MeTube

MeTube is a free, self-hosted downloader built around yt-dlp. It is best for people who want to queue media downloads to a server they control; its broad format and source support comes with real responsibility for securing that server.

Overview

MeTube handles individual videos, playlists, and entire channels, downloading video, audio, subtitles, and thumbnails. YouTube is supported alongside many other sites through yt-dlp, and plugins can extend that reach further. Channel and playlist subscriptions can queue new uploads as they appear, making MeTube useful for recurring downloads as well as one-off requests.

Its boundary is clear: MeTube writes downloads to the server, but does not tag or organize a media library. Choose it as a download pipeline, and pair it with another tool if managing a searchable collection is part of the job. The project uses the AGPL-3.0 license.

Key features

Each download can have its own quality, format, and destination folder, while server-wide yt-dlp options and presets reduce repeated setup. Video quality goes up to 4K. Output choices span MP4, M4A, MP3, Opus, WAV, FLAC, subtitle formats including SRT, TXT, VTT, TTML, SBV, SCC, and DFXP, plus JPG thumbnails. Batch, playlist, and subtitle downloads make it more capable than a simple single-video grabber.

The default concurrency limit is three downloads; additional jobs wait. That is a sensible starting point for a shared server, though it can slow a large queue. Docker and Docker Compose quick starts, with amd64 and arm64 images, suit people already comfortable deploying containers.

Browser extensions, bookmarklets, an iOS Shortcut, Android share-menu apps, and a Raycast extension provide ways to send links to MeTube. Other integrations can submit downloads through a JSON POST to /add, and query accepted options through /formats. This makes it adaptable to workflows beyond the supplied integrations.

Pricing

MeTube’s Free plan costs nothing and is self-hosted. There is no free trial and no paid plan; the product is free software rather than a hosted service with a subscription tier. That suits users willing to provide and maintain their own server. The cost in practice is the setup and upkeep of that environment.

Platforms

MeTube is self-hosted and accessed through the web, with integrations for Android, iOS, Chrome, and Firefox. Its Docker images support amd64 and arm64. The listed platform range is broad, but the core product remains a server deployment rather than a conventional desktop downloader.

Who it's for

MeTube fits technically comfortable users who want centralized downloads, flexible output choices, recurring channel or playlist queues, and link submission from several devices and apps. It is a poor fit for anyone who wants a ready-hosted service, built-in authentication, or media cataloguing in the same product.

Security deserves particular attention. MeTube ships without authentication and is intended for a trusted network or an authenticating reverse proxy. It supports built-in HTTPS and documents proxy configurations for NGINX, Apache, Caddy, and swag. Private and internal addresses are blocked by default; enabling ALLOW_PRIVATE_ADDRESSES disables that SSRF protection. Cross-origin requests are refused when CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS is empty, and the maker advises naming allowed origins instead of using a wildcard. These controls reward careful administration, but the lack of built-in login makes casual exposure a poor choice.

Support is focused on the latest continuously released version. The security policy requests private vulnerability reports and says an initial response can be expected within a few days; general questions belong in Discussions and bugs in Issues.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free self-hosting combines broad yt-dlp source support with 4K video, many audio and subtitle outputs, playlists, batches, and channel subscriptions.
• Pros: Multiple integrations and a JSON interface make it practical to route links from browsers, phones, and other apps to one server.
• Cons: No built-in authentication means network boundaries or an authenticating reverse proxy are essential.
• Cons: Library tagging and organization fall outside its scope, so collection management requires another tool.
• Cons: Three simultaneous downloads by default can leave larger queues waiting.

Alternatives

yt-dlp is the direct choice for users who prefer the underlying free command-line tool and want its Linux, macOS, self-hosted, or Windows platforms without MeTube’s web interface.

4K Video Downloader+ is an alternative with Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows support, a free Starter plan for basic features, and a free trial.

Freemake Video Downloader offers a free download for personal, private, non-commercial use on macOS and Windows.

Youwee is another free, open-source option for Linux, macOS, Windows, and extension use.

NeoDLP is described as fully free and open source, with extension, Linux, macOS, and Windows platforms.

yt-dlp app is a free open-source desktop app for Windows, macOS, and Linux, described as having no telemetry or tracking.

DownKingo is a free option for Linux, macOS, and Windows, with its source, releases, and public roadmap on GitHub under the MIT license.

OmniGet is a free option for extension, Linux, macOS, and Windows use, with no ads, no account, and no paid plan.

For a broader shortlist, see Video Downloaders.

Verdict

Choose MeTube if you want a free, configurable download hub on a server you control, especially for recurring channel or playlist downloads and links sent from other devices. Its combination of yt-dlp flexibility and integrations is the reason to pick it. Look elsewhere if you need built-in login protection, a managed hosted product, or an organized media library out of the box.