Best Freeware Apps For Mac

admin

Nov 11, 2019 The goal of this group is to break down that barrier and provide a large database of free software for Mac OS to enhance your Mac experience. Ranging from comic book readers to programming editors, chess to media centers, our team has taken the time to review and recommend the best free software for Mac OS. Best free Mac apps. If you need to perform basic editing functions, such as trimming or cutting, on an audio file, Audacity is excellent. Whether you're. DaVinci Resolve. GIPHY Capture.

Multimedia • Updated on Jan 9, 2020

No doubt, YouTube has become the center of entertainment for most people. From funny, short clips to full-length documentaries, you can find almost everything there. The service has been active for more than one decade now, as you know. And, it’s still a bummer that YouTube does not allow you to download videos.

Quick navigation

The case for YouTube offline

While it’s true that most of us have a internet connection nowadays, imagine this:

You have a slow internet connection. This can be a nightmare, you know, especially while you try to watch full-HD and 4K videos. If the internet connection drops, so does the fun.

You need Offline Access. So, you don’t want to spend all your time on the Internet, alright? So, when you come across a really good YouTube video, you want to keep it offline. That way, you will be able to watch it whenever you want. If you are on an airplane, for instance.

You need Backup. You are an artist or a content creator. You need to use some YouTube video for a project of yours. This time, quality is important for you and you need the maximum you can get. There is also the danger that videos will be taken offline in the future and you won’t be able to access them at all.

This is why it doesn’t surprise us that you want to know how to download and save YouTube videos. So did we, and luckily, third-party YouTube downloader software will help.

By saving your favorite YouTube videos for later, you’re ensuring you can watch YouTube videos start-to-finish anywhere without any pesky obstacles like wifi or restricted data plans.

There are some online downloaders as well, but they are limited in features and function. In this article, we are going to talk about desktop tools for macOS.

How we choose

In order to choose the best YouTube downloader for Mac, we analysed more than 20 apps from the market, and we’d followed some criteria.

  • Does the app offer the ability to download YouTube video to watch offline?
  • Does the app enable you to download, convert and save videos with a single click?
  • Does the app provide bulk downloading?
  • Does the app extract the audio from YouTube music videos to MP3 format?
  • Does it work with the speed of light?
  • Does the app help you select your best quality of download (4K or 1080p, 720p or 360p, etc)
  • Is the app beautifully designed with an easy to understand interface?
  • Does it help you keep up-to-date, allowing you to quickly get the latest version?

Our favorite top picks

Based on our testing sessions, here we’ve come down to these four.

Full disclosure: We earn a commission if you end up purchasing any of the Mac YouTube Downloader apps listed on this page through our referral links. This helps us to keep TheSweetBits up-to-date. Thanks for your support.

For

Softorino YouTube Converter 2 — best overall for iPhone and Mac

Softorino YouTube Converter 2, also known as SYC 2, is one of the most popular YouTube downloaders. The best part about SYC 2 is that you can download Youtube videos & audio to watch them or listen offline on your iPhone, iPad, iPod or computer.

What makes SYC 2 great?

Download and convert YouTube video: While its name mentions strictly YouTube, we should point out that the program is much more capable than it lets see. Besides YouTube, the application can download videos and tracks from SoundCloud, Vimeo, BandCamp, VEVO, BREAK, CNN, DailyMotion, Facebook, Instagram, and many more.

You can use this program for not just downloading YouTube videos but also converting the content to many other formats. If you opt for video output, indicating the video quality that best suits your needs is possible, with 360p, 720p HD, 1080p HD, and 2160p 4K resolution being your alternatives. As for audio output, you can choose from MP3, AAC, and “original” audio.

From our test, converting an hour-long YouTube video into an MP3 took fewer than two minutes. We also tried to pull a 249-track playlist from a video game soundtrack. That took under 15 minutes to convert them all to MP3 files and add them to iTunes and my iPhone X.

Ringtone Maker: SYC 2 is an awesome way to create ringtones at your convenience. While trying to download a video/song from the internet, you can select the Ringtone option as well. This can bring you one full-length ringtone, or something trimmed down to 30 seconds, but sadly there’s no way to trim a specific section. Either way, you don’t have to use any other tool for converting a song to ringtone.

aWi-Fi Data Transfer: You can transfer downloaded media to other devices such as iPhone, iPad or iTunes. According to the destination, SYC 2 will optimize the final file. At the end of the day, you don’t need other tools to transfer downloaded videos, music or ringtones to your other Apple devices — all thanks to aWi-Fi. It also supports other transfer protocols like UCB and ACR.

