There are several ways to download videos from the Internet on MacOS. The first is online services (Ddownr, Y2Mate), though it is full of ads and download speed is low. Another method was available straight in the Safari browser, but this feature had been removed since v.8.0. One more way, that actually works, is to install one of the video downloaders for Mac, a.k.a. download managers, or YouTube downloader apps.
There are a lot of offers on the market, varying in quality, price, UX, video formats, etc. Not all video downloaders have a macOS version. Also, remember that, unlike Chrome or Firefox, there are no extensions in Safari suited to save videos. So to assist with such a specific request as “how to download videos on Mac” we’ve analyzed a dozen of programs and extracted crucial bits.
Version: 3.17.297 | Size: 56 mb | Free / Premium $19.95 | macOS 10.9 or later
Airy is a product of Elmedia, along with a media player, which is a straightforward youtube to mp4 converter for mac. To download a video, copy and paste the link in Airy, select video format and quality, then click the Download button. In application settings, you can choose the download folder. Some additional features of Airy are: converting video into MP3, full playlist download, and subtitles.
Pricing is quite flexible, so anyone can find a perfect fit. It starts with the Personal Licence for $19.95. The Family Pack is for 3 Macs and costs $39.95. Last but not least, is Team Licence for $29.95. Additional lifetime upgrades are $9.95.
| Youtube | Youtube Playlist | Vimeo | Dailymotion | Facebook video | |
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2. 4K Video Downloader
Version: 4.11.3.3420 | Size: 101.1 mb | Free / Premium $13 | macOS 10.13 or later
4k video downloader is a nice application with a user friendly interface. It is easy to use, even if you don’t have experience with something alike. This downloader works with almost every popular video viewing service (see table below) and even supports downloading audio from Soundcloud. You can choose different settings when downloading video or audio, such as: quality, file resolution, format, etc. According to the developer, you can download 360-degree and 3D videos as well.
One of the most interesting possibilities is downloading YouTube playlists. It comes handy when we’re talking about lectures or music playlists. There is also a Smart Mode, which allows to adjust quality or set default values. Add ad-free access to all of the above and we can say it is a pleasure to use 4K as one of the top video downloaders for Mac.
| Youtube | Youtube Playlist | Vimeo | Dailymotion | Facebook video | |
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3. MacX YouTube Downloader
Version: 4.1.4 | Size: 16.1 mb | Free | macOS X 10.9 or later
MacX has a peculiar, some may even say “old-school” interface, yet it should not be an obstacle in saving videos to your hard drive. All the popular video services are supported, even Instagram, as well as YouTube Playlist and Soundcloud audio options.
In settings you can enable proxy, choose format and resolution. Advantages such as free functionality, no advertisement, no limits on use, are solid enough to enlist this MacX product among best video downloaders for Mac.
| Youtube | Youtube Playlist | Vimeo | Dailymotion | Facebook video | |
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4.AceThinker Video Keeper
Version: 6.2.4 | Size: 205 mb | Free / Premium $39.95| macOS X 10.8 or later
Video Keeper is a powerful yet intuitive video downloader for Mac. Like all popular video downloaders, you only need to copy and paste the video URL to save it. What separates it from the other tools is its multi-thread technology, which utilizes Internet connection to the full capacity to download files faster.
With this app users can grab videos from over 100 popular streaming platforms, including YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion. Video Keeper can download a video and save it as an audio file instantly. Another essential function is batch download and/or saving a YouTube playlist.
| Youtube | Youtube Playlist | Vimeo | Dailymotion | Facebook video | |
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5.Ummy Video Downloader
Version: 1.71 | Size: 14.7 mb | Free / Premium $9.99 / month | macOS X 10.9 or later
Ummy Video Downloader is an application for downloading video and playlists from YouTube only. It’s a decent and straightforward YouTube downloader one could use offline. Selecting directory and quality is possible, yet there is only 1 available download in the Trial version. You will have to purchase Premium for unlimited downloads.
Ummy interface is very user friendly, all you have to do is to copy a working video link to download. All in all, a basic properly working app, although if you want to download it from platforms other than YouTube, it won’t do.