Comparison · 8 tools · Sourced facts
Video Downloader Alternatives: 8 Tools Compared Side by Side
Browser extensions, desktop programs and a web service, compared on what their publishers and store listings actually say. Each tool has its own page with the full comparison, the complaints users post and the cases where it is still the better choice.
Quick answer
Pick by what you download. For YouTube playlists and channels, 4K Video Downloader. For file hosters and long queues, JDownloader. For multi-connection speed on Windows, IDM. For Firefox and format conversion, Video DownloadHelper. For a pasted link with nothing to install, SaveFrom.net. For HLS streams inside Chrome, FetchV, CocoCut, Stream Recorder or Vidora, which differ on DASH, encryption and paid limits.
Disclosure: we make Vidora, one of the tools in the table. That is why every competitor fact below comes from the publisher, a store listing or the extension package, read on 24 September 2026, and why each tool's page lists where it beats Vidora.
Comparison table
| Tool | Type | Free use | HLS / DASH | YouTube |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video DownloadHelper | Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Edge) | Simple downloads unlimited; HLS/DASH 3, then 1 every 2 h | Yes / Yes | Not on Chrome; advertised on Firefox |
| IDM | Windows program + extension | 30-day trial, then paid license | Not named (publisher mentions TS videos) | Not documented |
| JDownloader 2 | Java desktop program | Free, open source | Generic m3u8 plugin / not documented | Not documented |
| 4K Video Downloader Plus | Desktop app (Windows, macOS, Ubuntu) | Free Starter plan with quantity limits (not published) | Not documented | Yes, playlists and channels |
| SaveFrom.net | Web service + helper | Free, with ads on the site | Not documented | Listed |
| FetchV | Extension (Chrome, Edge) | Free, no paid plan documented | Yes / No (not yet); no encrypted video | Not documented |
| CocoCut | Extension (Chrome, Edge) | Free, optional Pro subscription | Yes / Yes | Not documented |
| Stream Recorder | Extension (Chrome) | Free, no paid tier | Yes, live and archive / not documented | Not documented |
| Vidora (ours) | Extension (Chrome) | Free right now, no daily limit | Yes / Yes, standard AES-128 HLS included | Not supported |
"Not documented" means the publisher's pages we read do not say either way; it is not a claim that the feature is missing.
The 8 tools, one by one
Video DownloadHelper
The veteran: on Firefox Add-ons since 2006, with 6,000,000 Chrome users and 1,808,823 Firefox users as of 24 September 2026. It converts to MP4, MKV or WebM and handles live streams, and since version 10 it no longer needs a companion app. The catch is the free tier: 3 HLS or DASH downloads, then 1 every 2 hours, and a watermark on free conversions. See our Video DownloadHelper alternative page for the full comparison.
Internet Download Manager (IDM)
A Windows download manager known for speed, with acceleration of up to 8 times, resume and scheduling. Its Chrome extension, IDM Integration Module, shows 20,000,000 users but only works with the program installed, and the program is paid after a 30-day trial. The IDM alternative for Chrome page covers the detection people miss when they stop using it.
JDownloader 2
Free, open source and built for volume: file hoster plugins, long queues, bandwidth limits and archive extraction, on Windows, macOS, Linux and NAS. The standard installer may offer optional third-party software; an Alternative Installer has none. For a video playing in a browser tab, see the JDownloader alternative for web videos.
4K Video Downloader Plus
The reference desktop app for YouTube: playlists, channels, subtitles in over 50 languages, 720p up to 8K, plus sites such as Vimeo, TikTok, Dailymotion and recorded Twitch streams. Paid plans start at 15 USD a year (Lite) or 25 USD for a lifetime Personal license on 3 devices. The 4K Video Downloader alternative page covers what it leaves out.
SaveFrom.net
Paste a link, get a file: the web service needs no install, works on phones and covers large social networks, YouTube included. As of 24 September 2026, its helper is not on the Chrome Web Store; the site tells Chrome users to install it as a userscript through the OrangeMonkey extension. Read the SaveFrom alternative page for the details.
FetchV
The best-rated extension of the group, 4.9 out of 5 from 11.1K ratings, free and light. It merges HLS segments into one MP4 and can record when no address is found. Its listing says it does not support encrypted videos or, yet, MPEG-DASH, and its last update is dated 24 September 2025. More on the FetchV alternative page.
CocoCut
An actively updated HLS and DASH extension (4.8 out of 5 from 10.9K ratings) with a recording mode, a capture mode, preview and quality choice, and no account required. Faster downloads, batch downloads and an ad-free experience sit behind an optional Pro subscription whose price we could not see without signing in. See the CocoCut alternative page.
Stream Recorder
A free, lightweight HLS specialist with 1,000,000 users that saves live and archived m3u8 streams to MP4 without re-encoding, entirely inside the extension. The publisher does not document DASH and warns that distribution "may be discontinued without prior notice"; the last update is dated 1 August 2025. Compare it on the Stream Recorder alternative page.
Where Vidora fits
Vidora is a Chrome extension for the videos a web page plays. It downloads HLS (.m3u8) and DASH (.mpd) streams and saves them as a single MP4 with sound, merging separate audio and video tracks, and it handles HLS streams encrypted with standard AES-128. Vidora is free right now: no daily limit, no watermark, no sign-up, no extra app.
It is not the tool for everything. It does not support YouTube or DRM-protected services such as Netflix or Disney+, it does not download live streams (it offers to record the playback instead), and it does not convert formats. Check the site-by-site compatibility list before switching, and if you want to stay in the browser, our ranking of the best video downloader extensions for Chrome goes further on extensions alone.
How we built this comparison
We read each publisher's website, price page and help pages, each Chrome Web Store and Firefox Add-ons listing, and, for four extensions, the official package downloaded from the Chrome Web Store. Everything was read on 24 September 2026. Prices shown in a local currency we could not convert with certainty are left out. Anything we could not confirm is written as "not documented" or left out. Vidora facts describe version 1.0.66, the version published on the Chrome Web Store.
- Video DownloadHelper: non-premium restrictions
- Internet Download Manager website
- JDownloader: software offers during installation
- 4K Video Downloader Plus pricing
- SaveFrom.net helper installation page
- FetchV on the Chrome Web Store
- CocoCut FAQ
- Stream Recorder website
About the author
Romain Gouraud builds Vidora at RGC Digital LLC. If a fact about another tool on this page is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.