You’ll need a YouTube URL to get started.
You can get one either from the address bar, or through "Share" - "Copy to clipboard".
YouTube video downloader Mac apps are highly popular, because YouTube pulls a lot of traffic, and people want to access YouTube videos even when they can't connect to the Internet. Since apps constantly change and compete, you need to look at the most up-to-date list of such apps to choose the best one. We offer a selection of freshly-reviewed great apps that allow you to download YouTube videos on macOS.
11 Best YouTube Downloaders for Mac in 2022
Airy Video Downloader
Airy is a high-grade Mac YouTube downloader. It can do many things, such as playlist downloads, subtitle downloads, conversion to audio and 3GP, parallel downloading and large-scale video saving. You can choose both HD and low-definition depending on your needs. Use the browser integration feature to maximize your convenience when using the app. Access blocked and age-restricted videos with this YouTube downloader for Mac.
Pros:
- Plentiful features, all accessible with a single click
- Able to queue up many downloads in various formats
- Download management; can run multiple at once
- Music, video, subtitles - nothing is off the table.
Cons:
- Converter feature can’t be used separately
- Only YouTube is supported.
How to Download YouTube Videos on Mac
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Pop it into Airy’s own search bar.
Before you start the download, make sure to change any desired options.
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Start the download and wait for it.
Soon, you’ll have your video, playlist or whatever else your heart desires.
WinX HD Video Converter for Mac
WinX is a popular third-party alternative for YouTube downloads. It covers many platforms and formats. Some say it makes WinX the best YouTube video downloader; others claim that it’s overly confusing. Regardless, it’s a solid, quality-assured product.
Keep in mind that WinX is, essentially, a paid product: the meager trial limit expires quickly, urging you to purchase the license. And $30 is just a discount price; if you’re unlucky enough, you’ll have to cough up a lofty $45.
Pros:
- Many available video formats
- Special compression algorithms
- Numerous secondary features.
Cons:
- Steep price
- Busy interface.
Downie
Online Video Downloader - Downie currently allows you to download media content from over 1,000 different websites, including Facebook, Vimeo, YouTube, Instagram, etc. Besides that, the list of the supported platforms is growing rapidly making Downie the best YouTube video downloader.
This app makes it possible to download videos from YouTube without even launching the website. Thanks to the built-in search you can search for YouTube videos right in the app. Besides that, there is a browser extension to facilitate the download process.
Downie is a simple tool that is not overwhelmed by thousands of features. It is considered to be one of the most practical and versatile applications in its class. The app requires a computer running macOS 10.11 or later.
Pros:
- Ability to download audio and video from over 1200 platforms
- Ability to save YouTube videos in 4K
- Built-in search option
- Support for MP4 download
- Ability to extract and download only audio.
Cons:
- Inconvenient quality control
- Setapp service membership is required to use the app.
Softorino YouTube Converter 2
Far from a mundane downloader, Softorino breaks the mold by providing automatic recognition for video thumbnails and tags. Combined with the possibility to instantly transfer files to iPhone/iPod, the program is clearly specialized towards music collectors, and it may be the best YouTube video downloader for this purpose.
Outside of that, there is the normal functionality you’d expect from a YouTube downloader Mac. Softorino will be fine for queuing multiple clips or movies. Sadly, it’s only available on a subscription-based license: a month will cost you $9.95, only slightly less expensive than YouTube premium.
Pros:
- Caters to music fans
- Works with iDevices
- Cheap initial purchase.
Cons:
- Expensive in the long run
- Mediocre for batch downloads.
Wondershare YouTube Downloader
It’s the highest rated Mac YouTube downloader that can be truly used for free. Of course, one should not expect the full functionality from a trial version.
The full app asks for $29.99. Among the many limitations of the free version, there are also ads plastered here and there. Thankfully, there are none of the malicious adware variety, just banners. Regardless, this could very well be the best free YouTube downloader for Mac.
Pros:
- Adequately functional
- Simple to use.
Cons:
- Free version quite limited
- Some ads present
- Not the best deal for $30.
iTube Studio
iTube makes a bold move by advertising Netflix recordings as one of its main features. It’s an all-around average YouTube downloader for Mac, with some additional capabilities to spice it up. The price tag is not so hot - $24.95 for a yearly subscription, $34.95 for a lifetime license. Maybe worth it if you’re just in for a year.
Pros:
- Can record/convert Netflix
- Converter can be used by itself.
Cons:
- Many better, cheaper alternatives
- May get decimated in a copyright battle.
MacX YouTube Downloader
And here comes another entry from Digiarty. While it may seem that way, WinX and MacX are 2 entirely different apps, with WinX also being available for Mac. And for MacX, it’s not a favorable comparison.
But even though it lacks many features in light of its successor, this app is still very solid, has a plenty of conveniences and accessible streaming sites.
