The best video downloader extensions (2026)

The best video downloader extension depends on what you need. For an all-in-one tool that also handles audio and images, MediaGrabber Pro is our top pick. Here’s an honest look at the top browser extensions — and why an extension usually beats an online downloader site.

Updated · By , founder of The Plugins Company

ExtensionBest forImages/audio too?Pricing
MediaGrabber ProAll-rounderFree + Premium / Lifetime
Video DownloadHelperEstablished video-onlyFree + paid license
CocoCutStreaming (m3u8) videoFree with limits + Pro
DownThemAll!Open-source batchFree / open-source

1. MediaGrabber Pro

Best all-rounder

A browser extension that downloads video from 1,000+ sites in up to 8K — including streaming, embedded, and “no download button” players — and grabs images and audio too. Free to start, with a one-time Lifetime option.

Strengths

  • Video up to 8K, 60fps & HDR (720p free)
  • Detects streaming, embedded, and blob video
  • Extract audio to MP3/M4A, plus bulk image grabbing
  • Downloads locally — nothing routes through a server
  • Modern interface; pause/resume/turbo speed

Trade-offs

  • Video/audio extraction needs the free companion helper
  • Newer than the long-established video-only tools

Best for: Most people who want video, audio, and images in one clean tool.

See how it works

2. Video DownloadHelper

Most established

A long-established browser extension for downloading video from a very wide range of sites.

Strengths

  • Very wide video-site coverage built up over many years
  • Available on both Chrome and Firefox
  • Handles many streaming formats

Trade-offs

  • Dated, cluttered interface that can overwhelm new users
  • Companion-app setup adds friction

Best for: People who mainly download video and don’t mind a more technical, video-first tool.

MediaGrabber Pro vs Video DownloadHelper

3. DownThemAll!

Best open-source

A free, open-source download manager and accelerator that can mass-download links and files from a page.

Strengths

  • Free and open-source
  • Strong mass link/file downloading with an accelerator
  • Filter what to grab by file type

Trade-offs

  • Not built to detect streaming or embedded video
  • Modern browser (Manifest V3) limits reduce what it can do

Best for: People who want a free, open-source link/file mass-downloader and accelerator.

MediaGrabber Pro vs DownThemAll!

4. CocoCut

Best for streaming video

A Chrome and Edge extension focused on detecting and downloading video, including HLS (m3u8) streams that it merges into MP4.

Strengths

  • Detects HLS (m3u8) streams and merges them into a single MP4
  • Pick the quality and preview before downloading
  • No account needed to start

Trade-offs

  • Video-first: not built for bulk image grabbing
  • Free version has speed and length limits

Best for: People who mainly need to save streaming (m3u8) video from the page they are on.

MediaGrabber Pro vs CocoCut

What about online downloader sites (y2mate, SaveFrom, etc.)?

Online downloaders can be handy for a one-off, but they come with trade-offs: you paste links into an ad-heavy page, the video is often processed on someone else’s server, and quality or speed may be capped. A browser extension detects the video right where you’re watching and downloads it locally — fewer ads, more privacy, and no copy-pasting. If you download more than occasionally, an extension is the better habit.

FAQ

Video downloader extensions — FAQ

Try our top pick free

Add MediaGrabber Pro and download video from any site — 720p free, up to 8K on Premium.