The best free YouTube downloader 2017

Watch your favorite videos offline with the best free YouTube downloader

Download videos quickly and easily

Do you like the idea of being able to watch videos from YouTube without the need to be connected to the internet? Is there a video you have seen on the site that you would like to be able to save just in case it should ever be deleted? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then you would benefit from a free YouTube downloader.

Software that lets you download videos from YouTube and save them in the format of your choice can also prove useful in other circumstances. If you have a slow internet connection, you'll find that streaming videos can be a pain. With the right software, however, you can set the videos you are interested in to download overnight so they are ready and waiting for you to enjoy in the morning, stutter-free and buffer-free.

Are YouTube downloaders legal?

Before we proceed, it's important to note that you should only download videos when you have the copyright owner's permission to do so. YouTube's terms of service explicitly prohibit unauthorised downloading.

1. Freemake Video Downloader

Freemake has made quite a name for itself after producing an impressive range of audio and video related software, and making it available free of charge. Freemake Video Downloader fits neatly into this category, making it easy to download videos from YouTube.Fast, easy, and able to save multiple videos at once, Freemake is the best free YouTube downloader

Unlike some of the other programs mentioned here, there's no integrated search option so you'll have to visit YouTube to copy and paste the URL into the program, but this is no major hardship – particularly if you enable one-click downloading. The free version of the program is limited to downloading at 4MB/s, but you can queue up and unlimited number of files to download at one.

There are no fancy options here that you'll never use – it's just a program that gets on and does what you'd expect it to, with a minimum of hassle. A quick note about the installation: watch out for the bundled Yahoo Chromium browser. It's easily opted out of, but you have to keep an eye open for it – and note that there are two check boxes to untick.

Download here: Freemake Video Downloader

2. aTube Catcher

Although the name suggests that it only supports YouTube, aTube Catcher can actually download videos from most of the big video hosting sites.Download, convert, merge and even record videos as they're playing with aTube Catcher

Downloaded videos can be converted automatically to a number of popular formats, so you can tailor them for their intended use, or whatever device you intend to watch them on. If you're looking to download a large number of videos, you can download them all at once, maxing out your bandwidth – something not available in all free YouTube downloaders downloaders.

This free YouTube downloader offers plenty of added extras too, such as the ability to record any on-screen video, video merging, and disc burning.

aTube Catcher really is a great all-rounder, but sneaky adware abounds during the installation. When you're offered the first app, make sure to hit Cancel, and for the second one click Decline – then you'll be free to enjoy aTube Catcher without any unwanted surprises.

Download here: aTube Catcher

3. Any Video Converter Free

On the face of it, Any Video Converter is possibly the best free YouTube video downloader and converter out there. The only drawback is that the free version of the program limits you to downloading a single video at a time, but if you're looking for a free solution, this is something you may decide you're happy to put up with.Download YouTube videos free, and apply simple effects as they're converted and saved

There are lots of video formats to choose from, and there's even a basic video editor built into the program. This can be used to crop a video you download, add simple effects such as colour adjustment, and add overlay text.

The whole process is quick and easy. Any Video Converter's interface may not be to everyone's liking, but this is really starting to nitpick. Watch out for the bundled ByteFence and Yahoo software during installation, and you're good to go.

Download here: Any Video Converter Free

4. Free YouTube Download

There are no prizes for guessing what Free YouTube Download does. This is a very simple, tightly focused piece of software that does away with distractions to get the job done. Paste in a URL from YouTube and you can download the video in just a couple of clicks – or no clicks al all if you enable the Auto Download option.Grab videos from YouTube without even clicking a button with this fuss-free downloader

You can download several videos at once if you need to, and you can convert to several different formats on the fly. Just which formats are available to you will depend on the quality of the original video, but AVI, MP4, iPhone/iPod and MKV should be available in most cases. It's also possible to convert to audio-only MP3 if you don’t need the footage as well.

As is becoming the norm, it would seem, ByteFence and Yahoo software are bundled together with this free YouTube downloader, so take care during the installation so you can opt out of them.

Download here: Free YouTube Download

5. ClipGrab

You were hoping to grab some video clips from YouTube? Here's ClipGrab to help you do just that. Dodge the ByteFence and Yahoo software that the installer tries to foist on you, and you'll find that you have a great piece of software that's an excellent addition to your arsenal of utilities.YouTube downloading made easy – just find your video, pick a format and away you go

ClipGrab differs from other free YouTube downloaders mentioned here in that it not only allows you to paste in a video URL to download it, it also features a clipboard monitor that notices when you copy a URL – and then offers to download for you. More than this, there is also a YouTube search tool that can be used to track down videos from within the program rather than in your web browser.

You can convert the videos you download to different formats, and choice the quality at which they should be saved. It's all pretty simple stuff, but that's really what you want at the end of the day.

Download here: ClipGrab

What makes a great YouTube downloader

When you're choosing a free YouTube downloader, one of the first things to look for is the ability to download videos in batches. There are lots of online video downloaders, but most only allow you to grab one video at a time, which can be time-consuming and inconvenient. Many online-only downloaders also limit the number of videos you can save in a certain period of time, so even if you have the patience to return to the homepage and paste in URL after URL, you're forced to wait until a cooling off period has expired before you can save another one.

The best YouTube downloaders can encode videos in a format of your choice, so you don't have to convert them afterwards. A great downloader should also be able to handle high-resolution clips, and support for 360-degree video is a welcome addition.

Speed is also important, and is another area where desktop software has an advantage over web apps. For fast downloading and encoding, you can't beat a tool that does the processing on your own PC.