ClipGrab will then locate the online file and download a copy to your computer. Those who have the right extensions may find that ClipGrab adds extra steps to the process of downloading videos, but others may like using this program to save online videos. Pros: Lets you quickly and easily download online videos. ClipGrab is a free downloader and converter for YouTube, Vimeo, Metacafe, Dailymotion and many other online video sites. It converts downloaded videos to MPEG4, MP3 or other formats in just one easy step. Downloaded videos can be converted to the following file formats: WEBM, WMV, MPEG4, OGG Theora, MP3 (audio only), OGG Vorbis (audio only).
Here's the thing: you found a video online. It's so catchy, you can't stop watching it. On repeat, every day. Now you're thinking, 'Oh boy, I really wanna re-watch it when I'm offline. What's the easiest way?' The answer is: you get yourself a video grabber tool.
Using video grabbers is not rocket science. You just have to enter the URL of the video and then download it directly to your device. Once saved, you can watch it anytime.
Like the program Movie Maker Free Video Editor that converts videos, ClipGrab converts videos, but ClipGrab goes as quickly as your CPU allows. Our take ClipGrab is a video downloader and video converter that works for free. I tried other downloaders but so far this is the one I like the most.' - Katherine Valdez. Pricing: Free #4. The video grabber that lets you download files from a large variety of websites in no time. How It Works: You take the video URL, paste it into the app, and it will dig up for all the videos it can detect. ClipGrab is similar to these software: 4KDownload, RealDownloader, Airy (software) and more.
In this post, I share a comparison of five top video grabber tools that stand out from the crowd to make sure you make the best decision. Plus, I talk about the rise of online videos and why Youtube is such a big deal.
Ready? Steady? Let's go.
What to Look For In a Video Grabber Tool
Before I started downloading online videos, I wish someone had told me not all video grabbing tools are alike. Inspired by Eric Griffith's post for PC Magazine, I've put together a list with some crucial aspects all video grabbers should have:
- Must work with YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo
- Have a user-friendly interface
- Except for your email address, not collect personal data
- No malware, please
Without further mentions, let's see our winners.
Top 5 Video Grabber Tools to Download Online Videos
Here's some word of advice on downloading online content:
Online videos are protected by copyright law. We don't encourage stealing, but we understand that sometimes, we need to have an online video just for ourselves (and not for dissemination). So be careful what and how you download.
Now let's dive in.
#1. 4K Video Downloader
This is a multi-lingual top video grabber that does what it says using a simple interface: grabs videos up to 8K and downloads to a variety of formats.
How It Works:
Select a video, copy the video URL and click the Paste link button to get started. Then, choose to download the video or extract its audio. Finally, select the format and choose the resolution (up to 8K). You can download playlists up to 24 videos with the free version while the premium version lets you subscribe to channels.
Pros:
- Frequently updated
- Grabs entire playlists and channels
- Clear download links on the website
- Advanced subtitles download option
- Multi-thread download technology for faster downloads
- No ad traps
- Extracts audio to MP3 format
- Supports 360° videos
- Downloads videos in 3D format
- Supports sites such as YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and a few others
Cons:
- Limits on playlist downloads
- No mobile app
User Review:
'4K Video Downloader is at the top of the list whichever site I visit so I gave in and gave it a go. Not only does it allow 4k video downloads and 360-degree videos, but it also allows users to download videos from Vimeo, DailyMotion, and other popular websites. Another added benefit is that it is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.' - Arjun Yadav
Pricing: Free basic functions, Standalone License ($15) and Bundle License ($20).
#2. aTube Catcher
A free YouTube video grabber and converter you should keep on hand.
How It Works:
Downloading videos is a simple matter of copying and pasting the URL, choosing the format and clicking 'Download'.
Pros:
- Supports several video sharing websites
- Built-in screen/sound recorders for grabbing live streaming videos
- Clipboard Monitoring function supports downloading multiple videos at once
- Integrated burning software to create CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs from the downloaded videos
- Includes an automatic updater
- Excellent format support including WAV, PSP, MPG, VOB, OGG, 3GP, 3G2, MP3, MP2, WMA, WMV, GIF, FLAC, AVI, XVID, MP4, MOV, etc.
