Many people in the world use YouTube every dayHowever, watching YouTube does require an internet connection. Thankfully, there are now excellent YouTube video downloader tools that allow saving clips for offline viewing. In this review, we will cover the top YouTube downloader apps, evaluating their key features, pricing, and platform compatibility. We will compare the leading options so you can determine the best video saver software for your needs. Whether you are a casual user or a power user, there is a YouTube downloading utility suited for you. Read on as we dive into the pros and cons of the top-rated YouTube video downloader tools and services. By the end, you’ll know which one is right for easily saving videos for offline enjoyment.
Is downloading a YouTube video legal?
Many users wonder – is it lawful to download YouTube videos? In most countries, downloading content solely for personal offline usage is permitted under fair use copyright laws. You are not redistributing or profiting financially from the videos. However, always verify your specific country’s regulations, as laws do vary globally. Use sound judgment – sharing downloads illegally or attempting to sell them will likely bring legal consequences.
How do I save videos with YouTube Premium?
YouTube Premium is YouTube’s premium subscription service, providing ad-free access plus useful capabilities. One great feature is directly downloading videos within the YouTube app for offline viewing. Premium members can seamlessly save clips to their device’s storage without requiring any third-party software. This integrated option is very convenient but does require paying the monthly Premium subscription fee.
Top 11 YouTube video downloader software options
1. Ripyoutube
Ripyoutube features an easy-to-use interface with basic and advanced modes. It can download YouTube videos up to stunning 8K resolution. Additional features include grabbing subtitles, playlists, and full YouTube channels for offline viewing. This versatile tool supports all major operating systems like Windows, Mac, Linux and even has mobile apps for Android and iOS. With intelligent technology, it detects the best available quality and parameters for each download. Many customizable options are available such as choosing video and audio formats.
Available on: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS
Supported sites: YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Flickr, SoundCloud
Ripyoutube is great for casual and power users alike. The intuitive design allows quickly downloading any video or playlist in the desired quality and format. Scheduling downloads and capturing entire channels is also seamless. Overall an excellent choice for easily saving YouTube videos for offline playback.
Visit: https://ripyoutube.com/
2. aTube Catcher
aTube Catcher provides a straightforward interface for downloading videos from YouTube and over 50 other sites. It also converts videos to popular formats like MP4, AVI, 3GP. Audio extraction to MP3 format is supported too. The tool is available only for Windows computers. No registration is needed and the software is free.
Available on: Windows
Supported sites: YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, Metacafe, Break, Dailymotion
This downloader is very easy to use for beginners. Just copy and paste the YouTube video link to download. Converting to audio and video file types is also a simple process. The software has a built-in media player and library to manage downloads. Overall aTube Catcher is ideal for basic downloading tasks.
3. WinX YouTube Downloader
WinX YouTube Downloader has an extremely minimal interface that focuses only on core downloading functionality. No advanced options or cluttered menus. It grabs videos from YouTube and over a thousand other sites. Available for Windows and Mac platforms and supports downloading 4K and 8K videos. No registration needed for the free version.
Available on: Windows, Mac
Supported sites: YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, Metacafe, Twitch
This is a great no-frills option strictly for downloading videos in the highest quality. No confusing settings or additional features. The web browser extensions make downloading easy from the YouTube site directly. Overall a fast and reliable choice for anyone needing just the core video grabbing functionality.
4. Y2Mate
Y2Mate is an entirely web-based tool requiring no software installation whatsoever. Just head to the Y2Mate website, paste the YouTube video link, and download. It can save videos from YouTube and Facebook in MP4, M4A, and MP3 formats. No registration is needed for the free version.
Available on: Web browser
Supported sites: YouTube, Facebook
This online tool is great for quick and hassle-free downloading. No accounts or signup required. The intuitive browser-based interface makes it very easy to use. Simply get the video link, go to Y2Mate, and convert. Ideal for casual users who want a simple way to extract and save YouTube videos.
5. ClipConverter
ClipConverter is another free online tool for downloading and converting YouTube videos. It supports over 50 sites. ClipConverter can save videos as MP4 or extract the audio as an MP3. No software install needed, it runs fully in the browser.
Available on: Web browser
Supported sites: YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Twitch, SoundCloud
This web tool is very straightforward to use. Just enter the video link and pick MP4 or MP3 format. ClipConverter is especially great for converting videos to high quality audio-only files. The MP3 extraction is quick and includes useful metadata like artist name and album details. Overall a great option for simple browser-based downloading.
6. Freemake Video Downloader
Freemake Video Downloader has an easy-to-use interface compatible with Windows and Mac computers. It can download from YouTube plus over 500 other sites. Videos are saved as MP4 files by default. The software is free but the downloader is limited to 500 MB per day.
