How To Download YouTube Videos For Free: 2 Best Methods + 5 Free Options

Posted on the 27 October 2024 by Juana Mathews @howtobuysaas

YouTube boasts more than 2.5 billion active users, and it is constantly increasing every day. But often, you may want to download YouTube videos for offline viewing or for making a unique creation of your own. Do you want to know how to download YouTube videos for free? Then we have mentioned some amazing tools and methods through which you can do it easily and safely. So keep reading the blog till the end!

How to Download YouTube Videos: At a Glance

Video Downloader OptionsFree VersionStarting Price

YouTube Premium$7.99/month

4K Video Downloader$15/year

ClipGrab$0

Offliberty$0

YT Saver Video Downloader$9.95/month

Allavsoft$19.99/month

Method 1 (Paid): Using YouTube Premium

This is the only paid option if you want to know how to download YouTube videos for free. But it is a great option in case you want to avoid the copyright and legal risks that come with other free download tools. Not only does YouTube Premium solve your issues of intrusive ads while watching your favorite videos, but it also provides an easy solution for downloading videos. All you gotta do is follow these simple steps:

  • Step 1: If you have a YouTube premium subscription, you will find the “Download” button under the videos. We have tried to download the video from our mobile phone app, you can also do it easily from your computer as well.
  • Step 2: Click on the Download button, then choose the download quality of the video. Then click on Download.

You can access your downloaded videos easily. Select your profile from the bottom bar, then click on Downloads, and all of your downloaded videos will be saved for offline viewing!

Benefits of using YouTube Premium

  • You can download high-quality videos from YouTube and watch them even when you are offline.
  • Enjoy an ad-free streaming experience while watching videos.
  • You can play videos and music in the background when your screen is off and also while using other apps.
  • Also, access the YouTube Music app and listen to music for as long as you want without ads. You can also play music in the background and avail of offline download features.
  • YouTube Premium provides you with additional usage statistics and personalized recommendations.
  • The Family plan allows you to share your YouTube Premium membership with up to 5 members.

Pros and Cons

Positive
  • Allows ad-free streaming.
  • Offline downloads.
  • Offers access to YouTube Music.
  • You can play videos and songs in the background while using other apps or when the screen is off.
Negatives
  • It can be a little expensive.

Pricing

PlansPricing

Student$7.99/month

Individual$13.99/month

Family$22.99/month

Method 2: Using Free Download Tools

It is not always possible to buy expensive subscriptions from YouTube Premium. But should that stop you from watching your favorite videos and listening to music offline? Absolutely not! So here are 5 options if you are looking for how to download YouTube videos for free. While many tools offer restrictive free versions, we have still managed to keep options that will be easy on your pocket.

1

4K Video Downloader

Are you searching for how to download YouTube videos for free? 4K video downloader provides a simple yet robust solution. From downloading various video and audio formats to downloading up to 4K and 60fps quality video downloads, there is a lot you can get for free. You can also download playlists in bulk and access lots of features that accelerate downloads, 4K video downloader provides you all of that and more!

Key Features

  • Allows you to download 4K and 60 fps quality videos and even 8K quality if you have a strong internet connection.
  • You can download different video formats like MP4 and MKV, and audio formats like MP3, M4A, and OGG.
  • Only low and normal-quality downloads are available for audio files, and you can only access the high-quality option if you have the YouTube premium plan.
  • You can access the Smart Mode from your PC which allows you to download all the videos with the same settings like quality, subtitles, etc.
  • It also provides additional features like limiting the download speed and a basic download accelerator for maximum performance.
  • You can also download playlists in bulk but there are certain limitations.

Pros and Cons

Positive
  • You can download 4K and even 8K quality videos.
  • You can download videos and audio in different formats.
  • You can access the Smart mode for faster downloads.
Negatives
  • Allows you to download playlists but has certain limitations.
  • The free plan supports advertisements and allows limited downloads.

Pricing

PlansPricing

Free$0

Lite$15/year

Personal$25 for lifetime

Pro$45 for lifetime

Bundle$52 for lifetime

2

ClipGrab

Looking for a completely free tool to help you with how to download YouTube videos for free? Then ClipGrab will be your go-to tool. It is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, and you can download videos from YouTube, Facebook, Dailymotion, and Vimeo. You can also convert to a range of file formats, choose your download destination, and also supports proxy servers. You can also avail of the integrated search and clipboard monitoring feature that helps you automatically download lots of videos.

Key Features

  • It is completely free to use.
  • You can download videos from not only YouTube but also Facebook, Dailymotion, and Vimeo.
  • Access it easily from their official website on Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs.
  • Supports various file formats like WebM, FLV, WMV, Theora, MP3, MPEG4, OGG, and OGG Vorbis.
  • Supports proxy servers and provides a decent download speed.
  • You can choose the download destination, and even directly transfer to other devices like iPads and iPhones.
  • Has an integrated search feature if you are looking for specific YouTube videos.
  • You can avail of the clipboard monitoring feature that helps you automatically download lots of videos.

