Install PurffleGrab
Windows, Mac or Linux, from the download section. FFmpeg and yt-dlp are included.
Purffle / PurffleGrab / Guides / Online converter alternative
An online converter alternative without the ads.
Why y2mate-style converter sites frustrate people, and what a desktop app does differently — including where a website is still the easier choice.
The short version
Online converters (the y2mate-style sites) are handy once. Use them often and the problems pile up: ads and pop-ups, fake download buttons, 720p limits, length caps, one video at a time, and sites that vanish or change name. A desktop app solves all of that, at the cost of one install.
See it in two minutes
Paste a link or type a song name, save a whole playlist, follow a channel, and fix a broken download in one click. Watch on YouTube (2:19).
Side by side
| PurffleGrab | Online converters | |
|---|---|---|
| Ads, pop-ups, redirects | None | Common |
| Video quality | 1080p free, up to 8K with Pro | Often 720p |
| MP3 quality | Up to 320 kbps, or FLAC | Varies, often 128 kbps |
| Playlists and channels | Yes, in one go | Rarely |
| Spotify playlists | Yes, with tags and cover art | Usually not |
| Keeps working when YouTube changes | Engine updates itself | Hit and miss |
| Needs an install | Yes | No |
Switching takes two minutes
Paste the same links
Videos, Shorts, playlists, and Spotify too. Or just type a song name.
Add the browser button
With the extension, a Save button on YouTube sends the video straight to the app, as quick as a converter site but without the ads.
Search
Questions
Are online YouTube converters safe?
Many are covered in aggressive ads, pop-ups and redirects, and some push browser notifications or extra downloads. If you use one, don't allow notifications and don't run anything it offers you.
Why do online converters stop at 720p?
Converting on a server costs them bandwidth, so many cap quality, length or speed. A desktop app downloads directly from the site to your computer, so it doesn't need to.
Is PurffleGrab free?
Yes, for 67 downloads a month up to 1080p, with no ads. New accounts get 3 days of Pro free.
Use it for media you have the right to save
Downloading can breach a site's terms of service and may infringe copyright where you live. Clearly fine: your own uploads, Creative Commons and public-domain material, and content you're licensed to keep offline.