NoTube and Converto
In a previous post, we looked at two websites that allow users to download YouTube videos without a paid Premium membership. These websites work great if you are in a pinch and just need to download one or two videos. However, they are nowhere near perfect.
For one, you are bombarded with ads, most of which are very questionable and definitely NSFW, as is often the case with seemingly free online services. The service providers recoup their expenses by showing users ads.
These websites are also slower and less reliable. You might find yourself having to redo the download repeatedly because you keep losing the download connection. You typically are also limited to one download at a time, with little to no options in terms of video quality.
Softorino YouTube Converter 2
There are desktop applications for the same purpose – tons of them out there in fact. Softorino YouTube Converter 2, or SYC2, is one that really stands out.
Available as one of the apps in Softorino’s Universal License for both macOS and Windows 10, SYC2 looks really polished and it is just so easy to use as well.
SYC2 comes with a search box where you can search within the app for videos to download. The search results are presented with beautiful animation. You can also simply copy the video URL in the browser for SYC2 to grab from the clipboard. From there, all it takes is one click and the download will start.
From our testing, SYC2 is robust and offers a far better user experience than the website services. It has better download speeds. Users can choose the video quality and can even download full playlists directly.
Moreover, SYC2 can seamlessly convert YouTube videos to MP3 and MP4, and push them to your iPhone.
As someone who typically prefers stock applications and tries to steer clear of third-party apps, (it’s silly, I know), I doff my proverbial cap to Softorino YouTube Converter 2. I’m all set for the next time I need to go on a long road trip. Check out the application here.