Impressive Performance: Being the latest version, SYC 2 is pretty fast in terms of performance. The download speeds are quite impressive. Also, it is worth noting that SYC 2 automatically recognizes content you download. Thanks to Automatic Content Recognition technology, it will fill in all the needed meta data, genre, and even proper artwork. It also lets you store the downloaded content to iTunes/TV app accordingly. This is an awesome feature if you’d like to have a well-organized media library.

Overall, Softorino YouTube Converter 2 is an awesome choice if you need a quick as well as versatile way to download YouTube videos to Mac and iOS devices.

The app is available for Mac and Windows. However, you get the best experience on Mac, due to the ecosystem integration. A single license of SYC 2 would cost you $19.95 and this unlocks all features including 4K UHD support and transfer-based features.

Downie — easiest to dive in

Downie is yet another popular YouTube video downloader for macOS. But, the best part is that it allows you to download videos from more than 1000 websites. For now, however, we will be focusing on YouTube video downloading capability of this tool.

What makes Downie great?

Minimal UI: As you can see, Downie has a minimal User Interface offering. Everything has been kept simple. You have a minimal list of the running and completed YouTube video downloads. It’s up to you to clear it. In addition to the fully-fledged window, Downie has a menu-bar interface as well. Clicking on it would show you the current progress of the download.
Browser integration: Downie offers top-notch integration with popular browsers like Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Chromium and Opera. Downie integrates so well that you can download your favorite YouTube videos in a single click. Or, if you want something further, you can check out the Contextual Menu as well. Downie Contextual Menu allows you to select the Post-processing mode as well.

4K video support and compatibility: Downie lets you download YouTube videos at the highest possible quality. You can get videos that perform well in your 4K displays. Regardless the quality, Downie ensures the best set of speeds, for downloading as well as format conversion. Downie supports a wide variety of websites, from where you can download videos. The best part is that the team offers frequent updates, adding support for more sites.
Customization options: Downie allows you to download videos at different qualities, up to 4K. You can also automate the process. That is, you can set up Downie to choose the best possible Quality every time you download something. On the other hand, if you need more control, you can limit the quality as well. Along with video, this YouTube downloader can download the corresponding subtitle as well. You can even choose subtitles. There are also some Parental Control and Proxy customization options available in the Downie package.

To sum up, Downie is a great choice if you need a simple-yet-powerful YouTube video downloader for Mac. The app is pretty minimal, but the features are quite useful at times.

Downie is currently available for macOS only. You need a device running macOS 10.11+ to run the program. A single license of Downie is priced at $19.99, the developer offers TheSweetBits readers an exclusive 25% discount here, only $14.99. It’s also available on Setapp.

PullTube — online video and playlist downloader

PullTube is different from the other YouTube downloaders we have listed above. It is a complete suite that helps you download online videos and playlists with ease. Compared to other tools in the list, PullTube has a versatile feature list as well.

What makes PullTube great?

Comprehensive Interface: The UI of PullTube may not be the simplest in the first look. That is because the media downloader packs an amazing set of features inside. However, if you just want to fetch details and download a YouTube video, it would take just a few seconds. The fact that you can use this single tool to download variety of videos from multiple websites is just amazing indeed.

Video Trimming: A new challenger in the game, PullTube has the ability to trim down videos. There’s a scissor-like button in the app which lets you trim the video to your desired length — either by feeding inputting the time stamps, or dragging through the video timeline for a preferred part of the video.
Built-in Conversion Engine: When you have PullTube, you don’t need another conversion utility. This tool is so great when you’d like to get an audio/video file converted into another format. There is also an option to stitch multiple video parts together so that you have a single file. You will also be able to use the built-in editing features for making a few changes.

The Miscellaneous: There are a few seemingly simple but really useful features in the PullTube package. For instance, you would be able to download auto-generated subtitles when you download a YouTube video. A point worth mentioning is that the app supports playlist downloading as well. If PullTube detects that the video is part of a playlist, it will offer to download the entire collection. Similarly, the app also has a wonderful level of browser integration. It works well with Chrome, Safari and Firefox. PullTube also lets you using shortcuts and gestures, and set up custom proxy/socket choices for easy control. Altogether, the video downloading experience is unparalleled.

At the end of the day, we would recommend PullTube as the ultimate YouTube downloader if you need some extra points when it comes to additional features.

Best Free Apps For Macros

It is currently available for macOS devices only. If you have a Mac running 10.11 or higher, you should try it. Although it offers a free version, PullTube is actually a paid program. You can either purchase it from official website for $14.99 or get it as a part of the Setapp subscription.

