Frequently asked questions
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What does SponsorSpy do?
SponsorSpy analyzes a YouTube video's transcript with AI and finds the moments where a sponsor you specify is mentioned. For each mention you get a timestamp, the exact quote and whether it's an ad read, a sponsored segment or an organic mention.
Which videos can I analyze?
Public YouTube videos that have captions available — either uploaded by the creator or auto-generated by YouTube. If a video has no captions, the analysis fails and your credits are returned.
Does it work for videos that aren't in English?
Yes. The transcript is analyzed in its original language and quotes are kept as spoken, without translation.
How accurate is it?
Every quote is checked against the transcript, so SponsorSpy doesn't return mentions that weren't actually said. The AI can still miss a mention or label it with the wrong type, especially when auto-generated captions misspell the brand — adding aliases helps. Treat results as a fast first pass and review the moments that matter.
Does it detect logos, on-screen ads or links in the description?
No. SponsorSpy works with what is said in the video. Visual placements and description links are not analyzed.
What's the difference between an ad read, a sponsored segment and an organic mention?
An ad read is a scripted pitch, usually with an offer or a call to action. A sponsored segment is a recurring show segment named after the brand. An organic mention is an incidental reference outside any ad context, such as a joke or a comparison.
What are aliases and why should I add them?
Aliases are other names a sponsor might be spoken as: a short name, a product name or a common misspelling. Auto-generated captions often spell brand names in unexpected ways, so aliases help SponsorSpy catch more mentions.
Do I need to connect my YouTube channel?
No. You only paste a link to a public video. SponsorSpy doesn't ask for access to any YouTube account.
How much does it cost?
You get 3 free analysis credits when you sign up, no credit card required. After that you can buy one-time credit packs or choose a monthly plan. One credit covers up to one hour of video; longer videos use more credits, rounded up per hour.
What happens if an analysis fails?
An analysis fails when it can't be completed because of an error — for example, the video has no captions, is too long for your plan, or something goes wrong on our side. In that case the credits are returned to your balance automatically, and you can repeat the analysis later. If the analysis completes but finds no mentions of your sponsor, it isn't a failure: the video was fully analyzed, so the credits are not returned.
How long can a video be?
Up to 3 hours by default. Some plans support longer videos.
Do purchased credits expire?
Purchased credits don't expire while your account remains active, unless stated otherwise at the time of purchase.
3 free analysis credits. No credit card required.