YouTube is a popular platform for watching and sharing videos. It showcases millions of videos, including movies, tutorials, reviews, recipes, and much more.
What do you do to watch videos offline without an internet connection? Can you download YouTube videos for free?
Yes, you can. YouTube free users can download videos at up to 144p resolution, while premium users can download in HD. However, the maximum resolution is limited to 1080p and is playable only in the YouTube app. It means you can’t export or edit them.
This is why you need YouTube downloader apps. These tools bridge the gap between “online only” and “offline forever,” allowing you to save videos in pristine 4K quality, extract audio for your workout playlist, or archive content that might disappear tomorrow.
Today, I will share the 15 best YouTube Downloader apps to download YouTube playlists, channels, and audio easily.
How I Ranked These Apps (My Criteria)
To ensure we are recommending only the best, I put over 20 legitimate apps through a rigorous testing process. Here is the rubric I used to score them:
- Malware & Adware Free: This is non-negotiable. If an app tried to install a “search bar” on our browser or flagged our antivirus, it was immediately disqualified.
- Resolution Support: It’s 2026. A downloader must support 1080p (Full HD) at a minimum, with bonus points for 4K and 8K support. Many inferior tools cap downloads at 720p.
- Format Flexibility: I looked for apps that offer MP4 (for video) and MP3/M4A (for audio extraction) without needing a secondary converter tool.
- Playlist & Channel Downloading: Can the app download an entire “Watch Later” playlist in one click? This is a huge time-saver for power users.
- Subtitle Extraction: For non-native speakers or accessibility needs, the ability to download the
.SRTA subtitle file alongside the video is essential.
Best YouTube Downloader Apps
These are the best tools for downloading YouTube videos in full quality, up to 8K resolution.
1. 4K Video Downloader
4K Video Downloader allows you to download YouTube videos, playlists, and even entire YouTube channels in high quality. It supports various video formats and resolutions, including 4 K and 8 K.
You can also extract audio from videos and save it as an MP3. This free tool can download YouTube search results, liked videos, private playlists, and extract subtitles in one click.
2. ClipGrab
ClipGrab is a free YouTube downloader that works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It also supports downloading videos from Facebook, Vimeo, DailyMotion, and many other sites, and converting them to various formats such as MP3, MPEG4, WMV, etc.
3. Freemake Video Downloader
Freemake Video Downloader is a free tool that lets you download videos from YouTube and over 10,000 other popular sites. Download full HD videos with 4K resolution, set a download speed to reduce the bandwidth consumption, and even download entire YouTube channels.
It supports several video formats, so you can play downloaded files safely on PC, Amazon Kindle, Android, and iOS devices. With their bulk video downloader, you can download up to 500 YouTube videos at once.
4. WinX YouTube Downloader
WinX YouTube Downloader is a fast and reliable tool for downloading YouTube videos. It supports batch downloading and enables you to save videos in various resolutions and formats.
You can download 4K/8K videos from 300+ websites individually or in bulk (up to 300).
5. Any Video Converter Free
Any Video Converter is a multipurpose tool for downloading YouTube videos and converting them to various formats. It offers a wide range of output format options, suitable for various devices.
The software also allows you to edit videos before downloading or converting them. Compress videos to reduce file size, extract audio from various video formats, and edit videos with trimming, cropping, and merging. During the editing process, you can add watermarks, music, and subtitles.
6. iTubeGo
iTubeGo is a popular YouTube video downloader. It lets you download entire YouTube playlists or channels with just a few clicks.
You can download HD videos with up to 8K resolution from several video hosting platforms. A YouTube-to-MP4 converter is another advantage. It lets you convert YouTube videos to MP4, MP3, MOV, AAC, WAV, and more. They have dedicated apps for Windows, Mac, and Android to convert and download videos easily.
7. Gihosoft TubeGet
Gihosoft TubeGet is a free YouTube downloader and MP4 converter. It can download videos from over 100 websites in 4K and 8K.
This software can download playlists, channels, and subtitles. With its YouTube-to-MP3 converter, you can save videos and playlists as audio for offline listening.
8. Airy
Airy helps you download YouTube videos and convert them into MP3 files. It can download YouTube channels, playlists, and private videos if you have access to them.
Batch and bulk downloads are available. Add unlimited videos to your download queue, and Airy can handle them all. It integrates with web browsers, making it easier to download videos directly while browsing. Open its YouTube to MP3 Converter to convert and download any YouTube content in one click.
9. ByClick Downloader
ByClick Downloader offers a simple and intuitive interface for downloading YouTube videos. It supports downloading videos, channels, and playlists in various formats and resolutions, including HD and 4 K.
This software can download videos from 40+ websites. It lets you download dozens of videos simultaneously, including private YouTube videos and private Facebook videos.
10. YTD Video Downloader
YTD Video Downloader is another free video downloader and MP3 converter. It allows you to download High Definition, 2K, 4K, and 8K videos from major video streaming sites in just a few steps.
Save an entire video playlist or channel and convert it to various formats, such as MP4, 3GP, MPEG, AVI, etc. There is an integrated video player for instantly watching downloaded videos.
11. StreamFab
StreamFab YouTube Downloader Pro is a feature-rich YouTube downloader for Windows and Mac. It also offers a YouTube-to-MP3 module that converts videos to various formats, including MP4, MKV, and MP3.
This app can download videos from 1000+ video hosting sites in up to 8K lossless video quality and up to 320kbps audio quality. It automatically detects videos on visited pages and displays available download resolutions.
You can also download movies and TV shows from YouTube Movies using a paid add-on.
12. YouTube-dl
YouTube-dl is a command-line tool that provides different options for downloading YouTube videos. It lets you download videos in various formats and resolutions, along with subtitles and thumbnails.
While it might require some technical know-how to use, YouTube-dl is known for its reliability and flexibility.
13. aTube Catcher
aTube Catcher is a simple program for downloading videos from YouTube and other video-sharing sites with just a few clicks.
Additionally, aTube Catcher offers features such as screen recording, video conversion, and DVD creation.
14. Zeemo
Zeemo is another online YouTube video downloader. You can download any public video and subtitles using it.
This software can also generate video captions with AI and 500+ pre-made templates. Upload your videos to the Zeemo dashboard, and it will automatically generate captions. Customize their appearance and translate them into other languages as you need.
15. Clipto
Clipto AI comes with a free YouTube video downloader online and a YouTube to MP3 converter. No need to download any software. Visit their website and paste your video URL.
You can download videos in various formats, such as MP3, MP4, and WAV. It also supports converting videos into audio and text with high accuracy.
Read 10 Best Video Downloader Tools (extensions) to Download Videos from Any Website