Wondershare AllMyTube — the all-in-one solution

Have you ever thought of an all-in-one YouTube downloader? Something that can help you download, edit, convert and transfer the content from YouTube and other websites? Well, Wondershare AllMyTube is right that thing. That’s why we’ve chosen it as the best all-in-one YouTube downloader out there.
You should be considering Wondershare AllMyTube if you want to ignore using multiple tools at once. It gets the job done without much fuss. Awesome, huh?

What we loved in Wondershare AllMyTube?

Wondershare AllMyTube just rocks the stage when it comes to additional features. We’ll keep it short.

Built-in Converter: Unlike the other YouTube video downloaders we checked out, Wondershare AllMyTube has a dedicated and well-built option for converting videos. You will be able to convert not only downloaded videos but also the other videos you have on your device. You can simply drag and drop the file to start the conversion process. It even comes with device profiles for easy conversion.
Content Transfer: Although not as good as SYC 2, Wondershare AllMyTube allows you to transfer content to your smartphone devices as well. Here, however, you can connect either your iOS or Android device for data transfer. The full process takes some time, but you have some convenience. You would have to install some apps on the device for easy transfer, though.

Recording and Browser: Wondershare AllMyTube packs a built-in Recorder utility along with other features. You can use it to record content from your screen. Browser, on the other hand, is an awesome way to explore popular sites without leaving the program. You can check out the content and will then be able to download everything with ease and control.

On any day, you can’t go wrong with Wondershare AllMyTube. It packs so many features that will help you in downloading and managing videos from YouTube and other platforms.

The software is available for both macOS and Windows. If you have a Mac that runs on 10.10 or later versions, you can install this program. You can also try the free version of Wondershare AllMyTube with some limited features. However, for complete features, you will have to pay $19 per year or $29 for the Lifetime license.

Other YouTube video grabbers we considered

Although they did not make it to the top four list, these are the other best YouTube downloaders you can be considering on any day. We will do a brief overview of all.

Airy YouTube Downloader

Airy is definitely a popular, minimalist tool for downloading videos from YouTube. It works for YouTube videos, and not for other video platforms. Starting from the User Interface, Airy is just simple. You will be able to start everything in seconds. Once you have pasted the URL, you can select the desired quality and Airy would start the download ASAP.

There aren’t many added features in the package, and we think Airy can be too minimalistic at times. The point is that you may miss some features that you actually need in the long run. That having said, we would be recommending Airy if you need something so simple and straightforward for downloading YouTube videos.

Airy YouTube Downloader is available for macOS and it costs $19.95. You can download up to three videos using the free version.

4K Video Downloader

As the name says, 4K Video Downloader is a tool that allows you to download YouTube videos in 4K quality. Of course, almost all the tools we have listed above can do this. However, 4K Video Downloader does a great job since we are talking about a dedicated tool. Once again, the process is straightforward, and the download tool can pick up the YouTube URL from the clipboard.

There are some cool features, though. For instance, the Smart Mode allows you to download videos in just a single click. Subscriptions feature, on the other hand, will download newly-uploaded videos from channels you have subscribed.

4K Video Downloader is available for Mac and is free to use. You can upgrade to premium for extra features.

MacX YouTube Downloader

This is your best shot if you are looking for the practically free YouTube downloader out there. MacX YouTube Downloader does get the job done and the speeds are also pretty great. Of course, you can expect standard features from the package but that’s it. Although the name says so, MacX YouTube Downloader allows you to download videos from more than 300 websites.

One thing we thought is that MacX YouTube Downloader could be faster in terms of UI. It takes a while for the program to analyze videos and process them for download. Regardless of all these, you can use the tool to download YouTube videos at 4K quality, given that you choose the right format. We think that’s great if you consider the utility of all.

MacX YouTube Downloader is available for Mac and is free cost.

ClipGrab for Mac

ClipGrab for Mac is one of the very few free YouTube downloaders for Mac. Of course, being a free tool, it’s some downsides, but they don’t matter much. You can use ClipGrab for Mac for downloading videos at up to full HD quality. An integrated Search feature makes it really easy to find and download videos. You can simply enter some search terms and appropriate YouTube results would appear.

Once that is done, ClipGrab for Mac would let you download the file into MPEG4 or MP3. There aren’t many fancy features to talk about in ClipGrab for Mac. However, you can control the download and conversion process to the maximum. You can even manage the Metadata of the file. Considering that it has some advanced features, this free YouTube video downloader is worth it.

ClipGrab for Mac is completely free to use. It’s available for Windows and Linux as well.

