8 Best Video Downloaders for Windows (Tested & Compared)
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Streaming platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok host a large amount of video content, but most of them can't be downloaded directly due to platform restrictions.
To help you save videos from different websites on a Windows PC, this guide introduces 8 best video downloaders for Windows 10 and Windows 11 that allow you to download and store videos for offline viewing.
Top Recommendations
Best overall: Cisdem VideoPaw
A stable all-in-one video downloader that supports numerous sites and original-quality downloads, also helps convert, edit, compress, and record videos in one place.
Dedicated downloader: 4K Video Downloader+
A focused download-only tool, offering unrestricted multi-thread speeds and hyper-efficient background processing that general media toolkits can't achieve.
Best free option: Stacher
A free, open-source yt-dlp-based video downloader with wide site support, including 8K and playlist downloads, though large or high-resolution videos may fail.
How I Tested
I tested these video downloaders on Windows 11 using Chrome under normal network conditions.
Each tool was used to download different types of videos, including public videos, embedded videos, and accessible private links when available.
I checked whether each tool could successfully detect and download videos without failures, and whether it kept the original quality.
Each tool was tested more than once to ensure the results were consistent.
Top 8 Best Video Downloaders for Windows (Free & Paid)
1. Cisdem VideoPaw
OS: Windows 10/11
Available websites: 10000+ websites
Supported high resolutions: 1080p, 2/4/5/8K
Optional output formats 600+ formats, almost all popular formats
As the overall best video downloader for PC or laptop, Cisdem VideoPaw (originally Cisdem Video Converter) has everything you need! It can download videos with subtitles, live streams and music from 10000+ media websites, including YouTube, Bilibili, TikTok, Facebook, Twitch, Twitter, Linkedin, Dailymotion, etc. It is also capable of downloading an entire playlist at once on some websites as well as multiple videos simultaneously. You just need to copy-n-paste URLs to get videos.
Free Download Windows 10 or later 
Free Download macOS 10.15 or later
Tip: When you are ready to download multiple videos, you can gather all the links together, add and retrieve them in one click, instead of doing it one by one.
Actually, Cisdem VideoPaw is a flexible and all-in-one video processing software that goes beyond being a video downloader for Windows 10/11. It combines the functions of a video converter, DVD/Blu-ray ripper, video compressor, and video editor. You are allowed to convert downloaded videos to any digital format including audio format you want. It supports batch conversion, too. Plus, it lets you play and edit the downloaded files hassle-free.
Advantages:
- Download videos, music, playlists and live streams
- Ensure original quality and lightning download speed
- Convert videos to 600+ formats
- Process unlimited files in bulk
- Can merge several videos into one
- Provide a built-in media editor to customize the downloaded files
- Rip encrypted DVDs and Blu-rays to digital video and audio files
- Super simple to use, no learning curve
Disadvantages:
- Can only download files up to 5 minutes for free
2. SnapDownloader
OS: Windows 7/8/10/11
Available websites: 900+ websites
Supported high resolutions: 1080p, 4K
Optional output formats MP4, AVI, MOV, MP3, AAC, M4A, WAV, AIFF, WMA, FLAC
SnapDownloader got our attention with its exceptional built-in search feature. With its integrated browser, you can easily search for videos using keywords or access popular video hosting websites listed in the app to download videos directly.
This best video downloader for Windows is good at downloading videos up to 4K resolution from 900+ websites. It provides a video trimmer to reset the file length and download it as several clips. When downloading in parallel, the safest number of videos is 2, otherwise it may result in your IP address being blocked from the site you are downloading from.
Unlike other Windows video downloaders, it lets you download subtitles in over 50 languages and add metadata to the video. Note that the subtitle format it downloads is .subt and cannot be played with the Media Player that comes with Windows. You need to install VLC Media Player to resolve the issue.
Advantages:
- Work with many media websites
- Can auto detect the added video link
- Support translating the subtitles into many other languages
- Can also schedule to download the videos at an appointed time
- Add video quality to file names or use numbered file names
Disadvantages:
- Only 48 hours free trail once it is installed
- Don’t provide more advanced editing features to modify the videos
- Fail to get the videos from a playlist sometimes
- Having trouble downloading batches (e.g. 2 videos failed to process after I pasted 50 links)
- Unable to fetch high-quality vp09 and av1 encoded MP4 videos
3. 4K Video Downloader+
OS: Windows 10/11
Available websites: 20+ websites
Supported high resolutions: 1080p, 2/4/8K
Optional output formats MKV, MP4, M4A, MP3, OGG
4K Video Downloader+ offers a Smart Mode that will download video in one click according to the default settings of the tool. Turn off the Smart Mode, you can also use it to download videos like other video downloaders, which allows you to download videos from websites to video and audio format for different devices, like Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android.
