cobalt.tools Alternative for YouTube
cobalt.tools is free and open-source, and it covers more platforms than we do. But as of September 2026 its public instance can't download from YouTube at all. If YouTube is the one you actually need right now, this works.
By using VidKeep you accept the Terms and confirm you have the right to keep the file.
We keep no links and no files. Everything is deleted right after the download.
How to download a YouTube video
Copy the link
Open the video on YouTube and copy its URL from the address bar or the Share button.
Paste it above
VidKeep reads what qualities the video offers and shows them with real file sizes.
Pick and keep
Choose MP4 up to 4K or MP3 audio. Free qualities download straight to your device.
What VidKeep can’t do with YouTube
Private and members-only videos
Only public videos can be saved. Anything behind a login or a paywall won’t open.
Live streams while they’re live
A stream has to finish and be published as a normal video before it can be downloaded.
Age-restricted videos
Videos gated behind an age check can’t be read without signing in, which we don’t do.
cobalt.tools vs VidKeep — questions
Why doesn't cobalt.tools work for YouTube?
YouTube tightened its network defenses against cobalt's public instance in 2025, and cobalt's own maintainers confirm on their GitHub tracker (issue #1356) that the block is still in place. A workaround exists only for people running their own private instance with cookie-based login — not for the public site most people actually use.
Is VidKeep better than cobalt.tools overall?
Not across the board, and we'd rather say so than pretend otherwise. cobalt supports far more platforms than we do — Pinterest, Snapchat, SoundCloud, Vimeo, Reddit and more — and it's entirely free with no paid tier at all. What we can promise is narrower: YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter/X, working right now.
Do I need an account?
No — same as cobalt, nothing to sign up for on the free tier.
Is there a length or size limit?
Free covers 30 downloads a day, 10 of them above 720p — more than normal use needs. Individual files are capped at 1.5 GB; Pro lifts the daily count.