What about YouTube Premium? Can it save video to computer?

YouTube Premium(formerly known as YouTube Red) is a subscription service from YouTube. It packs a number of features such as downloading videos, ad-free playback and background playback. Currently, the package contains access to YouTube Music as well.

But it doesn’t come free. YouTube Premium is priced at $11.99 per month. So, you have to pay more than $120 a year for watching YouTube videos without ads and offline playback. On the bright side, you will have access to YouTube original content and background playback options.

Can YouTube Premium save videos to computer?

NO.

YouTube Premium lets you save YouTube videos only to Android/iOS devices. So, you cannot save videos to your Mac or Windows PC.

And, you know the worst part? All the downloaded videos are automatically deleted after 30 days. And YouTube has brought 1080p downloads to the official iOS and Android apps.many phones have now gone past that; the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max have resolutions that exceed 1080p, for instance.

Considering all these points, it makes more sense to download YouTube videos using a dedicated YouTube downloader for Mac above.

Last but not least, is it illegal to download YouTube videos?

Technically, it’s illegal to download YouTube videos. The official Terms and Conditions page of YouTube says:

“You shall not download any Content unless you see a “download” or similar link displayed by YouTube on the Service for that Content.You shall not copy, reproduce, make available online or electronically transmit, publish, adapt, distribute, transmit, broadcast, display, sell, license, or otherwise exploit any Content for any other purposes without the prior written consent of YouTube or the respective licensors of the Content. Adobe cs5.5 download. YouTube and its licensors reserve all rights not expressly granted in and to the Service and the Content.”

Going by definition, you cannot download YouTube videos for offline watching, but that’s just a definition. Unless you are downloading the video and publishing it elsewhere, there’s nothing to worry.

Practically speaking, you can download YouTube videos and watch them later. As long as you don’t use the videos for commercial purposes, YouTube downloading is legal.

Bottom line

So, which YouTube Downloader is your best bet? Depending on your needs.

If you are looking for something that offers the best speed and iOS-based features, Softorino YouTube Converter 2 seems to be the right shot, any given day. Nevertheless, there are times when you need something like Wondershare AllMyTube, especially if you want to do more than simply downloading the video.

Except for the four tools we mentioned last, it’s true that every YouTube downloader here packs some additional features. And, these features would come in handy if you are a content creator or someone who compiles different types of media from YouTube.

Editing your photos on your iPhone is one thing, but editing your photos on your Mac can take your photography skills to a whole 'nother level.

Many of us still keep our main libraries on our Macs because of its faster processors, larger storage, and all-around bigger computing power. The Mac is still the best device for serious photo editing, so you need some serious photo editing apps to make an impact.

The built-in Photos app on Mac offers several useful photo editing tools. You can crop, adjust lighting and color, set the white balance, add filters, remove unwanted blemishes, and a few more things. However, in all honesty? It's not really meant to be a robust editing app, so If you are looking for something to really finish your photos right, we've got a list of the best photo editors for Mac right here. Let's go!

Affinity Photo

If you're looking for a photo editing app that goes above and beyond for the pricetag, while still allowing you complete creative control over your images, then it might be worth it to take a peek at Affinity Photo.

Toshiba makes it easy to find product manuals, quick start guide, safety instructions, warranty information, FAQ and more for your Toshiba consumer storage product. For support on Canvio Wireless Adapter (HDWW100XKWF1), please click HERE For support on Canvio Cast Wireless Adapter. Mac, Mac logo, macOS, OS X and Time Machine are. Thank you for choosing Toshiba for all your storage device needs. Toshiba Support is right at your fingertip. Let us know what we can do to assist you. Toshiba wireless app. Oct 30, 2014  The app was tested with the new OS. It works well with iOS 9.0 and 9.1. “The Toshiba Wireless HDD app” is an application software for WiFi Storage.This application can stream (play or show) videos, photos, music and documents on wireless storage. Feb 15, 2014  The 'Toshiba Wireless Adapter' app gives you an easy way to enjoy music / photos / movies, backup mobile data, and organize files. Requires use with Toshiba Canvio Wireless Adapter hardware. View documents, photos, movies and play music. Data will automatically be organized by type, enabling you to easily and quickly find the data you want.

Affinity Photo supports unlimited layers, groups, layer adjustments, filters, masking, and more: you also have access to tools like dodge, red-eye fix, burn, blemish, clone, and patch (so pretty much Photoshop without all the convoluted bells and whistles). Nondestructive auto-saving makes undoing everything you've done easy, so if you need to start from the beginning, the option is there.

