YouTube Downloader is an app, online service or browser extension which allows you to download and convert video and audio from YouTube. Most popular formats are MP4 and MP3. For instance, if you need to download video from YouTube to watch it later you will use YouTube to Mp4 video downloader. On the other hand if you are interested in music and want to download songs – you will need some YouTube to Mp3 converter. Most of the apps, websites and extensions can provide full service which means they convert beautifully in Mp3 as well as in Mp4.

How to choose YouTube Downloader and Converter

We will focus on speed and other parameters of the YouTube downloaders to choose the fastest and most useful ones in any situation.

Basically, there are three options to download and convert any YouTube video:

There some pros and cons to any option. We will discuss it further.

YouTube Downloaders for PC and Mac

If want a reliable and comfortable way to download and convert YouTube video/audio – apps are the way to go! Yes, you have to pay some money but you get useful tool with a lot of options. It will be secure, no-ads experience with fastest download speed.

YouTube By Click Downloader – is a great app: quality up to 8K plus support for other websites: Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, Dailymotion, etc.

Snapdownloader.com – is another monster machine with 900+ websites supported and ability to download YouTube playlists, channels and even Virtual Reality (VR) 360° videos from YouTube!

Download YouTube Video with Chrome Extension

After you install one of the Chrome extensions you will see “Download” button under your YouTube videos:

Unfortunately, Google is against YouTube video downloads. That’s why extenstions are frequently deleted from official Chrome Web Store and from other browsers as well. You can circumvent this by installing extensions from other sources.

One of the best plugins for downloading YouTube video is YouTube Video Downloader. It allows you to donwload videos in 4K quality and works in Chrome, Opera, UC, Vivaldi.

To install YouTube Video Downloader: open its website, choose your browser and press “How to install”. Video instruction will guide you through the rest of the process.

Another good extension is y2mate. It allows you to download videos in Firefox or Google Chrome with 1080p video quality. To install y2mate plugin – go to the website, download plugin and follow instructions.

You can also these plugins if it’s ok for you to download video in 720p quality:

Easy Youtube Video Downloader Express from Dishita (Firefox) 
SaveFrom.net helper (Opera) 
Skyload (Opera) 

Download YouTube video online

You do not need any app just open website and put your YouTube url inside.
Copy your YouTube URL and open one of this websites:

ClipConverter.cc (max video quality – 4K).
KeepVid.id (max video quality with sound – 1 080p, without sound – 4K).
y2mate.com (max video quality — 1 080p).
noTube.net (max video quality — 1 080p).
savefrom.net (max video quality with sound – 1 080p, without sound – 4K).
VDyoutube.com (max video quality with sound – 720p, without sound – 4K).

After openning website copy your YouTube link in the special place, choose quality and format of the output file, push download button and wait a little bit for the magic to happen!

If you’ve got an iPhone or iPad use Safari browser. Other browsers on Apple devices can work incorrectly while downloading files. Also make sure that you use iOS 13 or newer and iPadOS.

Download YouTube video to Android phone with an app

There are no suitable apps in Google Play because of the copyright issues. Anyway you can download and install some app right from its developer’s website. 

Remember that Google Play is not responsible for the apps that are downloaded from other sources. They can harm your device or lead to blockage of your Google account!

If you want to take some risk – install any of this apps (you need to just open the website from your mobile device, download installer and run it):

Videoder →
Snaptube →
InsTube →

If the browser during installation says that you’ve got no permissions – go to “Options” and grant it. If there is no such question – go to the “Options” of your device then look for some “Security” menu and let your phone install apps from outside sources.

Apps for Android are free but show you Ads. Their functionality is nearly identical and they work like this:
– find desired video through the inside search option
– press “Download” button
– choose video quality
– wait while video is downloading

All three apps can download video in quality up to 4K but if the quality is higher than 1080p then InsTube will download without sound.