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8 Best YouTube to MP3 Converters, Scored Out Of 5

Quick Answer

Stacher is the best YouTube to MP3 converter for most people. It is free, easy to use, and runs on yt-dlp, the downloader that keeps up with YouTube's changes better than anything else. If you are comfortable with commands, yt-dlp itself is the most reliable option. MediaHuman is a good free alternative, but avoid the ad-filled converter websites.
Updated October 17, 2026
YouTube is pretty much the biggest music library on the internet, and sometimes you just want a song, a podcast or a lecture as an MP3 to listen to offline. YouTube Premium lets you do that inside the app, but if you want the actual file on your device, you need a converter.
The problem is, most YouTube to MP3 converters you find on Google are ad-filled websites with fake download buttons, and even the good ones keep breaking every time YouTube changes something. So I went through eight popular options, checked what real users are saying about each one in 2026, and scored them out of 5 on audio quality, speed, ease of use, safety, playlist support and format options.
Here are the best YouTube to MP3 converters you can use right now.

List of the Best YouTube to MP3 Converters

yt-dlp logo

1. yt-dlp

Website
4.6
The most reliable option, if you don't mind typing commands.
Type
Open source, command line
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux
Price
Free
Version tested
2026.08.19
Parameter Breakdown
Each one is out of 5, and the 4.6 above is their average.
Audio Quality5.0/5
Bitrate, and whether it re-encodes
Speed4.8/5
Paste to finished file
Ease Of Use3.0/5
How much you have to learn
Safety4.9/5
Adware, bundling, fake buttons
Batch & Playlists5.0/5
Queues, playlists, channels
Format Options5.0/5
MP3, M4A, Opus, FLAC
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
  • Free and open source, with no ads or upsells
  • Fixes usually arrive within a day or two when YouTube breaks
  • Fast and light next to app-based downloaders
  • Handles whole playlists, channels and hundreds of other sites
  • Full control over format, quality, tags and file names
Weaknesses
  • Command line only, so there is a learning curve
  • Needs FFmpeg installed separately to make MP3s
  • Must be kept updated, or YouTube downloads stop
  • Now also needs a JavaScript runtime such as Deno
  • Bot checks can push you to use cookies, which risks your account
Stacher logo

2. Stacher

Website
4.5
Everything good about yt-dlp, in a proper app.
Type
Free app for yt-dlp
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux
Price
Free, Premium $5 a month
Version tested
7.1.12
Parameter Breakdown
Each one is out of 5, and the 4.5 above is their average.
Audio Quality4.8/5
Bitrate, and whether it re-encodes
Speed4.5/5
Paste to finished file
Ease Of Use4.4/5
How much you have to learn
Safety4.4/5
Adware, bundling, fake buttons
Batch & Playlists4.6/5
Queues, playlists, channels
Format Options4.4/5
MP3, M4A, Opus, FLAC
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
  • All of yt-dlp's power without typing commands
  • Clean, modern interface that is easy to learn
  • Downloads whole playlists and channels as MP3
  • Subscriptions grab new uploads from channels automatically
  • Installs and updates yt-dlp for you
Weaknesses
  • Closed source, unlike the yt-dlp engine it uses
  • You still have to set up FFmpeg for MP3
  • Breaks for a while when YouTube or yt-dlp changes
  • The Library and players need the paid Premium plan
  • Large download, and unsigned on Windows
MediaHuman YouTube to MP3 logo

