Head-to-head · Video Downloaders
yt-dlp app vs youtube-dl
yt-dlp app leads on 0 checks, youtube-dl on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreyt-dlp app · 7.6/10
- Free planboth
yt-dlp app scores higher on our rubric for video downloaders: 7.6 against 5.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #11 and #34.
yt-dlp app is the better fit for free GUI downloading across desktop platforms. youtube-dl is the better fit for users wanting the classic CLI downloader.
- yt-dlp app fits best
Free GUI downloading across desktop platforms
- youtube-dl fits best
Users wanting the classic CLI downloader
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Side by side
| Feature | yt-dlp app 7.6/10 Visit ↗ | youtube-dl 5.3/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 7.6 | 5.3 |
| Ranking | #11 in Video Downloaders | #34 in Video Downloaders |
| Best for | Free GUI downloading across desktop platforms | Users wanting the classic CLI downloader |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free | Free plan |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Desktop | Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Email, Docs | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business | Solo, Small business |
| Features yt-dlp app 3/3 · youtube-dl 3/3 | ||
| Playlist downloads | ✓ | ✓ |
| Subtitle downloads | ✓ | ✓ |
| Batch downloads | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Maximum video quality | 8k | Not checked yet |
| Supported sources | YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, Twitch, Bilibili, Vimeo, Reddit, SoundCloud, and 1, 500+ more | YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Facebook, SoundCloud, and many other listed sites |
| Output formats | Not checked yet | 3gp, aac, flv, m4a, mp3, mp4, ogg, wav, webm |
| Device platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | yt-dlp app is a free, open-source desktop interface for the yt-dlp downloading engine. It is designed for people who want graphical controls instead of command-line usage, with support for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The app covers more… Read the review → |
youtube-dl is a free, open-source command-line program for downloading videos from YouTube and many other supported platforms. It is aimed at technically comfortable users who prefer local tools over a graphical workflow. The program runs… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
yt-dlp app — where it wins
- Downloads from more than 1,510 supported sites
- Supports 8K, 4K HDR, playlists, and bulk downloads
- Open source with no telemetry or tracking
Where it doesn't
- Available only as a Windows, macOS, or Linux desktop app
- Private-content access depends on browser cookie import
- Local download history is stored in SQLite
youtube-dl — where it wins
- Downloads playlists, selected items, and multiple URLs from batch files
- Supports subtitles, audio extraction, metadata, thumbnails, and format selection
- Runs locally on Windows, macOS, and Linux with configurable filenames
Where it doesn't
- The command-line workflow suits technically comfortable users best
- The main stable release is described as old
- Downloads depend on supported sites and available source formats
- yt-dlp app7.6/10 · Free plan
A capable free desktop downloader for broad source coverage, playlists, and high-resolution media.
Visit yt-dlp appFull verdict → - youtube-dl5.3/10 · Free plan
A free, open-source CLI downloader with broad format, playlist, subtitle, and batch support.
Visit youtube-dlFull verdict →
All video downloaders comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update