YouTube Video Downloader
Paste a URL. Get a download link. No setup required.
Published by marielise, builder, tinkerer, systems thinker. Ships SaaS products and publishes Apify actors.
What You Get
Each downloaded video produces one record in the Apify dataset with a direct download link, video metadata, and a clear success or failed status. Failed downloads are not charged. At the end of every run, an OUTPUT record in the key-value store lists all download links, total file size, and success and fail counts in one place.
MP4 Video Downloads
Download any public YouTube video as a full MP4 file with audio. Choose your quality from 360p up to 1080p Full HD. The actor selects the best available quality up to your chosen limit.
MP3 Audio Extraction
Extract audio-only tracks as high-quality MP3 files. Useful for podcasters repurposing interview content, researchers extracting speech, and anyone who needs the audio without the video. Costs $0.01 per minute.
YouTube Shorts Support
Paste youtube.com/shorts URLs directly alongside regular video URLs. Shorts are processed identically. 720p is the most reliable quality tier for Shorts on the standard path.
Batch Downloads
Add as many URLs as you need to a single run. The actor processes each one sequentially, producing a download link per video. No per-run setup overhead. One run, many files.
Direct Download Links
Every file gets a public URL pointing to the Apify key-value store. Click any download link in the dataset to save the file directly to your browser. Works on phones, tablets, and desktops.
Video Metadata
Every download record includes title, duration, uploader, view count, file size, and quality. The OUTPUT key-value summary gives you success and failure counts with all links in one place.
How It Works
No browser extension. No desktop software. Three input fields. Powered by yt-dlp and ffmpeg running on Apify infrastructure.
-
Paste your YouTube URLs
Add one or more URLs to the
urlsinput. Supports youtube.com/watch?v=, youtube.com/shorts/, and youtu.be/ formats. Mix regular videos and Shorts freely. -
Choose quality and format
Set
qualityto 360, 480, 720, or 1080. Setformattodefaultfor MP4 ormp3for audio only. For long videos (20+ minutes), 720p or lower keeps the file under the 230 MB storage limit. -
Run the actor
Hit Run. A short video at 720p finishes in 20 to 40 seconds. A 30-minute video takes 1 to 3 minutes. The actor processes videos sequentially to avoid YouTube rate limits.
-
Click any download link
Each success record in the dataset contains a
downloadUrl. Click it to save the file directly to your device. Download links are valid for 7 days from the run date. Download your files promptly.
Pricing
$0.030
per minute of video at 720p
Pay-per-event. You are charged per minute of video downloaded, based on the quality tier. Failed downloads cost nothing. No monthly fee, no minimum spend. Use Apify's "Max total charge (USD)" on the run dialog to cap your spend per run.
| Quality | Rate | Example: 4-min video |
|---|---|---|
| 360p | $0.020 / min | $0.08 |
| 480p | $0.025 / min | $0.10 |
| 720p HD | $0.030 / min | $0.12 |
| 1080p Full HD | $0.040 / min | $0.16 |
| MP3 (audio only) | $0.010 / min | $0.04 |
Minimum charge is 1 minute per video (a 15-second Short bills as 1 full minute). An optional residential proxy fallback adds $0.05 per MB when triggered, but is off by default. For large batches, use Apify's run-level charge cap.
Who Uses This
YouTube Video Downloader is used by content archivists, educators, podcasters, and researchers who need files, not streams.
Content Archiving
YouTube videos disappear. Channels get deleted, videos get taken down, and links go dead without warning. Download and preserve the content you depend on before it vanishes.
Offline Learning
Save educational lectures, tutorials, and course content for offline viewing. Watch on a plane, in a remote location, or anywhere without reliable internet. Your learning library travels with you.
Podcast Production
Strip the audio from any YouTube video and get a clean MP3 file. Repurpose interviews, conference talks, and recorded conversations into podcast episodes without editing software.
Research and Journalism
Collecting video evidence, archiving interviews, or documenting public statements. Download directly to your device and retain a local copy in the quality you need, when you need it.
FAQ
How do I download the file to my device?
After the run completes, click the downloadUrl in the dataset results. The file downloads directly in your browser, just like any other file download. Works on phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops.
What quality will I actually get?
The quality setting is a maximum. If a video is only available at 720p, selecting 1080p will give you 720p. The actor always selects the best available quality up to your chosen limit.
Can I download entire playlists?
No. This actor downloads individual videos only. To download multiple videos from a playlist, copy each video URL separately and add them to the urls input array.
Why is the file size limit 230 MB?
Apify's key-value store has a 256 MB per-record limit. The 230 MB limit includes a safety margin. For long videos, reduce the quality or use MP3 format to stay under the limit.
Am I charged for failed downloads?
No. You are only charged for successful downloads. If a video is private, removed, or fails for any reason, no charge is applied. The residential proxy fallback surcharge ($0.05/MB) is only added when the fallback is actually triggered on a successful download.
Does this work with YouTube Shorts?
Yes. Paste the Shorts URL directly (for example, https://youtube.com/shorts/VIDEO_ID). For reliability, 720p is the safer default for Shorts on the standard path. Enable residential proxy fallback only if you specifically need 1080p Shorts.
How long are download links valid?
Download links point to the Apify key-value store, which retains unnamed store data for 7 days. After that, the files are deleted. Download your files promptly after the run completes, or configure a named key-value store for longer retention.
Related Pages
Learn more about downloading YouTube content or read the full step-by-step guide.