YouTube is the second-most popular social media platform after Facebook, and the most popular video-based social networking website. As a video-based platform, YouTube is widely renowned for its ease of use and accessibility.
Users from all over the world can upload different kinds of videos onto the website, ranging from informational videos to entertainment videos, instructional videos, and even movies and television series. And if you’re enterprising enough, you could also launch a YouTube channel that you only use to post monetized videos. Once you’re accepted to the YouTube Partner Program, you could be taking home decent paychecks in YouTube revenue.
But besides uploading videos to YouTube, you can also download content from the platform. And this is where many users face challenges.
While YouTube has standards on the nature of the content you can share on or download from the platform, the company imposes even more stringent measures when it comes to video downloads. For instance, you cannot download copyrighted videos from YouTube without the owner’s express authorization.
Apart from licensing requirements, downloading videos from YouTube will also require special tools and software. The app that you use to download YouTube videos mostly depends on the format you want the content in. For instance, there are specific tools for downloading YouTube videos to MP3, MP4, WAV, etc.
This post shall highlight the top tools to use when downloading YouTube videos into MP4 format.
1. Free Video Downloader for YouTube from NotMP3
Download videos, music, playlists from YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, TikTok and 1000+ more sites. This app allows you to save video in MP4, WMV, WEBM, MP3, M4A formats in the best HD quality. This app is truly free and is frequently updated.
2. Download4.cc
Download4.cc is a free video download tool that supports downloading videos from over 1,000 websites. All you need to enter is the video link in the search box and the tool does the rest. Websites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Vimeo, Dailymotion, ESPN, and much more are supported.
3. Allavsoft Downloader
Allavsoft downloader is a video converter created for both Windows and Mac. This powerful tool allows you to batch download videos (and subtitles) from over 1000 video sharing websites like YouTube, Vimeo, Spotify, Soundcloud, Twitter, Facebook, Dailymotion, NBCnews, CNN, BBC, ESPN, PBS, Crunchroll, etc. You can then covert these video files into specific formats like MOV, MPG, AVI, MP4, WMV, and more. You also have the option to choose the quality of each video (4K, 1880p, 720p, 480p, 360p and 240p.)
Another neat feature is that the tool automatically detects advertisements and does not download them. How cool is that! A built-in video player is built in too, so you can preview and playback the downloaded video files. It also has a record option.
Since this is a downloadable program your computer should have the following system requirements:
4. 4K Video Downloader
As the name implies, 4K Video Downloader is the go-to tool for downloading YouTube videos in 4K resolution. You also get to choose from a range of other video resolutions, such as 8K, HD 720P, and HD 1080P.
Like YouTube By Click, 4K Video Downloader supports downloads from YouTube and various other video-sharing websites. It’s also of the few YouTube to MP4 converter tools for downloading private videos as well as VR videos, playlists, and channels.
In addition to MP4, 4K Video Downloader supports other popular audio file formats like 3GP and FLV.
5. Wondershare UniConverter (Formerly Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate)
Wondershare UniConverter is a top YouTube to MP4 converter that supports tons of other output formats like MP3, WAV, MOV, AVI, and MKV. The tool is also compatible with numerous operating systems, including PC and Mac.
Like other YouTube to MP4 converters on this list, Wondershare UniConverter also boasts incredible ease of use.
To download any video, you simply paste the video URL onto Windershare’s dashboard and allow the tool to do the rest. Wondershare UniConverter will download your videos at 30X faster speeds compared to common converters.
6. Y2Mate
Y2Mate comes to you with plenty of nifty features as far as YouTube to MP4 conversion is concerned. First, the tool can convert YouTube videos to MP4 and lots of other output formats, including MOV, MP3, WebM, MP4, WMV, and FLV.
Y2Mate also supports video downloads from YouTube and other popular websites like Facebook and DailyMotion. It doesn’t impose restrictions on the number of videos you can convert to MP4, neither does it require registering for an account before you can get started.
The tool is also remarkably fast and is compatible with all browsers.
7. VideoProc
A friendly user interface, easy navigation, and the ability to convert YouTube videos to multiple file formats are some of the cool features of VideoProc. The tool supports YouTube downloads to various output formats like MP4 (H264/HEVC), MP3, FLV, 3GP, WAV, MKV, and AVI.
With VideoProc, you can download and convert any type of online video, including M3U8 and AV1 videos. The tool also supports downloads from over 1000 websites. You can choose from its range of video quality, including 4K, 720p, and 1080p. And regardless of the resolution type you choose, VideoProc will download the video up to 47 times faster than average YouTube MP4 converters out there.
Needless to mention, you can also use VideoProc to download playlists and channels, as well as apply a range of editing features like ‘crop,’ ‘merge,’ ‘rotate,’ ‘compress,’ etc.
8. Converto.io
Converto.io comes with many of the standard features that any quality YouTube MP4 converter should have. First, it lets you download YouTube videos in MP4 as well as several other output options. You also get to select your desired video quality, where you can choose a resolution size as high as 1080p. Plus, the tool accepts downloads from hundreds of other video-hosting websites.
However, Converto.io also has its standout features. For instance, it’s one of the few YouTube to MP4 converters that also offers you the possibility of creating MP3 audio files automatically.
You can customize the converted video by changing its file name. The tool also offers you a preview window where you can track the progress of each download. Using the preview window, you can cut the video or edit the ID3 tags to suit your needs.
9. WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe
Looking for a YouTube to MP4 converter that also supports hundreds of other file formats? Your search ends with WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe. WinX supports more than 400 popular file formats and is also compatible with different operating systems like PC, Android, iPhone, and even smart TVs.
The tool is designed with GPU acceleration technology, which speaks to its video download speeds. You can download your videos in various resolution sizes like 4K, 8K, and HD, as well as from over 1000 video-hosting platforms.
And after downloading your videos using WinX, you can apply a raft of edits, including compressing bulky files, cutting, cropping, merging, and adding subtitles.
10. YouTube By Click
As YouTube is the most popular video-sharing platform, it comes as no surprise that the first YouTube to MP4 converter on our list is a service by the company itself.
YouTube By Click is a tool that lets you download YouTube videos to MP4, MP3, WAV, WMV, and many other output formats. Although the tool was designed by YouTube, you can use it to download and back up videos from any other website and in any quality, including HD and 4K.
You can also use YouTube By Click to download playlists and channels. And the best part is, the tool lets you track the progress of each download.
Conclusion
Finding the best YouTube to MP4 converter isn’t a walk in the park. Not necessarily because of the shortage in such tools, but because of the feature similarity across many of these services.
When searching for a suitable YouTube to MP4 converter, the convention is to look beyond affordability. Even if you can find a free tool, ensure it also comes with a host of advanced features. At the very least, the tool should be incredibly fast and easy to use, as well as compatible with numerous operating systems.
It should also support downloads from all the popular video-sharing websites and be able to download high-quality videos in other file formats other than MP4. The provision for post-download editing is an added advantage.