Pros and Cons

Positive
  • It’s completely free.
  • Supports a decent range of file formats.
  • Access it easily from their official website on Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs.
  • You can download videos from YouTube, Facebook, Dailymotion, and Vimeo.
Negatives
  • The built-in search provides limited results.
  • It supports adware that can download unwanted apps on your device if you press any button by mistake.

Pricing

ClipGrab is completely free to use.

3

Offliberty

Are you looking for a simple, no-fuss solution about how to download YouTube videos for free, you should choose Offliberty. With a no-sign-up process, easy downloading, and an entirely free solution, you have a user-friendly tool at your fingertips. Although you can only download videos of up to 720p resolution, it is still a simple and user-friendly tool for a quick use.

Key Features

  • You don’t need to create an account or sign up to use this tool, so it ensures a hassle-free experience.
  • It makes your downloading process easy. All you have to do is copy the video link and paste it, and Offliberty will take care of the rest!
  • Allows you to download videos from YouTube and it supports video-sharing websites like HostGator.
  • You can download MP4 videos of up to 720p resolution.
  • It is entirely free, so you have a cost-effective, user-friendly solution right at your fingertips.

Pros and Cons

Positive
  • Provides a hassle-free video download experience.
  • Supports multiple video-sharing websites.
  • It is completely free!
Negatives
  • You cannot download HD-quality videos.
  • Often shows errors and has a comparatively low download speed.

Pricing

Offliberty is completely free to use!

Read More: How To Turn Off Meta AI

4

YT Saver Video Downloader

Your search for how to download YouTube videos for free ends with YT Saver. It is compatible with both Mac and Windows computers without affecting the speed of your device. While the free version offers limited features, you can sign up for the paid plans for more robust functions. From 4K quality video downloads, bulk video downloading, and file conversion, to downloading subtitles from videos, you can enjoy lots of features at affordable prices.

Key Features

  • You can download the free version to avail of some simple and limited features.
  • The software is available both for Mac and Windows computers.
  • The Pro version allows you to download videos and audio from more than 10,000 websites.
  • You can download multiple videos and playlists in bulk for streaming offline.
  • Allows you to download up to 4K quality HD videos and you can convert them into different formats like MP4, MP3, AAC, etc.
  • You can download subtitles from YouTube videos in SRT format.
  • The built-in browser allows you to navigate videos and audio from various websites, and a YouTube Cutter feature allows you to reduce the size of YouTube videos.

Pros and Cons

Positive
  • Has a free version.
  • Available for both Mac and Windows computers.
  • You can download up to 4K quality videos and convert them into MP4, MP3, and AAC formats.
  • Has lots of additional features like the built-in browser and YouTube video cutter.
Negatives
  • The free version supports limited features.

Pricing

PlansWindows PricingMac Pricing

Free Version$0$0

1-month plan$9.95$12.95

1 year plan$19.95$24.95

Lifetime plan$29.95$34.95

Family plan$39.95$44.95

5

Allavsoft

Are you wondering how to download YouTube Videos for free in your computer, then Allavsoft can be a good option. It is compatible with both Windows and Mac computers, and you can download video and audio files from many websites like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, Vimeo, and more. You can also avail of more features like file merging, audio extraction, a built-in screen recorder, and much more.

Key Features

  • You can install it both on Windows and Mac computers.
  • Allows you to download files from not only YouTube but also from SoundCloud, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo, and more.
  • They claim to work seamlessly with over 1000 video and audio sites, but their website lists up to 200 sites.
  • You can convert videos to various file formats like AVI, MP4, WMV, AAC, MP3, and FLAC.
  • It also allows you to select the download quality of the videos and audio.
  • Also has a built-in screen recorder.
  • Provides audio extraction features from videos, and allows you to merge separate audio and video files into one large file.

Pros and Cons

Positive
  • Compatible with both Mac and Windows computers.
  • Allows you to download videos from lots of websites online.
  • You can convert the videos into various file formats.
  • Provides additional features like audio extraction, high-quality downloads, and much more.
Negatives
  • The free trial provides restricted features.
  • You can reach customer service only through email.

Pricing

PlansPricing

Free Trial$0

1 month$19.99/month

1 year$29.99/year

One-time payment$69.99

Read More: Black Friday SaaS Deals

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How to download YouTube videos for free?

In this blog, we have mentioned 5 free tools if you want to know how to download YouTube videos for free. They are 4K Video Downloader, ClipGrab, Offliberty, YT Saver Video Downloader, and Allavsoft.

2. Are free YouTube video downloaders safe?

There are numerous free YouTube video downloaders online, and not all of them are safe. But we have found some of the safest options for our blog.

3. Which is the best free YouTube video downloader?

In this blog, we have mentioned some of the best tools if you are searching for how to download YouTube videos for free. These tools are 4K Video Downloader, ClipGrab, Offliberty, YT Saver Video Downloader, and Allavsoft.

Final Thoughts

You don’t always have to sign up for expensive subscriptions to download YouTube videos offline. In this blog, we have helped you with how to download YouTube videos for free with two methods and 5 free tools. So downloading videos for watching offline or editing is not a problem anymore!