Play, manipulate, edit, and get hella creative with Affinity Photo whether you're a serious graphic designer or someone who's just looking to do some basic editing. Your photography will seriously thank you.

  • $49.99 - Download now

Fotor Photo Editor

Searching for a super simple, straight-forward photo editing app that's there to help you edit and not confuse you to the point of ripping out your hair? Then check out Fotor Photo Editor!

With this photo editor, you can easily adjust contrast and color of more washed-out photos, add borders, tilt and shift your images, add different text, slap on a few filters, and so much more, all from the easy-to-find toolbox on the right side of the app. You can even create collages of your photography masterpieces!

The BBC once called Fotor Photo Editor 'light Photoshop', and they're kind of right! You can go above and beyond editing your images with Fotor Photo Editor without getting bogged down by more complicated editing buttons and tools.

  • Free - Download now

Lightroom

When you look into photo editing software, one of the first things that'll pop up is Adobe's Lightroom, and for good reason! It's essentially a staple in the photo editing community.

Lightroom is great for photographers who need to manage a large image library, and who are prepared to commit to (and pay for) Adobe's cloud storage space. But it is purely a photography tool that's a little outside the regular Adobe design ecosystem. (Creative Bloq)

Pretty much anything you want to do with your photo, you can accomplish with Lightroom. You can blend and merge shadows and highlights, sharpen dull, blurry images so they look crisp and clear, add details and tint colors to make a photo stand out, and so, so much more.

While it is a bit more on the complicated side, people who use the program and know how to navigate it are hooked. Keep in mind, there are two versions of the app — there's the Classic version, which is more preferred, and the 2018 CC version.

If you're hesitant about the program and paying for it, you can download Lightroom free for 30 days as part of a trial period. After that, you can add it to your Photoshop CC subscription for $9.99 per month.

  • Free trial - Download now

Pixelmator

Amp up your photo editing skills with a little bit of help from Pixelmator!

This particular photo editing app allows you to combine two different photos into one (while still allowing you to edit over each layer), add shapes, gradients, filters, tints, and more, and completely change and edit your photography to make it fit perfectly to your aesthetic. You can even mask and cut off certain areas of the photo, giving you more creative control over your final image.

Similar to other photo editing apps, you can also adjust contrast, color, saturation level, definition, and so much more.

It's another great alternative to Photoshop, at least according to our managing editor Lory Gil.

  • $29.99 - Download now

GIMP

Love Photoshop (or the idea of Photoshop..) but don't want all the complicated components and nonsense that comes along with it? Then it might be worth it to take a peek at GIMP.

Best Freeware Apps For Mac

Similar to Photoshop, GIMP allows you full control over editing your photos: it's an advanced image manipulation program with detailed customization for color reproduction.

You can add layers to your photos, edit and tweak colors, adjust contrast, crop, adjust saturation, and so much more. If you're someone who admires Photoshop but is terrified of the price (or just thinks it's not worth it) then GIMP might be the perfect pal for you.

  • Free - Download now

Snapheal

Say 'bye-bye' to nasty photobombs, zits, perky distractions, and so much more in your photos thanks to Snapheal!

Snapheal is a little bit unique in the sense that it's more of a 'delete now, ask questions later' app. It's more about cleaning up a photo than it is editing it and adding a whole bunch of layers. The tools can either remove large objects or smaller imperfections depending on the mode. You can even adjust the masking tool, use a magic rope, or clone stamp your way to a new photo.

If you're someone who's a perfectionist when it comes to your photography and you just can't stand that one stupid, distracting blur in the background, then Snapheal is the guy for you.

Best Free Apps For Macbook 2019

  • $7.99 - Download now

Preview

I know what you're thinking: 'Preview? Really, Cella?'

Best Freeware Apps For Mac Computer

To which I respond: 'Uh, yeah. Duh, my dude. You use it every day!'

Sure, you can't do a bunch of fancy things with Preview like add filters, adjust contrast, and fix saturation, but you can quickly crop a photo, adjust the color, rotate it, add shapes, texts, and a signature, export as a different format, and more.

Best Freeware Apps For Mac Windows 10

Yes, Preview isn't perfect, but it is easy to use and fantastic for making small, fast changes to your photography.

  • It's already on your Mac.

How do you edit your photography?

What is your favorite photo editing app for the Mac? Why does it work the best for you? Let us know what your top picks are in the comments down below!

Updated August 2018: All the choices on this list are still the best of the best!

iPhone photography

Main

We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

🍎 ❤️

All 17 Italian Apple Stores are now closed through next week

We knew that Apple Stores would close in Italy this weekend. But now they're closed from tomorrow, too.