Side by side

DownKingo vs PlayOn

Both stand on video downloaders. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

DownKingo

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

DownKingo combines media downloading with conversion, editing, captions, and local transcription. Its current release availability is strongest on Windows, so users on other platforms should note the older listed builds.

Visit DownKingo

PlayOn

Free plan AndroidiPhoneMac+1

PlayOn offers cloud recording and a PC-based DVR, with MP4 downloads, casting, ad skipping, and series recording. Choose between Home’s unlimited recordings and Cloud’s storage-and-credit model.

Visit PlayOn

The facts

	DownKingo	PlayOn
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	Not published	Not published
Runs on	Linux, Mac, Windows	Android, iPhone, Mac, Windows
Lowest paid plan	Free or on request	PlayOn Home: $4.99 a month
Plans published	1	10
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	downkingo.com	playon.tv
On video downloaders	#13 of 136	#49 of 136

DownKingo: what it does well

Supports playlists, subtitles, and batch downloads.
Video downloads are listed up to 8K.
Editor can split timelines and burn styled captions.
Transcription runs locally after a Whisper.cpp model is installed.
Free and open source under the MIT license.

What to know first

Latest version is not yet available for Mac.
Listed Linux release is an older legacy version.
4K and 8K downloads need more RAM and fast internet.

PlayOn: what it does well

Records from a broad list of streaming services
MP4 downloads support offline viewing
Recording quality reaches 1080p
Home can record entire seasons
Recordings can cast to Roku and Fire TV

What to know first

Cloud recordings default to seven-day retention
Home requires a supported Windows PC
Free Home plan is limited to SD ad-supported shows
Monthly Cloud credits expire with the subscription month

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