One of the main selling points of YouTube’s premium subscription YouTube Premium (formerly YouTube Red) is the ability to download videos from YouTube to watch later. With hundreds of hours of content uploaded every second on the video-sharing platform, downloading them from the best YouTube to MP4 converters is the perfect way to save hours of entertainment to watch on the train, on a plane, or even in the comfort of your own living room.

But, did you know you don’t need to shell out for a YouTube Premium subscription to enjoy videos offline? In fact, there are dozens of different best YouTube to MP4 video downloaders and converters. With these handy tools, you can save your favorite videos in various formats, most usefully MP4, for use later!

Having already said that, with so many MP4 and MP3 YouTube downloaders on the web, it could be quite tricky to choose the best among all. Whilst many are efficient and easy-to-use, some converters may be riddled with ads or could even install viruses or malware on your computer. That’s why we at TechEngage have compiled this list of the best trusted YouTube to MP4 Video Converters available so you can immediately get downloading your favorite clips.

Looking to Download in MP3? If you want to download your favorite royalty-free music and podcasts from YouTube, consider checking out our round-up of the best YouTube to MP3 converters for 2024.

Remember: Downloading and converting videos without the permission of the content creator is against YouTube’s terms of service. Whether it’s a song or podcast, it is advised to check whether the copyright holder allows downloads from YouTube.

1. Viddly

Pros: 

• Fast downloads
• Can download an entire playlist in one click
• No pre-roll ads

Integrated with a built-in search, Viddly is a fast, and lightweight application. It has support for various resolutions including full HD, 4K, and 8K videos at up to 60 frames per second. The online tool lets you convert videos to audio formats such as MP3 or MP4.

You can download the entire playlist with just one click. After downloading, Viddly can convert files on your hard drive to any popular video or audio format. If you are already disturbed due to persistent ads, this tool offers no more annoying pre-roll ads or annotations. 

In case, if the downloaded videos get removed accidentally, there is also backup support available. According to the audio player, that you have already been using, this online tool will convert the MP3 or MP4 files in a compatible format. It could well mean that you don’t need to download any other audio or video playing software to stream downloaded files. Additionally, you can also access your multimedia files when there is no internet connection.

2. aTube Catcher

Pros:

• Support for Batch Downloading
• Screen Capture and Video Converter
• Can even record video streams (not Twitch)

Cons:

• Clunky interface
• The installer includes bloatware and adware

Reading out the list of features and things aTube Catcher can do is borderline comical. If you want an app that can do it all, this is it, hands down. You can download videos not only from YouTube but Vimeo, Facebook, Metacafe, Dailymotion, and more! Once you’ve selected your video of choice to download, you can save it to a wide variety of formats, including MP4, AVI, XVID, MP3, MP2, FLAC, and even more.

aTube Catcher also can burn in DVD/CD your videos without use any other program! So, if you’re looking to download a playlist to burn directly to a DVD to watch in your home theatre, guess what? You can do that all in one app.

You can also merge different videos into one video file, perfect if you want to create a compilation video, if you’re crafting a showreel or if you just want put all videos on an album together.

Careful, though, as aTube Catcher is an even bigger offender when it comes to bundling junk with the installer, and if you’re not cautious with the ‘decline’ button, you might accidentally install adware to your PC. I understand that free programs like these need to make money, and that’s how they do it, but still: be careful.

aTube Video Catcher is like a drug trip of a program. It can do a lot, most of it quite well. I recommend downloading it (carefully) and having a play. It could very well be your long-term video downloading companion.

3. 4K Video Downloader

Pros:

• Playlist Downloads
• Support for 4K UHD 
• Fast

Cons:

• 24 video limits for playlist 

4K Video Downloader allows downloading videos, playlists, channels, and subtitles from YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, and other video sites in up to 4K, as the name suggests. The easiest way to get started with 4K Video Downloader is to paste a link and watch it fly.

There are three tiers of subscription for this app. The free type has all the basic functionality, namely downloading videos, audios, playlists, subtitles, and channels from headline video sharing platforms in high resolution and any format.

Paid plans offer unlimited download of playlists, subtitles, and channels, channels subscription within the app, and no ads. There are two flavors of their premium plans: personal and business. The difference between Personal and Business plan is that Personal takes a one-time fee for 3 computers; meanwhile Business accepts a one-time fee for 5 computers.

This app also includes the ability to download 3D videos and 360-degree videos. I’m not quite sure why you’d want to download either of those video types, but hey, if the time ever comes, it’s there and ready for you. 

4K Video Downloader is a no-fuss feature-rich video downloader for YouTube and other sites that’s certainly worth checking out.

4. Converto.io

Pros:

• In the browser, no need to install the application 
• Easy to use interface
• Relatively quick

Cons:

• So many ads
• Not many video format options

If you’re only looking to download one or a few videos without the need for any sort of long-term YouTube video downloading companion, perhaps an online YouTube downloader may be more suitable.

There are a lot of online video downloaders to choose from, and some are quite rubbish. Converto.io is certainly not one of them. It’s super simple to use with its attractive user interface. Just paste a YouTube URL and press convert. It’ll convert the video into either an MP4 if you want video or MP3 if you’re just looking to save the audio.

You can cut videos if you’re only looking for a certain clip, and if you’re downloading MP3s, you can edit the ID3 tags, so it shows up correctly in your music library if you import it to an MP3 Player or smartphone.

Whilst the other choices on this list have been light with ads (and in some cases don’t include them at all), this, unfortunately, is not the case with Converto.io. It may be useful to install an Adblocker before venturing to this website, or you’ll be bombarded with popups and some NSFW material. Watch out.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to download a video, for example, if you’re looking to install straight to an Android phone, it’s simple to download from YouTube on the web, and Convert.io is the best way to do that.

Conclusion

Here are four fantastic choices for downloading YouTube videos to MP4. Some of these offer even more formats like AVI, MOV, and more, but they all also allow you to download MP3s from YouTube. As for my favorite, they all have their strengths and drawbacks, and whilst aTube Catcher’s feature set is a cut above everyone else, I just find their UI too clunky to use and downloads a little too slow.

That’s why I’m handing the crown of the to 4K Video Downloader among other best YouTube to MP4 converters. With support for simultaneous downloads and playlist downloads (up to 24 if you’re not a premium subscriber), it’s the easiest way to download a lot of YouTube videos all at once, and I, for one, am very impressed with its feature set and capabilities.