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YouTube Music Downloader for Mac Popularity Chart

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Airy 4.9 Rank based on 811+ users, Reviews(885)

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Olga Weis Jan 5, 2021

How to download music from YouTube on Mac? Users pump out a whole lot of content on YouTube, not the least of which is music. You’ll find that even mainstream bands have put entire albums up for public access. And even if you had to stick to user-generated music, you’d be set for decades to come. But there’s more - you can download audio from YouTube Mac apps, and bring it wherever you go.

Download YouTube Music on Mac Desktop

Airy

Requirements: OS X 10.9+. 23.1MB free space. Version 3.22.327. (15 Feb, 2021). 4.9 Rank based on 811+ users, Reviews(885)
Category: UtilitiesApplication

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Truly, there may be no better solution to download YouTube audio Mac can play offline. Airy is all about options - and those options are neatly tucked away until the exact moment you need them. If you tend to get confused by poorly-described switches and sliders, this is the app for you: Airy is minimalism itself, given form and repurposed for audio conversion.

When you download audio from YouTube Mac apps, it’s usually pretty fast, but Airy takes this quickness to new heights. It’s a refined process; whatever you choose - audio or video, playlist or channel - it’ll take moments to start up, with no learning required. When everything is queued up, Airy also acts as a powerful download manager.

Reasons Why Airy Is the Preferable Choice

Pros:

Downloads can be started and controlled in a click
Numerous settings to optimize your experience
Completely safe and reliable
Can queue countless files at once

Cons:

Free trial is sparse, only 2 downloads
Full version costs money

ClipGrab Open Source Converter

It’s always a breath of fresh air to see a project motivated entirely by enthusiasm, rather than money. ClipGrab is a GPL-licensed utility with a surprising range of functions, especially when compared to most paid apps. How to download YouTube music on Mac for free? ClipGrab is a good choice.

Why Download YouTube Music on Mac with ClipGrab?

Pros:

Totally free
Safe with transparent code
Various formats to choose from

Cons:

Can’t start downloads without copy/paste
No playlist download feature

4K YouTube to MP3 Freeware Tool

4K YT achieves remarkable speed for a free app. Make no mistake - the free functionality is still limited; but it’s reasonably useful, capped out at 30 downloads for every 24 hours. What makes this a quick YouTube music downloader for Mac? Well, it’s got a "smart mode" that’ll save you the effort of copying and pasting links.

Upsides and Downsides of 4K

Pros:

Smart mode requires no setup
Limited premium functions for free

Cons:

Two paywalls instead of one ("Pro" license)
Unremarkable for the price
Some bugs are present

MacX YouTube Downloader

MacX won’t astound you. But that’s beside the point; what’s the use for all these fancy-schmancy features if they don’t work? The main selling point of MacX is constant, unceasing support. It updates regularly, and you’ll find plenty of help, both from Digiarty employees and from detailed, intricate guides. The only other notable thing is its support of proxy downloads. When downloading music from YouTube Mac shouldn’t be restricted.

Assessing MacX YouTube Music Downloader for Mac

Pros:

Stable support
Regular updates
Detailed help

Cons:

Lacks special features
Very steep price relative to quality

Ways to Download YouTube Music to Mac Online

Now we’re really going off the deep end. If you’re wondering how to download music from YouTube on Mac, eventually, you’ll stumble into one of these. Online services. Sleazy, ad-laden and slow, they’re your only respite when you don’t want to install anything. But we chose some of the better ones.

FLVTO Online Music Downloader for Mac

FLVTO has an interesting thing going for it. It’s just a storefront for a full desktop app. That’s one reason to trust it more than most other website downloaders. Maybe it’s not the quickest way to download audio from YouTube Mac has to offer, but it certainly won’t give you a Trojan.

If you’re wondering how to use it, it’s all quite simple. Copy a video link, paste it into the text box, choose your options and "Download".

The Pros and Cons of FLVTO

Pros:

Made by a responsible company
Pretty much safe

Cons:

Slow downloads
Sparse format selection

YTMP3.cc Web Conversion Service

This service will let you download YouTube music on Mac in style. But where it has style, there’s not much substance. It’s got an absolutely minimal selection of formats, MP3 and MP4, with no quality options whatsoever. That artstyle is respectable, though; there’s even a dark theme, if you care about that. In addition, the ads are harmless, and it doesn’t carry any malicious intent.

How Does It Measure Up?

Pros:

Secure
Visually pleasant

Cons:

Extremely narrow choice of formats
Ads on download

Download Audio from YouTube Mac Browser Extensions

Extensions serve as a middle-ground between the two previously described app types. They aren’t as reliable and safe as a desktop YouTube music downloader for Mac, but they also won’t require as much investment. In fact, most are free. But don’t expect regular updates.

Y2mate YouTube Downloader for Firefox

It’s very simple to get an add-on for Firefox. Y2Mate is available for free, and it’s even officially curated. That’s a significant upside. It’s comfortable, has different formats, and it’s easy to use. There’s just one problem: browsers aren’t great with large downloads. There isn’t even a pause function. If you’re going to download huge podcasts, pass this one up. There are better apps to download audio from YouTube Mac can handle.

Considering Y2Mate

Pros:

Minimal setup
Free to use
Confirmed to be safe

Cons:

Uses browser to download
No significant support

Addoncrop YouTube to MP3 Converter for Chrome

To get an extension for Chrome, you have to go through an ordeal. Chrome Web Store Developer Policy is to blame; Google is walking on eggshells around potential copyright infringements. Fortunately, the store still has Crosspilot, which, in turn, allows you to install add-ons from Addoncrop. That’ll get you started with music downloads right quick. Is it worth the hassle? You decide.

The Traits of Addoncrop

Pros:

Looks cool
Useful with many options

Cons:

Third-party, dubious safety
Hard to find and install

Why Desktop Solutions are Superior to Websites

It might seem like we’re a bit biased towards desktop apps. But trust us, there are objective reasons why we play them up so much. They are just straight up better in so many respects. A YouTube music downloader for Mac has to be held to a higher standard.

The best YouTube to MP3 converter is not the one that can fulfill an arbitrary list of criteria; it has to provide a complete, interconnected, comprehensive user experience with high usability. Browser apps lack in this regard.

FAQ

We’ve to pack as much info as possible into the article, however, we are sure that there are still some unanswered questions on how to convert YouTube video to MP3 on Mac. That’s why we’ve put together some answers to frequently asked questions.

Which app can I use to download music from YouTube?

From the list above, Airy seems to be the best option for Mac. It’s a dedicated YouTube to MP3 downloader and it comes with great features like audio extraction, quick batch downloads, and the ability to manage them as well.

How can I download YouTube songs on my phone?

You can download audio from YouTube Mac apps and transfer the downloaded files to your phone. Or you could use an app like YouTube Music, but you’d have to pay a monthly subscription.

How can I listen to free music offline?

You can listen to free music offline through a music streaming app. Soundcloud and Spotify, for example, offer some tracks for free, but important features may be locked behind a Premium version.

Airy

Requirements: OS X 10.7+ , 23.1MB size
Version 3.22.327 (15 Feb, 2021) Release notes
Category: UtilitiesApplication

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4.9 Rank
based on
811 + users Reviews (885)

Maria Night 2020-12-29T01:33:12

Hi. If you don't mind, I would like to suggest the AceThinker Music Keeper since this tool is so reliable when it comes to download music on Mac and Windows PC. It has a built-in search browser where you can search the keyword of the song to find the specific song that you want to have.

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Download Music from Mac with Airy

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