- Multilanguage option
Cons:
- Deceptive adware in the installer
- Outdated interface
- Only works on Windows
User Review:
'This is a great tool to use to download videos off YouTube so you can view them on your computer offline or on your phone at a later time. I made a playlist at home with my favorite songs and then was able to listen to these songs on my way to work. This tool not only works for songs from YouTube but also from many popular websites like MetaCafe and Dailymotion. ' - Anthony Meyer
Pricing: Free
#3. ClipGrab
A free, friendly, multi-platform video grabber and converter for YouTube and many other sites.
How It Works:
Step 1: Install ClipGrab
Step 2: Copy the video link
Step 3: Insert the video link in ClipGrab
Step 4: Select download format and quality
Step 5: Grab that clip
Pros:
- Supports major video websites
- Allows downloading multiple videos simultaneously
- Converts downloaded videos into various formats
- Has a built-in search feature
- Allows you to select the video quality (can download in HD)
- It automatically detects links from clipboard
- Clean user interface
- Clipboard monitoring
Cons:
- Bundles adware with the installer
User Review
'Okay, call me weird or whatever but I enjoy watching Super bowl ads when I'm bored. That's why I really wanted to download them from Youtube because that's where I mainly find them. I tried other downloaders but so far this is the one I like the most.' - Katherine Valdez
Pricing: Free
#4. JDownloader
The video grabber that lets you download files from a large variety of websites in no time.
How It Works:
You take the video URL, paste it into the app, and it will dig up for all the videos it can detect. You then select the videos you want to download. Boom---done.
Pros:
- Supports the most popular streaming sites
- Faster video downloads with multi-thread download technology
- Multiple video quality (4K, HD included)
- Allows downloading multiple videos simultaneously
- Automatically detects and downloads files
- Set bandwidth limitations
- Auto-extract archives
- Remote management feature to track downloads while away from the computer
- Completes CAPTCHA forms for you
- Intuitive and clean interface
Cons:
- The installer has adware bundled with it. Select“Custom” installation to skip the adware
- Consumes a lot of system resources
User Review:
'I download a ton of programs every week. I'm always looking for ways to increase productivity and get more out of my computer, so I try a lot of different programs. Keeping track of my downloads can be a problem because sometimes my browser hangs up, or the file goes missing, or a paused download refuses to resume. Having this download manager saves me from all of that with the added bonus of being able to set bandwidth limitations, something that is important on my internet plan as anything over a certain amount gets tethered.' - Madison Santos
Pricing: Free
#5. VideoGrabber
Simple video grabber tool to grab online videos, convert videos or record screen. You have two options: either use the online version or download the app.
How It Works:
Paste the link of the online video to the download bar and it will generate the download links.
Pros:
- Useful “how-to” section
- No ads
- Converts video/audio files for Android, iPad, iPhone, PSP, etc.
- Online platform and desktop application
- Supports sites like YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Tubechop, etc
Cons:
- Limited formats are available for download: MP4, FLV, 3GP, WMV, WEBM (no mp3)
- Unable to download RTMP video and live streaming video
- No 1080p or 4k Youtube video downloads
User Review:
' Videograbber.net is a great site for converting videos from Youtube, Facebook, and other places so they are downloadable to your computer or phone. The site also shows you how to get rid of black lines and things that you don't want on your videos.' - Paige2
Pricing: Free
Conclusion
After checking out all five options, 4K Video Downloader was the clear winner. However, JDownloader, aTube Catcher and ClipGrab are also viable options. The only one that seems to score lower is VideoGrabber.
Now that you're armed with the proper data to make an informed decision about the best video grabber, let's talk about the rise of online video and how Youtube changed our lives.
Why Video Is the Most Engaging Type of Content
Hubspot's Research on 'The Future of Content Marketing' invites us to take a trip down memory lane. 'In the mid-’90s, access to the internet changed the way people sought and consumed information.'