Plus, one important adjustment of 4K downloader is that it adds a built-in browser in the app, connecting to the third-party websites directly, and accessing videos from YouTube Rumble, Likee and more mainstream sites in the app.
Advantages:
- Download 4K, 3D videos and 360° videos easily
- User-friendly interface
Disadvantages:
- More features are only available by the paid version, such as download private YouTube content
- Fail to parse out the video, playlist sometimes
4. Stacher
OS: Windows 10 and Windows 11
Available websites: 1000+ websites (via yt-dlp)
Supported high resolutions: 1080p or higher (need to install FFmpeg)
Optional output formats: MP4, MKV, WebM, MP3, M4A, FLAC
Stacher is a lightweight video downloader for Windows 10 or 11 that can download from many sites. First-time setup requires yt-dlp and FFmpeg components. Some settings can be confusing for beginners.
That said, once configured, Stacher is one of the most flexible tools available. It offers an excellent ability in downloading videos from 1000+ websites, YouTube included, also supports batch downloading multiple files and playlist. It gives you detailed control over formats, resolutions, subtitles, and playlist handling.
Advantages:
- Free with no pop-up ads
- Frequent open-source updates helping fix download issues
- Support advanced tweaks like SponsorBlock integration and proxy settings
Disadvantages:
- Require a separate, manual setup of FFmpeg to merge high-res 4K/8K tracks
- Lack a multilingual interface and is strictly in English
5. ByClick Downloader
OS: Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, XP and all Windows versions
Available websites: 40+ websites
Supported high resolutions: 4K, 8K
Optional output formats MP4, FLV, AVI, WEBM, 3GP, WRNV, MKV, MP3, WAV, AAC, M4A
ByClick Downloader is an excellent video downloader that comes with a simple interface for people to use. What makes it different from others is that it doesn’t rely on copy-n-paste process of the URL to grab the contained video. Instead, when you locate to the video that you wish to download, a small window with "Download MP3" or "Download Video" option will pop up for you to choose from.
All in all, this best video downloader for Windows 10 or 11 can help you download videos in 1080p and 4K resolution. Plus, if you are not fluent in English, this program also prepares other 24 languages for you to experience a better download process.
Advantages:
- Support 40+ popular streaming websites
- Support YouTube playlist download
- Can download and convert videos to various formats
Disadvantages:
- Fail to analyze the video or make no respond sometimes
- The free version contain ads, and more features are only available on the paid version
6. JDownloader 2
OS: Windows 7/8/10
Available websites: some popular websites
Supported high resolutions: original quality of the video
Optional output formats MP4
When it mentioned to the best free video downloader for Windows, JDownloader 2 deserves a try for the public. It is an open-source download manager that is capable of downloading videos from any websites for free. Unlike other download software, it stores the file in video, cover, and subtitles separately, and save multiple videos simultaneously.
However, to be honest, the interface is output-dated, which costs some time for people to delve into how to use it. But for this freeware, the crucial operation is to use “right-click” keyboard frequently, which will show you more treasures.
Advantages:
- Free and open source
- Support bulk downloads
- Recognize and download entire playlists effortlessly
Disadvantages:
- Need to install the matched FFmpeg library
- Pretty slow installing speed
- Complicated interface to figure out, especially for the first-time users
- Offer no extra editing features
- Can only download video to original format and quality without optional option
7. YTD Video Downloader
OS: Windows 7/8/10/11
Available websites: 60+ websites
Supported high resolutions: 1080p, 2/4/8K
Optional output formats MP4, MOV, 3GP, WMV, AVI, MP3
YTD Video Downloader is hardly a household name, but it's also a great video downloader for Windows, which can work with 50+ websites. Once you copy the video link, you'll see it right in the software's text field, then click "Download". Only 2 steps to accomplish the task.
There's also a conversion function for converting downloaded or native videos to other formats. In case you wish to change the volume of the video and cut it, YTD can help.
For a comprehensive experience with this best video downloader for Windows, you’d better upgrade to its pro version because the free version only allows 1 download per day with 720p resolution at most.