Pros:
- Many different sites to download from
- Free technical support
- Always on discount.
Cons:
- Limited format selection.
PullTube YouTube Downloader for Mac
PullTube has a rather limited selection of conversion formats. That lowers its ranking by a bit. But in other regards, it brings a lot of new stuff to the table. Gesture control, video cropping and cutting - all very curious.
While certainly not a contender for the title of best free YouTube downloader, it’s an interesting app that may be more comfortable or novel than many higher positions on this list. And it’s pretty cheap at $14.99. Consider it if you don’t have a problem with MP4 and M4A.
Pros:
- Exotic interface
- Can crop and trim video
- Adequate overall.
Cons:
- Limited format selection
- UI can be awkward if you’re not into it.
4K Video Downloader
4K is an unremarkable piece of software, earning this spot with its addition of "Smart Mode". It’s an interesting solution to cut out the copy-paste operations without installing or running any additional programs in the background. There are also options to select different subtitles, if it’s of primary concern to you.
There are many alternatives, but if you feel skittish about browser extensions or background-running software, this is a good choice. It’ll cost you €15, otherwise you can download 30 videos for free on a daily basis.
Pros:
- Smart Mode is good
- Advanced subtitle options
- Limited free use.
Cons:
- Definitely not the best video downloader
- The paid version has more paywalls.
ClipGrab Open Downloader
Unlike all previous competitors, ClipGrab is completely free. It’s only sustained by donations and the goodwill of its developers. Also, given that it’s licensed under GPL, there is transparency about the code and less risk of malicious injections. It’s completely innocuous.
Feature-wise, it doesn’t stand out too much, and there are no special shortcuts to start downloads in a snap. There’s a built-in YouTube browser, so that’s neat. It’s a decent appetizer before you start reaching for your wallet. We've collected several great free YouTube downloader solutions.
Pros:
- Completely open and free
- Safe and transparent.
Cons:
- No playlist capability
- Issues with downloading some YT videos
- No shortcut features.
YTD
YTD gets more of an honorary mention. It works on multiple sites, has a separate converter and a built-in video player (though, who’s gonna use that?). A large plus is the download manager - its fancy, compact UI pleases the eye. It’s only a shame that YTD sells on a subscription basis - $24 for a year, and a whopping $9 for a single month. You can read this article to find even more the YTD alternatives.
Pros:
- Tries to be a multi-purpose app
- Works on several streaming services
- HD audio downloading and extracting from videos
- Can be tried out for free.
Cons:
- Expensive in the long term
- Very few formats to choose
- Not very versatile.
How to Identify the Best YouTube Downloader Mac
Other than testing them on our trusty MacBook Pro (2015) with Monterey, we’ve also graded the aforementioned apps according to a set of completely objective, totally unbiased criteria. Some highly preferable features include:
- ★ Ability to choose the format and video quality
- ★ Extract music
- ★ Pausing/resume downloading
- ★ Bulk downloading
- ★ Downloading Channels and playlists
- ★ User-friendly interface
- ★ Browser integration support
- ★ Private YouTube videos download
Comparing Table of the Best YouTube Downloaders
Use this tool to compare and contrast the best way for you to download YouTube on Mac. These YouTube downloaders all have something to offer, so find the best one for you here!
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Top features
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VideoDuke
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Airy
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WinX YouTube Downloader
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Wondershare YouTube Downloader
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MacX YouTube Downloader
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iTube Studio
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PullTube
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4K YouTube Downloader
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ClipGrab
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YTD Video Downloader for Mac
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Download videos from YouTube
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Download videos from YouTube
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Download in different video formats
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Download in different video formats
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Choose video resolution
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Choose video resolution
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Download HD video
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Download HD video
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Browser integration
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Browser integration
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Extraction of audio from YouTube
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Extraction of audio from YouTube
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Playlist downloading
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Playlist downloading
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Channel downloading
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Channel downloading
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Batch downloading
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Batch downloading
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Private videos download
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Private videos download
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Pause/resume downloading
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Pause/resume downloading
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Download videos from 1000+ other sites
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Download videos from 1000+ other sites
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Help & support
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Help & support
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Windows supported operating systems
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Windows supported operating systems
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Mac supported operating systems
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Mac supported operating systems
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Is YouTube Premium a Worthy Investment?
Indeed, is it? When looking how to download a YouTube video, it may seem like going to the source is the first thing you should do. But it’s not a one-time purchase: $11.99 isn’t pocket change, and the monthly payments will stack up to regrettably high sums over time.
Add to that the fact that you don’t get to keep the videos as files, and that your access will be revoked once the subscription runs out. A dubious investment at best! If you’re interested in Premium, look at other things it has to offer. The download capability is but a minor bonus. And the article above will easily help you pick out the best YouTube video downloader Mac.
