says there is no Synop server. Setup requires Node.js 18 or later and an AI API key. It can run on a home server, Raspberry Pi, or VPS, with optional Postgres for multi-device or multi-user syncing. The MIT-licensed free plan has no subscription, but provider usage costs vary.
For and against
For
- Searchable library with cross-video topic maps
- Flashcards, quizzes, and spaced repetition
- Exports to Markdown, PDF, Obsidian, and Notion
- Supports more than 12 languages
- MIT-licensed free plan
Against
- Requires Node.js 18 or later
- Requires an AI API key
- Provider usage costs are separate
- Self-hosted setup is required
The verdict
Synop combines YouTube summarization with library search, study tools, and channel monitoring. Its local-storage design and provider flexibility stand out, while setup and AI-provider costs remain user responsibilities.
Who it suits
It suits students, researchers or analysts, and creators who organize YouTube material into searchable notes and study workflows. Self-hosters who want local storage and configurable AI providers may also find it suitable.
Plans and prices
Free
No subscription · bring your own AI API key · usage costs depend on chosen provider
Read 4 Oct 2026 · synop-ai.vercel.app
On the record
- AI providers
- Synop accepts OpenAI-compatible providers and lists OpenAI, DeepSeek, Groq, OpenRouter, Gemini, and local Ollama among its provider options.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Channel watchlist
- Users can follow channels and have new uploads automatically summarized into their library.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Exports
- Summaries can be exported as Markdown or PDF, or synced to Obsidian and Notion with generated wiki-links.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The README describes persona-specific workflows for students, researchers or analysts, and creators or writers.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Languages
- The official site says users can summarize and chat with videos in over 12 languages.synop-ai.vercel.app · read 4 Oct 2026
- Library
- Its searchable library includes a cross-video topic map, full-text search, and a feature to ask questions across the library.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- License
- The project is distributed under the MIT License.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Local provider guard
- Custom provider URLs are checked against private, metadata, and localhost addresses; self-hosters can opt in to local providers with ALLOW_LOCAL_PROVIDERS=true.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- The project says summaries and notes are stored in a local SQLite database, there is no Synop server, and AI keys are stored in browser local storage and sent to the selected provider per request.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Synop turns long YouTube videos into short, high-signal summaries tailored to students, researchers, or creators.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Self-hosting
- Synop can run wherever Node.js runs, including a home server, Raspberry Pi, or VPS, and supports optional Postgres for syncing across devices or multi-user use.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Setup requirements
- The README lists Node.js 18+ and an AI API key as requirements for setup.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Study tools
- Study Mode creates flashcards and quizzes, supports spaced-repetition review, and can turn a playlist into an Anki deck.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Video analysis
- Per-video analysis includes semantic topic clusters, a multi-speaker debate matrix, freshness checks, and bias critique.github.com · read 4 Oct 2026
