Open Video Downloader review
A capable free desktop downloader for playlists, subtitles, authentication, and parallel queues.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Open Video Downloader is a free, open-source desktop application for downloading video, audio, subtitles, and metadata from supported websites. It is aimed at users who want a graphical interface rather than a command-line workflow, with versions for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The app supports YouTube and 1,000+ services, while its core controls cover resolution, frame rate, output format, playlists, custom download locations, and filename templates. It is a practical fit for personal media downloading across desktop operating systems.
Its strongest area is download control. Users can select video or audio outputs, request subtitles and metadata, organize downloads into queues, and run parallel downloads. Playlist support expands it beyond one-off downloads, while browser cookies, basic authentication, and video-password support address sources that require access credentials. MP4 and MKV are the listed output formats. Automatic application and yt-dlp updates also keep the desktop application and its underlying downloader aligned over time, without requiring users to work directly in the command line.
Open Video Downloader suits users who value a free, open-source desktop tool with broad website coverage and more control than a basic single-video downloader. Its focus remains downloading rather than a wider media workflow, and the product is centered on desktop platforms rather than mobile devices. Source compatibility is tied to supported websites and the yt-dlp layer, so the right choice depends on whether the sites and access methods a user needs are covered. Choose it for cross-platform downloads, playlists, subtitles, metadata, authentication, and parallel queues; choose an alternative if mobile access or a different output-format range is central.
Open Video Downloader pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free and open source across Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Supports YouTube and 1,000+ services, including playlists
- Offers subtitles, metadata, authentication, queues, and parallel downloads
- Where it doesn't
- Desktop-focused, with no mobile platform listed
- Published output formats are limited to MP4 and MKV
- Source coverage depends on supported websites and yt-dlp updates
Open Video Downloader fact sheet, pricing and score →
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