At times, while browsing, you’ll come across the perfect YouTube video to use for your own content. “If only there was a way to download it without asking the owner” – you mutter. The good news is, there are certain websites and applications, commonly referred to as YouTube Downloader, that let you do just that.
There are tons of options when it comes to YouTube downloaders.
While some may cost you a good few dollars to acquire, most are 100% free.
In fact, there are certain platforms that don’t even require you to download any software (all you need is the video URL and you’re good to go).
If you’ve never done this before, and are paranoid that you might end up with a malware, keep reading.
We’ve talked about YouTube video editors in the past. This time, we’ll take you through 15 of the best free YouTube downloaders to try in 2021. In the end, I’ll also take you through quick do’s and don’ts of using these video downloaders.
Let’s get started.
The Best YouTube Downloaders to Try This Year
The following YouTube video grabber tools will reign supreme in 2021.
1. KeepVid
Let’s start off with the most basic (and one of the most popular) tools.
KeepVid (by iTubeGo) is the go-to website to download YouTube videos in MP4 format.
Apart from individual videos, the tool also lets you conveniently download complete YouTube playlists in one go.
Other than that, you can also download videos from Facebook, Instagram, and Dailymotion.
2. y2mate
y2mate is another (rather simple) YouTube to MP4 converter.
Simply copy and paste the video link into the field on the homepage and click “start.”
A great thing about y2mate is that it allows you to download videos in different resolutions, from 144p to 1080p.
Additionally, the tool also lets you download just the audio, or convert and download videos into MP3 files.
3. Videoder
Videoder is a free video downloader available for Windows and Android.
The software lets you download 4K videos from not only YouTube, but over 1,000 other websites, as well (whereas the android version lets you download from a little over 50 different sites).
Furthermore, the desktop version lets you create personal collections of videos and audios. This means no more buffering or browsing through a clutter of files.
4. Snaptube
Snaptube is another user-friendly tool that lets you download YouTube videos in different resolutions and formats.
Some of the formats that Snaptube supports include M4A, MP4, and MP3.
As of now, the tool is only available for Android, but it isn’t available on Google Play – so you’ll need to download the APK.
Similar to the Android version of Videoder, Snaptube lets you download videos from over 50 different sites, besides YouTube.
5. Airy
Airy is a renowned YouTube video downloader that lets you convert videos into various formats and resolutions (including Ultra HD).
Some of the supported formats include:
- MP4
- FLV
- 3GP
- MP3
Unlike some plug-and-play tools, you’ll need to download Airy before you can use it. As of now, it’s available for both Windows and Mac OS.
The tool also integrates with all popular browsers, including:
- Chrome
- Firefox
- Safari
- Opera
This allows you to “save” the videos you like, and download them later.
6. TubeMate
TubeMate is another standard YouTube downloader that lets you grab your favorite videos in MP4 and 4GP formats (as well as in audio formats, including MP3 and WAV).
The tool also comes with its own video player and a built-in search feature that lets you find videos conveniently.
TubeMate is available for both Android and Windows.
7. 4K Video Downloader
4K Downloader is a well-known provider of free content-grabbing products.
Their most popular tool is the 4K Video Downloader, which lets you download videos from YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and more.
As with TubeMate, this is another tool you’ll need to download before you can start using it. At the moment, it’s only available for Windows.
Like a few of the tools discussed earlier, the 4K Video Downloader also lets you download complete playlists. Furthermore, it lets you download complete channels in one go.
8. YT Cutter
At times, we only need certain parts of videos.
While there are many free tools that let you trim and embed videos, only a few let you actually download them.
One of them is YT Cutter – it lets you download the bits that you like in a few different formats, like so:
It even lets you download files as a GIF. However, if you’d like to learn how to make a GIF, I suggest using a different tool.
9. Gihosoft TubeGet
Gihosoft is a renowned provider of (both paid and free) data recovery tools, file encryption, video convertor, and downloading tools.
One of their popular products include the Gihosoft TubeGet – a standard, user-friendly YouTube downloader – that’s available for Windows and Mac operating systems.
The tool allows you to download videos in 4 different formats (MP4, MKV, AVI, and MOV).
In addition, it also lets you:
- Convert downloaded videos from WebM into various popular formats
- Add subtitles to your videos
There are both free and paid versions available for Gihosoft TubeGet. The only differences between the two versions is that with the later, you also get license(s) and technical support.
10. YTOFFLINE
YTOFFLINE is a plug-and-play, ready-to-go, YouTube downloader that lets you save your favorite videos on the go.
Just copy and paste the URL into the field and click “Go.”
Once it finishes processing your video, follow these steps:
- Scroll down and right click on the “Download” button.
- Select “save link as” (will vary from browser to browser), choose where you want your video to be saved, and click on “Save.”
YTOFFLINE is 100% secure and uses SSL encryption.
11. VideoProc
VideoProc is an extensive video processing software (by Digiarty), with a wide range of capabilities.
With the help of this tool, you can cut, merge, crop, rotate, and do much more to make click-worthy videos.
In addition, the software also includes an built-in “media downloader,” which lets you download videos from over 1,000 websites.
The tool also lets you convert downloaded videos into MP4, MP3, and other formats supported by both iPhones and Android devices.
VideoProc is available for free (for Windows and Mac). There’s also a pro-version with advanced features and additional services.
12. VidMate
Next on the list is VidMate, yet another YouTube downloader for Android.
The platform lets you download videos from YouTube, along with over 200 other platforms.
It also lets you stream online videos in HD.
A key feature of VidMate is its integrated downloader, which provides fast download speeds (even with slow internet connections).
Like all video downloaders, this tool isn’t available on Google Play due to Google’s policy against downloading content from YouTube. Due to that, you’ll have to download the APK and install it manually on your device.
13. iTubeGo YouTube Downloader
iTubeGo is an extensive content-grabbing tool that lets you download music and video.
On top of that, it also lets you convert videos into MP3 (audio), download YouTube playlists at once, and manage multiple downloads.
Right now, it’s available for both Windows and Mac. You can enjoy all of the main features with the free version.
14. Softorino YouTube Converter 2
Built for Mac and Windows, Softorino YouTube Converter 2 allows you to convert and download YouTube videos into different formats.
Apart from YouTube, the software also supports up to 60 other platforms.
15. ClipGrab
Marketed as a “friendly downloader for YouTube,” ClipGrab is the last on the list.
However, that doesn’t mean that it’s not as good as the others. In fact, in terms of simplicity and ease-of-use, it’s one of the best tools out there.
Not only does it allow you to download videos from YouTube, but Vimeo and Facebook, as well.
As of now, ClipGrab is only compatible with Windows.
Is Downloading YouTube Videos Legal?
Whether you want to do video marketing or just want to keep content saved on your device, it is illegal to download YouTube videos.
Because of that, most of the tools discussed above aren’t available for download from major app stores.
You should only download a video if:
- It’s your own property
- It’s a royalty-free stock footage
- You get permission from the original owner/uploader
The reason why YouTube discourages downloading is to protect its users and retain them on their platform.
Enjoy Your Videos
Now that you’ve downloaded your favorite video(s), it’s time to spice them up and make them your own assets.
Remember – you can always use Lumen5 to create stunning videos with just a few clicks.