True story. We used to consume more text, radio and TV content back in the days.
The Internet changed the way people interacted with content. Even with endless options and attention spans shrinking, we pay the closest attention to video content.
The same research shows that 45% of people watch an hour or more of video per day; plus, 43% of respondents want to see more video content creation moving forward.
According to Google, 50% of people aged 18-34 would stop what they’re doing to watch a new video by their favorite YouTube creator.
That said, the volume of online video content is growing exponentially. According to Zipstrr, 'video is at the top of the virtual food chain and here is why:
- Video combines auditory & visual sense. Our brain loves video because it is programmed to retain visual content better than a page loaded with words.
- Video encompasses all content types. A video can include text, music, photographs, links, and even podcasts, which makes video the king of all contents.
- Marketers and consumers worship video. Videos make great storytellers. They make information more digestible and easier to understand.'
The Rise of Youtube
Since we're talking about the supremacy of online videos, we can't just move forward without mentioning Youtube. As Kim Smith from Brandwatch puts is, 'When YouTube first made its way onto the internet, few people realized how many hours of video we’d be watching years later.'
'Launched in 2005, YouTube was synonymous with video content long before video marketing became a buzzword. In 2018, a whopping 1.8 billion people flocked to the platform each month,' tells Farheen Gani from Zapier. Youtube is currently considered the most popular video hosting site. The reason is it offers some crucial features such as:
- An easy-to-use interface
- Compatibility with all types of browsers and players, such as Flash and HTML5
- Compatibility with mobile devices
- Basic analytics tools to measure the impact of your videos
- SEO tools to make your videos search-engine friendly
- The ability to embed your videos on external websites
Apart from these, what makes YouTube a big player is its relationship with Google, the platform's parent site. After Google purchased YouTube in 2006, it went from being a niche hosting site to a mainstream one. Plus, their search algorithms match each other so that Youtube videos receive first spots in Google search results.
To make sure you're all caught up, we've gathered the most up-to-date facts on Youtube to help you own your place on the platform.
12 Insightful and Fun YouTube Statistics For 2019
Whether you're simply using Youtube to watch your favorite videos, you wanna create your own channel or you're currently managing one: knowledge is power.
And if you're ever looking to create videos for social media that turn heads, Lumen5 is your platform.
Youtube User Stats
1. YouTube is the 2nd most popular social media platform with 1.9bn users.
2. In an average month, 8 out of 10 18-49 year-olds watch YouTube.
3. YouTube reaches more 18-49 year-olds than any broadcast or TV network on mobile.
4. 50% of American internet users aged 75 and overuse YouTube.
Youtube Usage Stats
5. YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine and second most visited site after Google.
6. 400 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute.
7. People watch over 1 billion hours of YouTube videos a day, more than Netflix and Facebook video combined.
8. The first video to hit one million views was a Nike ad featuring Ronaldinho.
9. The most searched term on YouTube is ‘despacito’, followed by ‘bts’.
10. The time people spend watching YouTube on their TV has more than doubled in the last year.
11. YouTube provides almost 50% of all on-demand music.
12. 70% of millennial YouTube users watched a video to learn how to do something new last year.
Over to You
If you need to capture and download online videos, it makes sense to research the right video grabber tool for the job.
What's your favorite one?
Alex helps businesses create content that converts users into customers. She flips over wording challenges while keeping her zen. When she’s away from her desk, you’ll probably find her doing yoga, surfing, reading, camping, or walking her dog on the beach.
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
Clipgrab Similar Applications
The reason why YouTube discourages downloading is to protect its users and retain them on their platform.
Is Clipgrab Safe
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.
Apps Like Clipgrab
Remember – you can always use Lumen5 to create stunning videos with just a few clicks.
Apps Like Clipgrab
Obaid is the Founder & Creative Director of Planet Content. His focus lies on content creation, 2D animation, and taking the boring & annoying out of marketing.