MediaGrabber review
A focused, free stream downloader with broad format detection and FFmpeg conversion.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
MediaGrabber is an open-source Chrome and Edge extension for capturing online video streams from supported sources. It detects HLS, DASH, direct MP4/WebM, MSE-blobbed video, and YouTube streams through yt-dlp, then presents available quality choices in the browser popup. It is aimed at browser users who want a focused downloader for modern web video rather than a broad media-management application. Supported environments include Chrome, Edge, Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Its strongest fit is the combination of stream detection and conversion tools. MediaGrabber can select manifest variants up to 4K, expose subtitle and audio-track entries when the stream supplies them, and show download progress in the browser popup. The native messaging companion app connects the extension with FFmpeg for HLS and DASH conversion, while yt-dlp handles YouTube downloads and ffprobe is included in the integration set. Optional desktop notifications add a small convenience for downloads that continue beyond the popup.
MediaGrabber is free and open source, with distribution through GitHub Releases rather than the Chrome Web Store. The documented production installer is for Windows x64; macOS and Linux are described for source builds, which makes the installation path more technical on those platforms. Its focused scope is also a boundary: playlist and batch downloading are not part of the documented feature set. Choose MediaGrabber for stream-level browser downloads, quality selection, subtitle handling, and FFmpeg conversion. Choose an alternative if you need playlist management or batch-oriented workflows.
MediaGrabber pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Handles HLS, DASH, direct, MSE, and YouTube streams
- Selects available quality variants up to 4K
- Detects subtitles and audio tracks when supplied by the stream
- Where it doesn't
- Playlist and batch downloading are outside its stream-focused scope
- The documented Windows installer is limited to Windows x64
- macOS and Linux are described for source builds
MediaGrabber fact sheet, pricing and score →
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