Available on: Windows, Mac
Supported sites: YouTube, Facebook, MTV, ComedyCentral
This tool is very simple and intuitive for beginners. Downloading videos from any site just takes a couple clicks. Useful presets allow optimizing MP4 videos for playback on mobile devices like Android phones. Overall a good option for basic downloading with the convenience of a desktop application.
7. FFmpeg
FFmpeg is an advanced open source command line tool for converting and downloading audio and video content. It offers virtually endless versatility and customization for experienced technical users. FFmpeg utilizes coding scripts for tasks like extracting audio, trimming footage, altering codecs, and more.
Available on: Windows, Mac, Linux
Supported sites: YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, Twitch, DailyMotion, and 1000+ more
FFmpeg allows ultra-precise control over downloading and manipulating media using code scripts. The tool is ideal for batch processing many files or automating complex conversions. Users can fine-tune parameters like video resolution, bitrates, frame rates, and codecs for maximum optimization. However, FFmpeg has a steep learning curve and is primarily suited for programmers or advanced coders. Casual users may find the interface too intimidating.
8. youtube-dl
youtube-dl is an open source command line program for downloading videos from YouTube and over 1000 sites. No install required, users simply download the python script.
Available on: Windows, Mac, Linux
Supported sites: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, and more
The youtube-dl tool is extensively utilized by software engineers to embed video downloading capabilities into their own programs and products. The tool supports advanced features like username/password authentication, proxies, throttling, and formatting output filenames. Users can supply input files containing multiple links for batch downloading. However, being coding-focused, youtube-dl appeals primarily to software developers and engineers versus casual users.
9. VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player is a popular free and open source media application. Beyond playing all video and audio formats, it can also download and convert YouTube videos. Just paste the URL and set options like quality and format.
Available on: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS
Supported sites: YouTube, Dailymotion, Vimeo, Twitch, SoundCloud
The built-in YouTube downloader offers basic functionality for saving a few videos. However, VLC lacks some convenience of dedicated downloader tools. There are no browser extensions or ability to grab playlists or channels. But it’s a handy backup option for quick downloads using an app you may already have installed.
10. Any Video Converter
Any Video Converter lives up to its name with downloading and format conversion features for over 1000 sites. Its interface is very intuitive and easy to navigate. Users can download videos including MP4, AVI, WMV, MOV, MP3, etc.
Available on: Windows, Mac
Supported sites: YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, MTV, Veoh, Dailymotion
This tool makes downloading very straightforward for beginners. Just copy the video link, click the download button, and select the desired file format. The conversion process is quick with good default settings. Any Video Converter lacks some more advanced options of other tools but makes up for it with simplicity. Overall it’s a good option for basic downloading tasks.
11. MediaHuman YouTube to MP3
As the name suggests, MediaHuman YouTube to MP3 focuses specifically on extracting audio from YouTube videos as MP3 files. It grabs the highest quality audio track available. Useful features include automatically tagging MP3s and customizing filenames.
Available on: Windows, Mac
Supported sites: YouTube
This application excels at pulling high quality audio from YouTube efficiently. Converting playlists to MP3 is easy and preserves all metadata. Dedicated tools like this one can outperform general downloader apps for extracting audio. If your main goal is saving YouTube music as MP3 files, MediaHuman is an excellent specialized choice.
What file formats can you download YouTube videos as?
YouTube downloader tools typically offer an array of file format options:
Video
MP4, AVI, WebM, 3GP, MKV, FLV, MOV and more
Audio
MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A
When grabbing the video, pick the desired file type to save as. MP4 gives a nicely compressed video while retaining good visual quality. For audio-only, MP3 compresses very well while still providing great sound.
How does the downloaded video quality compare to YouTube?
The downloader apps above generally match the video’s original quality as streamed on YouTube. If the uploader posted a 1080p or 4K quality video, expect a similar HD download. However, most downloaders do permit selecting a lower resolution if needed, like 720p or even 144p. So the quality depends on both the initial source and your chosen output settings. But overall, expect stellar results rivaling the online streams.
Can you download age restricted videos?
Most tools allow downloading age restricted content, as they simply grab the video file itself. However, you still need a YouTube account logged in and verified as 18+ years old to access such videos on the actual YouTube website initially. The downloaders themselves have no age restrictions.
Conclusion
As you can see, numerous excellent YouTube downloading applications exist today in 2023. For casual everyday users, Ripyoutube and Y2Mate provide an optimal experience. But advanced users have many powerful options like FFmpeg and youtube-dl too. With these handy tools, you can now conveniently watch your favorite YouTube videos offline – just stay on the right side of copyright law!