Advantages:
- Easy to use with the straightforward interface
- Can download the whole playlist to multiple formats
Disadvantages:
- More advanced features are only provided by the pro version
- Download speed is slow and estimated time is inaccurate
- Limited output video formats
8. ClipGrab
OS: Windows 10 and Windows 11
Available websites: some popular websites
Supported high resolutions: 1080p
Optional output formats MPEG4, WMV, OGG, MP3
ClipGrab is another best free video downloader for Windows 10/11 that can download videos from many popular websites, including YouTube, Facebook, Dailymotion, etc. Moreover,it offers a specific search function for downloading YouTube videos, which will show 12 results in the app. Plus, if you make use of the link out of the app, ClipGrab can automatically detect the link from the clipboard, which is also convenient for people to download videos from websites.
Advantages:
- Provide an auto detection function
- Support multiple websites
- Easy to get in hand
Disadvantages:
- Can only get the first video of a playlist
- Support bulk downloads, but need to start the process one by one
Comparison:
| Website Compatibility | Download Success Rate | Private / Embedded Support | Playlist Support | Stability | Ease of Use | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisdem VideoPaw | Very wide | Very high | Yes | Yes | Very stable | Very easy |
| SnapDownloader | Wide | High | Limited | Yes | Stable | Medium |
| 4K Video Downloader+ | Medium | High | Limited | Yes | Stable | Easy |
| Stacher | Very wide | High | Yes | Yes | Stable | Medium |
| ByClick Downloader | Medium | Medium | Limited | Yes | Medium | Easy |
| JDownloader 2 | Very wide | High | Yes | Yes | Very stable | Hard |
| YTD Downloader | Limited | Low–Medium | No | Pro only | Unstable | Easy |
| ClipGrab | Limited | Low | No | Limited | Medium | Very easy |
More Questions about Video Downloader for PC
1. How to choose the best video downloader for Windows?
Everyone has different requirements to the best video downloader app. So, some common selection criteria are listed below for your reference.
- Easy of use
- Highly compatibility with multiple websites
- Various output format supported
- Miscellaneous features
- Powerful and stable performance
- Worth of the price
2. Is it safe to download videos from websites on Windows?
Only by downloading the authentic downloaders from the official websites can you download videos safely without leaking personal information. Besides, remember not to use the downloaded videos for commercial uses.
3. What is the best video format to choose when downloading videos?
Suffice to say, there is no only answer. Instead, it is up to your purpose because each video format has its own highlight. For example, MP4 is the most compatible format for all devices and WMV is suitable for Windows. When you use Cisdem VideoPaw, it will recognize and preserve the original formats of the video, encoded in different codecs. If you want utmost quality, don’t change the format.
4. What is the best YouTube video downloader for Windows?
There isn’t one clear winner. Most people just pick based on what they need. Cisdem VideoPaw is often used as an all-in-one solution to batch download YouTube Shorts, Vevo music, channels and playlists, and save files in any format. If you only want to focus on YouTube download feature, 4K Video Downloader+ is a strong option. For more details, Read this article: The Best YouTube Video Downloaders for Windows 11/10.
5. What is the best online video downloader for Windows?
YouTube4KDownloader.com is good. It downloads videos from 1000+ websites without installing software.
Additionally, Chrome extensions like Video Downloader Professional and Addoncrop YouTube Video Downloader are famous and time-tested tools to download directly in the browser.
But if you intend to find a safe video downloader for PC, the online tool is not the best solution. It's usually less stable and may have more limitations in terms of quality and supported sites.
Conclusion
Unlike tools designed for a single platform, these video downloaders for Windows can work across many different websites, freeing you from searching for another downloader tool when you encounter a desired videos from a strange website.
Each tool has its strengths, and you can choose the one that best suits your needs. If there is no tool that meets your need, you can also look for a preferred one from the market.
Copyright Disclaimer
Videos downloaded via the apps mentioned in this article are for personal and educational use only. Sharing or commercial use is not allowed unless you get permission first. The website fully respects copyright laws and will act upon any valid removal request.
Emily is a girl who loves to review various multimedia software. She enjoys exploring cutting edge technology and writing how-to guides. Hopefully her articles will help you solve your audio, video, DVD and Blu-ray issues.
Ryan Li is a senior developer at Cisdem. Since joining the company in 2017, he has led the development of Cisdem VideoPaw and now serves as the editorial advisor for all articles related to Video Converter.
Dallas Beedle
Last week two downloaders kept crashing when I tried saving workout videos. I found this article, checked the playlist column, picked one option, and it downloaded all 36 at once.