Downie by Charlie Monroe Software is one of the best-known video downloaders on the Mac. It’s fast, it handles a long list of sites, and the interface is clean. I used it for years. But the landscape around it has shifted, and a lot of people are now looking for something else.
The biggest reason: Downie moved to a Setapp-only distribution model. You can no longer buy it outright. If you want Downie, you need a Setapp subscription at $9.99/month. That’s $120 a year for access to a bundle of apps, most of which you probably don’t need. For people who just want a video downloader, that math doesn’t work.
There are other reasons too. Downie doesn’t offer any kind of encrypted storage for downloaded files. It relies on browser extensions rather than a built-in browser. And its UI, while functional, hasn’t changed much in years. So here are the alternatives I’d actually recommend.
StreamStow
StreamStow is a native macOS app with a built-in tabbed browser. You browse to a page, the app detects video automatically, and you download with one click. No browser extension to install, no copying and pasting URLs.
The feature that sets it apart is the Secure Vault. Downloaded videos can go straight into an AES-256 encrypted folder that locks with Touch ID. When the vault is locked, the files don’t appear anywhere in Finder. This is something no other video downloader on this list offers.
StreamStow supports 1000+ sites through yt-dlp under the hood, so site coverage is on par with Downie. It’s a one-time purchase at $29 — no subscription, no recurring charges. You get 3 free trial downloads before you decide. That one-time pricing model is a big part of why people land here after leaving Downie.
Pros: Built-in browser, encrypted vault, Touch ID, native macOS feel, one-time price. Cons: Newer app, smaller user community than Downie.
4K Video Downloader
4K Video Downloader has been around for a long time and supports Mac, Windows, and Linux. It handles YouTube, Vimeo, TikTok, and other major platforms. The free tier lets you download 30 videos per day with some limitations, and the paid version (4K Video Downloader+) costs $15.99 one-time for a personal license.
The interface is straightforward. You copy a URL, paste it in, pick your quality, and hit download. It handles playlists and channels in batch, which is useful if you’re archiving a public domain collection. The smart mode feature lets you set preferred quality once and skip the dialog on subsequent downloads.
Pros: Cross-platform, playlist/channel support, affordable one-time license. Cons: No built-in browser (copy-paste workflow only), no encrypted storage, the free tier shows ads, macOS version feels like a Windows port.
Pulltube
Pulltube is a Mac-native app from a small indie developer. It’s sold through the Mac App Store for $14.99, which means it goes through Apple’s review process and follows sandboxing rules. You paste URLs or drag them from Safari, pick a format, and download.
What I like about Pulltube is its trimming feature. Before downloading, you can set in and out points to grab just a portion of a video. That’s genuinely useful if you only need a 30-second clip from a longer piece. It also extracts audio tracks cleanly.
Pros: Mac App Store distribution, video trimming before download, simple interface, reasonable price. Cons: Smaller site support list than yt-dlp-based tools, no encrypted storage, no built-in browser, development pace has slowed.
yt-dlp (command line)
If you’re comfortable in Terminal, yt-dlp is the open-source engine that powers many of the GUI apps on this list (including StreamStow). It’s free, it supports more sites than anything else, and it’s updated constantly by an active community. Install it with Homebrew (brew install yt-dlp) and you’re running in under a minute.
The tradeoff is obvious: there’s no graphical interface. You’re typing commands, reading flags, and troubleshooting in the terminal. Format selection requires knowing codec strings. Batch downloads need shell scripting. For people who live in the terminal already, this is fine. For everyone else, it’s a wall.
Pros: Free, open source, widest site support available, extremely configurable. Cons: Command-line only, steep learning curve, no video management, no encryption, you handle updates yourself.
Airy
Airy is a lightweight Mac app focused primarily on YouTube. It sits in your menu bar and lets you paste YouTube URLs to download videos or extract audio. The interface is minimal — almost too minimal. It does one thing and keeps out of your way.
Pricing is $19.99 for a single license. It also shows up in Setapp, which creates the same subscription concern as Downie for some people, but at least you can still buy it directly.
Pros: Simple, lightweight, good YouTube support, direct purchase available. Cons: YouTube-focused (limited support for other sites), no encrypted storage, no built-in browser, basic feature set for the price.
How they compare at a glance
| App | Price | Built-in browser | Encrypted vault | Site coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downie | $9.99/mo (Setapp) | No | No | 1000+ |
| StreamStow | $29 one-time | Yes | Yes (AES-256) | 1000+ |
| 4K Video Downloader | $15.99 one-time | No | No | Major platforms |
| Pulltube | $14.99 one-time | No | No | Moderate |
| yt-dlp | Free | No | No | 1000+ |
| Airy | $19.99 one-time | No | No | YouTube-focused |
Pick based on what actually matters to you
If you want the widest site support for free and don’t mind the terminal, yt-dlp is hard to beat. If you want a simple GUI for YouTube specifically, Airy or Pulltube will get the job done.
If you want a native Mac app with a real browser built in, encrypted storage for your downloads, and a price you pay once, download StreamStow and try the 3 free downloads. That’s enough to see if it fits your workflow before spending anything.
StreamStow is designed for downloading personal content, public domain videos, and creative commons media. Please respect copyright laws and platform terms of service.