4K Video Downloader

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to 4K Video Downloader

A curated collection of the 5 best self hosted alternatives to 4K Video Downloader.

4K Video Downloader is a desktop app that downloads videos, playlists, channels, and subtitles from YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and other sites in high quality (including 4K), saving or converting them to formats like MP4 and MKV for offline viewing.

Alternatives List

#1
MeTube

MeTube

MeTube is a web interface for yt-dlp that lets you queue and manage video/audio downloads from many sites, with presets, playlists, and Docker-based deployment.

MeTube screenshot

MeTube is a lightweight web application that provides a browser-based UI for yt-dlp, making it easier to download videos or extract audio from supported sites without using the command line. It focuses on simple queue-based downloads with configurable options and a persistent download history.

Key Features

  • Web UI to submit download URLs and manage a download queue
  • Uses yt-dlp as the backend downloader (supports many video sites)
  • Audio-only downloads and format selection via yt-dlp options
  • Playlist/channel support (submit a playlist URL for batch downloads)
  • Configurable output directory for downloaded files (volume-mounted in Docker)
  • Presets for commonly used yt-dlp options (quality/format/flags)
  • Basic download status tracking and history in the UI
  • Container-first deployment (official Docker image and docker-compose examples)

Use Cases

  • Run a home media “ingest” tool to download videos/music into a media library
  • Provide a simple downloader UI for non-technical users on a LAN
  • Batch-download playlists/channels for offline viewing or archiving

Limitations and Considerations

  • Functionality is constrained by yt-dlp capabilities and site changes; some sites may break until yt-dlp updates
  • Not a full media manager/player; it focuses on downloading rather than library browsing/streaming

MeTube is a practical companion for users who like yt-dlp’s power but prefer a web UI and queued downloads. It is best suited for personal or small-team environments where a simple, containerized downloader service is needed.

12.1kstars
829forks
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#2
Tube Archivist

Tube Archivist

Download, index, and stream YouTube channels/playlists with full-text search, metadata, and a web UI powered by yt-dlp and Elasticsearch.

Tube Archivist screenshot

Tube Archivist is a self-hosted application for building and maintaining a local YouTube library. It automates downloading from channels/playlists, enriches videos with metadata, and provides a web interface to browse and stream your archived collection.

Key Features

  • Automated downloads for channels and playlists with scheduling and queue-based processing
  • Web UI to browse channels, videos, and playlists with progress and library management tools
  • Full-text search and filtering over indexed video metadata (powered by Elasticsearch)
  • Playback/streaming from your server, including thumbnails and rich metadata pages
  • Subtitle support (download and indexing when available)
  • Multi-user support with authentication for shared libraries
  • Docker-based deployment with companion services (Elasticsearch/Kibana, Redis)

Use Cases

  • Maintain an offline archive of educational channels and reference playlists
  • Build a private “YouTube library” for a household or team with searchable metadata
  • Preserve important videos that may be deleted or region-restricted later

Limitations and Considerations

  • Resource usage can be significant for large libraries due to Elasticsearch indexing and thumbnail generation
  • Focused on YouTube ingestion; broader multi-site video ingestion depends on yt-dlp support and project configuration

Tube Archivist combines a download pipeline with a media-library-style UI to manage long-term YouTube collections. It is best suited for users who want automated acquisition plus fast search and convenient playback from a curated local archive.

7.4kstars
350forks
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#3
Pinchflat

Pinchflat

A web UI for managing YouTube downloads with yt-dlp, metadata, and organized library exports for media servers or offline viewing.

Pinchflat screenshot

Pinchflat is a self-hosted web application for downloading and managing YouTube videos (and other sites supported by yt-dlp) as a local media library. It focuses on automation and organization: you define sources and rules, and Pinchflat keeps your downloads up to date and stored in a predictable structure.

