MeTube

MeTube is a self-hosted downloader that routes media links through yt-dlp to a server you control. It suits people who want flexible video, audio, subtitle, and thumbnail downloads from a browser or phone. Its breadth and zero price are compelling, provided you can manage the server and secure access yourself.

Overview

MeTube handles individual videos, playlists, and entire channels from YouTube and many other sites supported by yt-dlp. It can also subscribe to channels and playlists, queuing new uploads as they appear. That makes it useful for recurring downloads, though the default limit of three concurrent downloads means larger queues may take time to clear.

The project is licensed under AGPL-3.0. Its scope ends when files are written to the server; tagging and organizing a media library require separate software.

Key features

Users can choose quality, output format, and destination folder for each download, then set server-wide yt-dlp options and presets for repeat jobs. Video quality reaches 4K, and formats span MP4, M4A, MP3, Opus, WAV, FLAC, subtitles in formats including SRT and VTT, and JPG thumbnails. Playlist, batch, and subtitle downloads make it more capable than a one-link-at-a-time utility.

Docker and Docker Compose quick starts, with images for amd64 and arm64, give self-hosters a straightforward deployment path if they already use containers. Browser extensions, bookmarklets, an iOS Shortcut, Android share-menu apps, and a Raycast extension can send links to MeTube. Integrations can also submit downloads through a JSON POST endpoint; yt-dlp plugins can extend supported links, including with Invidious and Piped.

MeTube has no built-in authentication and is intended for trusted networks or use behind an authenticating reverse proxy. It supports HTTPS and documents proxy setups for NGINX, Apache, Caddy, and swag. Private and internal addresses are blocked by default; enabling ALLOW_PRIVATE_ADDRESSES disables that protection. Cross-origin requests are refused by default, and named allowed origins are preferable to a wildcard. These controls matter: an exposed, unauthenticated downloader is a poor fit for casual public hosting.

Pricing

MeTube is free: the self-hosted Free plan costs nothing, and there are no paid plans. There is no free trial because no paid tier is offered. The tradeoff is operational rather than a feature tier: users provide and secure the server themselves.

Platforms

MeTube is a self-hosted web application, with integrations for Android, iOS, Chrome, and Firefox. Docker images support amd64 and arm64. It is best understood as a server-based tool accessed through web and link-sending integrations, rather than a conventional desktop downloader.

Who it's for

MeTube fits self-hosters who want format and folder control, recurring channel or playlist downloads, and a way to submit links from multiple devices. It is less suitable for people who want a managed service, built-in media organization, or authentication without configuring a proxy.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free self-hosting with no paid plans keeps the cost clear.
• Pros: 4K support, broad output formats, subtitles, playlists, and batch downloads cover varied jobs.
• Pros: Subscriptions and integrations let users queue uploads and send links from phones, browsers, and other apps.
• Cons: No built-in authentication means safe access depends on network placement or an authenticating reverse proxy.
• Cons: The default three-download concurrency limit can slow large queues.
• Cons: MeTube does not tag or organize the files it downloads, so library management takes another tool.

Alternatives

Compare video downloaders if you want to weigh more approaches. Choose yt-dlp for a free, self-hosted command-line tool across Linux, macOS, and Windows. 4K Video Downloader+ is a freemium option with Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows support. NeoDLP is another free, open-source downloader for extension, Linux, macOS, and Windows. Freemake Video Downloader offers free downloads for personal, private, non-commercial use on macOS and Windows. Youwee is a free, MIT-licensed option for extension, Linux, macOS, and Windows. yt-dlp app is a desktop option for Windows, macOS, and Linux, with no telemetry or tracking. DownKingo is another free option for Linux, macOS, and Windows. OmniGet offers a free option for extension, Linux, macOS, and Windows, with no ads or account.

Verdict

Choose MeTube if you want a free, configurable downloader on a server you control, especially for playlists, subscriptions, and links submitted from other devices. Its main advantage is the combination of broad yt-dlp support and flexible output choices. Look elsewhere if you need built-in authentication or a tool that organizes a media library after downloading.