In this guide, we have selected the top 5 software to download videos from YouTube. If you want to save a video in case it is taken offline or backup your own videos for backup, you need a free YouTube downloader.
These free tools will allow you to download and save videos from YouTube, and often other video sharing sites, in the format of your choice. You can usually choose to save the entire clip or just the audio, which is a great choice for music videos and video podcasts.
YouTube downloaders can also come in handy in other circumstances. If you have a slow internet connection, you will find that streaming videos can be a pain. With the right downloader, however, you can set the videos you're interested in downloading overnight so they're ready and waiting for you to enjoy in the morning, stutter-free and buffer-free.
Using third-party apps to download videos is against YouTube's Terms of Service , which states that you can only stream videos directly from its servers. Downloading videos is also a potential copyright infringement unless you own the video yourself, have permission from the copyright holder, or are in the public domain. Here are the best software to download videos from YouTube.
1. 4K Video Downloader
4K Video Downloader is the best free tool for fast and hassle-free YouTube downloads. It's simple to use, highly customizable, ad-free, and doesn't include any additional bundled software.
To grab a video (or an entire playlist, as long as it doesn't exceed 24 videos), simply copy its URL from your web browser, click "Paste URL" and select a format, quality, and location from exit.
There's a huge selection of formats – video and audio – including MP4 and MP3. You can download captions for individual videos, as well as 3D and 360 degree videos.
Exploring the properties lets you change options like multi-stream downloads (increasing the number of streams speeds up downloads, but increases the risk of YouTube blocking your IP address) and setting up a proxy connection.
2. WinX YouTube Downloader
Running WinX YouTube Downloader can download videos from all popular sites including Facebook, Vimeo and DailyMotion. It's very easy to use. Just paste a URL, select an output format and quality setting, and it will be added to the current batch.
Once you have added all the videos you want to download, just click on the “Download” button. All videos will be processed at once and saved in the destination folder of your choice.
WinX YouTube Downloader can download 4K video when available, and only loses 4K Video Downloader because it is unable to download 3D and 360 degree videos. If that's not a problem for you, this free YouTube downloader is highly recommended.
Download WinX YouTube Downloader
3. ByClick Downloader
ByClick Downloader is a free tool capable of downloading and converting videos and audios in various formats from over 40 platforms including major social networks. It can also download playlists and lives, which are some of our differentiators. All operations are very simple and intuitive.
It's free to download and install
Download from YouTube and 40+ other platforms.
Download video in 8k. Convert YouTube video to MP3.
4. aTube Catcher
Although the name suggests that it is just a YouTube downloader, aTube Catcher can actually save videos from most major video hosting sites.
Downloaded videos can be automatically converted to a number of popular formats, so you can adapt them to your intended use, or whatever device you intend to watch them on. If you are looking to download a large number of videos, you can download them all at once, maximizing your bandwidth – something not available in all free YouTube downloaders.
This free YouTube downloader also offers plenty of extras, like the ability to record screen videos, merge videos, and burn discs.
ATube Catcher is really a great all-rounder, but sneaky adware abounds during installation. When the first application is offered to you, be sure to click Cancel, and for the second, click Decline. Then you will be free to enjoy aTube Catcher without any unwanted surprises.
5. Any Video Converter
On the face of it, Any Video Converter Free is probably the best free YouTube downloader and converter out there. The only downside is that the free version of this awesome program limits you to downloading just one video at a time, but if you're looking for a free solution, this is something you may decide you're happy to put up with.
There are plenty of video formats to choose from, and there is even a basic video editor built into this YouTube downloader. This can be used to crop a video you upload, add simple effects such as color adjustment, and add overlay text.
The whole process is quick and easy. Any video converter's interface may not be to everyone's taste, but it's really nitpicking; it's a fantastic free YouTube downloader in every other way. Watch out for ByteFence and Yahoo software when installing, and you're good to go.
6. Free YouTube Download
There is no prize for guessing what Free YouTube Download does. This is a very simple, highly targeted and free YouTube downloader that removes distractions to do the job well. Paste a URL from YouTube and you can download the video in just a few clicks, or not at all if you enable the Auto Download option.
You can download multiple videos at once if you want, and you can convert to several different formats on the fly. Available formats depend on the quality of the original video, but AVI, MP4, iPhone/iPod, and MKV should be available in most cases. It is also possible to convert to audio-only MP3 if you don't need the video.
There's only one real downside, but it's a big deal - you can't use YouTube Free Download to grab clips under three minutes. That excludes most music videos, and that's a real shame.
Download Free YouTube Download
Conclusion
Here are the best software to download YouTube videos. Most of this software is free. Let us know your favorite software in the comment section below. You can also check out the best apps .