Key Features

  • Web-based UI to configure and manage downloads powered by yt-dlp
  • Supports channels/playlists and ongoing “keep in sync” style downloading
  • Template-based file/folder naming for consistent library organization
  • Metadata enrichment and sidecar files (where supported) for better media library integration
  • Per-source download options (quality/format, audio-only, etc. via yt-dlp options)
  • Container-friendly deployment and persistent configuration storage
  • Job/queue style processing to manage download tasks and updates

Use Cases

  • Build a personal offline archive of favorite channels and playlists
  • Maintain a curated YouTube library structured for Plex/Jellyfin ingestion
  • Download audio-only versions of talks/podcasts for local playback

Limitations and Considerations

  • Feature scope depends on yt-dlp site support and ongoing upstream changes
  • Downloading from YouTube may require additional configuration when rate-limited or blocked

Pinchflat is a practical choice for users who want a simple web UI around yt-dlp with library-oriented organization. It fits well alongside media servers by producing consistently named files and metadata for long-term local collections.

4.4kstars
113forks
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#4
pyLoad

pyLoad

Self-hosted download manager for one-click hosters, HTTP/FTP, and premium accounts with a web UI, captchas handling, scheduling, and a large plugin ecosystem.

pyLoad screenshot

pyLoad is a web-based download manager focused on automating downloads from one-click hosters and file-sharing sites, with additional support for generic HTTP/FTP downloads. It runs as a daemon and is controlled through a browser UI and APIs, relying on a large plugin system for hosters, captchas, and container formats.

Key Features

  • Web interface to add, organize, and monitor downloads (packages/links, status, speed, progress)
  • Plugin ecosystem for one-click hosters, decrypters, container formats (e.g., DLC/CCF), and captchas
  • Premium account management for supported hosters (centralized credentials and automatic use)
  • CAPTCHA handling via plugins (interactive and/or external services depending on configuration)
  • Scheduler/reconnect and bandwidth/time-based control via configuration (commonly used to fit ISP limits)
  • Remote control interfaces: web UI plus programmatic access via RPC/API (project-provided interfaces)

Use Cases

  • Automate “one-click hoster” downloads (including premium accounts) on a home server
  • Run a headless download box you manage from a browser on LAN/VPN
  • Centralize downloads for a media workflow by fetching files to a NAS/storage directory

Limitations and Considerations

  • Hoster support quality depends heavily on plugins; breakage can occur when hosters change
  • Some advanced download features may require external tools/services through plugins (e.g., captcha services)

pyLoad is best suited for users who need automation and broad hoster support via plugins rather than a simple single-protocol downloader. Its web UI and daemon model make it practical for always-on servers, while the plugin system enables adaptation to many download sources.

3.7kstars
738forks
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#5
TubeSync

TubeSync

TubeSync automatically downloads and organizes YouTube videos from channels/playlists into your library using a web UI, background jobs, and yt-dlp integration.

TubeSync screenshot

TubeSync is a web application for automatically downloading and archiving videos from YouTube sources (such as channels and playlists) into a local library. It provides a management UI to add sources, control download behavior, and keep content up to date via scheduled/background syncing.

Key Features

  • Web UI to manage YouTube sources (e.g., channels/playlists) and sync settings
  • Automatic syncing to download new videos as they appear
  • Uses yt-dlp for extraction/downloading and supports common yt-dlp options
  • Library-style organization of downloaded media and metadata
  • Background task processing for queued/scheduled downloads
  • Docker-based deployment with persistent volumes for configuration and media

Use Cases

  • Maintain an offline archive of specific YouTube channels/playlists
  • Build a personal media library of educational content for local playback
  • Automated collection of new uploads from selected creators

Limitations and Considerations

  • Primarily focused on YouTube-style sources supported by yt-dlp; availability depends on upstream site changes
  • Download success and metadata quality can vary based on yt-dlp extractor behavior and source restrictions

TubeSync is best suited for users who want a simple, repeatable way to track chosen YouTube sources and keep an offline library current. It pairs a straightforward web interface with a reliable downloader backend to automate ongoing updates.

2.6kstars
147forks
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Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running