The Ultimate Guide to YouTube Video Downloaders in 2021: Risks, Legalities, and Best Alternatives

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: A popular choice for batch downloading.

: Many "free" online converters contain intrusive ads or malware.

| Video Quality | Download Availability | Typical Formats | Notes | |---------------|----------------------|----------------|-------| | 144p–360p | Universal | MP4, 3GP, FLV | Easy via any tool | | 480p–720p (HD) | Most tools | MP4 (H.264), WebM | Standard for web converters | | 1080p (Full HD) | Desktop/CLI only | MP4, MKV (with audio merge) | Audio/video separate in DASH | | 4K, 8K, HDR | yt-dlp , 4K Downloader | WebM (VP9/AV1), MP4 (H.265) | Throttled by YouTube without proper extractor | | Audio-only | All tools | M4A, OPUS, MP3 (converted) | OPUS = best quality in 2021 |

While YouTube video downloaders can be useful, there are some risks to be aware of:

Mobile users with limited data plans preferred downloading videos over Wi-Fi to watch later.

Trusted software (like 4K Video Downloader) does not force unwanted programs during installation.