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I'm looking for a software similar to YTD. I want the following features:

  • Runs natively on Ubuntu 13.10 64 bit
  • Free (not necessarily open source)
  • Pause and resume
  • Download multiple videos at once
  • Download entire playlists
  • Option to download the video in various formats and qualities
  • Bonus if it has a GUI
  • Bonus if it lists the downloads history
  • Big bonus if it's tested by you and doesn't crash because I tried many

If you need more details, check YTD, as far as I know youtube-dl can't convert to other formats while downloading.

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  • 1
    Are these kind of questions allowed on SE? Downloading from YouTube is illegal, is it not?
    – BCLC
    Commented Aug 5, 2015 at 13:25
  • 1
    @BCLC even marijuana is legal nowadays, besides im not downloading free mp3s or calming to be the owner of the video, and don't play the saint and make me the sinner, even you have downloaded youtube videos and torrents, even youtube developers have done it, even Apple dev download torents and free mp3s sometimes, on the internet there's no saints and sinners..
    – Lynob
    Commented Aug 5, 2015 at 14:15
  • @BCLC and just because you don't talk about a subject, doesn't mean it isn't there, I see no harm in talking about youtube downloaders, or torrents or deep web, or tor browser etc. all of them are tools that can be used for good or bad, and all of them are here to stay, not talking about them won't make them disappear and you can't judge someone's intentions by the subject of his question.
    – Lynob
    Commented Aug 5, 2015 at 14:22
  • I'm pro-piracy. I was just under the impression that SE didn't allow questions on piracy.
    – BCLC
    Commented Aug 5, 2015 at 16:30
  • Related: Software to download YouTube videos to hard drive
    – Peter Mortensen
    Commented Jan 3, 2018 at 19:16

2 Answers 2

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JDownloader works great:

  • freeware
  • ads-free (make sure you uncheck/skip the spyware when installing JDownloader)
  • works with Linux/Windows/Mac
  • ability to download batches (GUI that accepts a list of URLs)
  • can download video playlists
  • option to download the video in various formats and qualities
  • can be configured to download all downloadable URLs in clipboard
  • supports many other websites
  • can save the download history
  • tested by me but on Windows
  • can pause/resume
  • has a GUI

enter image description here enter image description here

FYI: comparison of YouTube downloaders.

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youtube-dl is open-source with no potentially unwanted software, available in several repositories, and sports all of your requested features – minus the GUI.

$ youtube-dl -F e4MSN6IImpI
[youtube] Setting language
[youtube] e4MSN6IImpI: Downloading webpage
[youtube] e4MSN6IImpI: Downloading video info webpage
[youtube] e4MSN6IImpI: Extracting video information
[info] Available formats for e4MSN6IImpI:
format code extension resolution  note 
140         m4a       audio only  DASH audio , audio@128k (worst)
160         mp4       192p        DASH video 
133         mp4       240p        DASH video 
17          3gp       176x144     
36          3gp       320x240     
5           flv       400x240     
43          webm      640x360     
18          mp4       640x360     (best)

$ youtube-dl PLaNzoFtkQ7rbt5ac9qdi76iNKuqZWQkB3
[youtube:playlist] PLaNzoFtkQ7rbt5ac9qdi76iNKuqZWQkB3: Downloading webpage
[download] Downloading playlist: Flexagons
[youtube:playlist] playlist Flexagons: Collected 4 video ids (downloading 4 of them)
[download] Downloading video #1 of 4
[youtube] Setting language
[youtube] VIVIegSt81k: Downloading webpage
[youtube] VIVIegSt81k: Downloading video info webpage
[youtube] VIVIegSt81k: Extracting video information
[download] Resuming download at byte 2096128
[download] Destination: Hexaflexagons-VIVIegSt81k.mp4
[download]  55.0% of 19.97MiB at  1.73MiB/s ETA 00:05^C
^CERROR: Interrupted by user
$ youtube-dl PLaNzoFtkQ7rbt5ac9qdi76iNKuqZWQkB3
[youtube:playlist] PLaNzoFtkQ7rbt5ac9qdi76iNKuqZWQkB3: Downloading webpage
[download] Downloading playlist: Flexagons
[youtube:playlist] playlist Flexagons: Collected 4 video ids (downloading 4 of them)
[download] Downloading video #1 of 4
[youtube] Setting language
[youtube] VIVIegSt81k: Downloading webpage
[youtube] VIVIegSt81k: Downloading video info webpage
[youtube] VIVIegSt81k: Extracting video information
[download] Resuming download at byte 11521720
[download] Destination: Hexaflexagons-VIVIegSt81k.mp4
[download] 100% of 19.97MiB in 00:05
[download] Downloading video #2 of 4
…

It has a useful manpage and offers support for several other services, too.

Thoroughly tested by me because the YouTube web interface stopped working about six months ago, so I have to watch all videos like this.

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