Catalyst

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

What Catalyst is

Catalyst is a free video downloader for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It uses yt-dlp through a graphical interface and supports YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter/X, TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, Twitch, Bilibili, and more than 1,800 sites. The listed maximum video quality is 4K. You can add URLs in bulk, reorder queued downloads by dragging, and choose how many run at once. Output choices include MP4 with H.264, Best Quality using AV1 or VP9, MP3, and M4A; the app also lets you select the container, codec, and resolution.

Catalyst keeps a searchable download history with thumbnails, channel, date, and file size, and lets you download items again. Named output categories can each have their own directory and colour. It displays progress, speed, and estimated time remaining, and can send an operating-system notification when its window is not focused. The maker says yt-dlp updates in the background and that downloads run locally, with no analytics, telemetry, or account requirement. Catalyst is described as free and open source under the MIT license. Its download page lists all three desktop platforms, but also says releases are not available yet and the first alpha is coming soon.

Who it suits

Catalyst suits desktop users who want to queue downloads from supported video and media sites, choose file formats, and organize output into named folders. Its local processing, open-source MIT license, and lack of an account requirement may also suit people who prefer those conditions.

What it does well

Supports more than 1,800 sites through yt-dlp.
Queues bulk URLs and lets users reorder downloads.
Offers video, audio, codec, and resolution choices.
Searchable history supports redownloading past items.
Processes downloads locally without an account.
Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, according to its download page.

What to know first

The download page says no releases are available yet.
The first alpha is described as coming soon.
The Windows binary is unsigned and may trigger SmartScreen.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Free	Open source · Windows · macOS · Linux	Free

As catalyst.tachyon-studios.com lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Visit the Catalyst website.
Check the download page for Windows, macOS, or Linux availability.
When a release is available, install or launch Catalyst on your desktop.
Add supported site URLs to the download queue.
Choose the output format and resolution, then set a destination category if desired.

Verdict

Choose Catalyst if you want a free, open-source desktop downloader with bulk queues, several output choices, and local processing. The main reason to look elsewhere is availability: its download page says releases are not available yet and the first alpha is still coming soon.

Questions

How much does Catalyst cost?

Catalyst is free. Its Free plan is listed as free.

Which operating systems does it support?

The download page lists Windows, macOS, and Linux, though it also says no releases are available yet.

Which sites can it download from?

The listed sources include YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter/X, TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, Twitch, and Bilibili. Catalyst also says yt-dlp provides support for more than 1,800 sites.

What output formats are available?

Choices include MP4 with H.264, Best Quality using AV1 or VP9, MP3, and M4A. Users can also select the container, codec, and resolution.

Does Catalyst require an account?

No. The maker says there is no account requirement and downloads run locally.

Is Catalyst open source?

Yes. The maker describes it as free and open source and links to the MIT license.

Facts from Catalyst's own pages

Availability: The download page lists Windows, macOS, and Linux, but also says no releases are available yet and the first alpha is coming soon. · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 11 Oct 2026
Batch downloads: Yes · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 21 Sept 2026
Cookie support: Catalyst can retrieve cookies from Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Brave, or import a cookie file for members-only content. · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 11 Oct 2026
Destinations: Users can create named output categories, each with its own directory and colour. · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 11 Oct 2026
Device platforms: Windows,macOS,Linux · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 21 Sept 2026
Download history: Catalyst logs downloads with thumbnails, channel, date, and size, and lets users search and redownload items. · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 11 Oct 2026
Engine updates: The site says yt-dlp updates silently in the background. · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 11 Oct 2026
Formats: Users can choose the container, codec, and resolution, including MP4 (H264), Best Quality, MP3, and M4A. · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 11 Oct 2026
Free plan: Yes · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 21 Sept 2026
License: The maker describes Catalyst as free and open source and links to the MIT license. · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 11 Oct 2026
Maximum video quality: 4k · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 21 Sept 2026
Output formats: MP4 (H264),Best Quality (AV1/VP9),MP3,M4A · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 21 Sept 2026
Privacy: The maker says Catalyst has no analytics, telemetry, or account requirement, and that downloads run locally on the user's machine. · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 11 Oct 2026
Progress and notifications: Catalyst shows live progress, speed, and ETA, and can send an operating-system notification when its window is not focused. · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 11 Oct 2026
Purpose: Catalyst is a video downloader that puts yt-dlp behind a graphical interface. · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 11 Oct 2026
Queue: Users can add URLs in bulk, reorder downloads by dragging, and control how many run at once. · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 11 Oct 2026
Site support: Catalyst says it supports more than 1,800 sites through yt-dlp. · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 11 Oct 2026
Supported sources: YouTube,Vimeo,Twitter/X,TikTok,Instagram,Reddit,Twitch,Bilibili,and 1,800+ sites via yt-dlp · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 21 Sept 2026
Windows setup: The download page says the Windows binary is unsigned and may trigger a SmartScreen warning. · catalyst.tachyon-studios.com, 11 Oct 2026

Where Catalyst stands on Freedom251

Video Downloaders#23 of 135