3. MediaHuman YouTube to MP3

Website
4.3
A simple free app that keeps your playlists in sync.
Type
Free desktop app
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux
Price
Free, faster mode costs extra
Version tested
3.9.24
Parameter Breakdown
Each one is out of 5, and the 4.3 above is their average.
Audio Quality4.4/5
Bitrate, and whether it re-encodes
Speed4.0/5
Paste to finished file
Ease Of Use4.6/5
How much you have to learn
Safety4.6/5
Adware, bundling, fake buttons
Batch & Playlists4.5/5
Queues, playlists, channels
Format Options3.8/5
MP3, M4A, Opus, FLAC
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
  • Free, with no ads or hidden fees
  • Simple and quick on Mac, Windows and Linux
  • Follows playlists and channels, fetching only new songs
  • Downloads just the audio, which saves time and data
  • Adds song details and cover art, and exports to Apple Music
Weaknesses
  • Often makes you update before it will download
  • YouTube limits can push you to sign in
  • Signing in for big batches can get you blocked for a while
  • Large playlists take a long time to load
  • The fastest TurboBoost mode costs extra
4K YouTube to MP3 logo

4. 4K YouTube to MP3

Website
4.2
The easiest app here, but the free plan is very limited.
Type
Freemium desktop app
Platforms
Windows, macOS 12+, Ubuntu
Price
Free plan, $15 lifetime
Version tested
26.3.5
Parameter Breakdown
Each one is out of 5, and the 4.2 above is their average.
Audio Quality4.0/5
Bitrate, and whether it re-encodes
Speed4.3/5
Paste to finished file
Ease Of Use4.8/5
How much you have to learn
Safety4.6/5
Adware, bundling, fake buttons
Batch & Playlists3.6/5
Queues, playlists, channels
Format Options3.8/5
MP3, M4A, Opus, FLAC
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
  • Very easy: copy a link, paste it, done
  • Grabs full playlists and channels in one go
  • Installs no extra software
  • A cheap one-time lifetime licence is still on offer
  • Support replies quickly when downloads fail
Weaknesses
  • The free plan only allows a handful of downloads a day
  • Users often report 128 kbps audio, even on paid plans
  • Updates have broken downloads for days at a time
  • Some lifetime buyers felt pushed to pay again
  • Needs macOS 12 or newer on a Mac
Any Video Converter Free logo

5. Any Video Converter Free

Website
3.8
A capable all-rounder that keeps pushing you to upgrade.
Type
Freemium desktop app
Platforms
Windows, macOS
Price
Free, Pro from $49.95 once
Version tested
9.2.5
Parameter Breakdown
Each one is out of 5, and the 3.8 above is their average.
Audio Quality4.0/5
Bitrate, and whether it re-encodes
Speed3.6/5
Paste to finished file
Ease Of Use3.8/5
How much you have to learn
Safety3.2/5
Adware, bundling, fake buttons
Batch & Playlists3.6/5
Queues, playlists, channels
Format Options4.6/5
MP3, M4A, Opus, FLAC
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
  • No watermark, size limit or daily cap on the free version
  • Downloads, converts, trims and merges in one app
  • Converts to MP3 on your computer, with nothing uploaded
  • Support replies quickly to problems
  • Updated often when downloads break
Weaknesses
  • Downloading straight to MP3 needs the paid Pro plan
  • Frequent upgrade reminders and Pro pop-ups
  • The free version converts slower than Pro
  • Some reviewers saw extra software offered during install
  • YouTube downloads sometimes break until the next update
ClipGrab logo

6. ClipGrab

Website
3.2
Simple to use, but it breaks on YouTube far too often.
Type
Open source desktop app
Platforms
Windows, macOS (beta), Linux
Price
Free
Version tested
3.9.15
Parameter Breakdown
Each one is out of 5, and the 3.2 above is their average.
Audio Quality3.8/5
Bitrate, and whether it re-encodes
Speed2.8/5
Paste to finished file
Ease Of Use4.2/5
How much you have to learn
Safety3.0/5
Adware, bundling, fake buttons
Batch & Playlists2.8/5
Queues, playlists, channels
Format Options2.8/5
MP3, M4A, Opus, FLAC
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
  • Very simple: paste a link, pick MP3, download
  • Free and open source on Windows, Mac and Linux
  • Picks up links you copy automatically
  • A clean portable Windows version is available
Weaknesses
  • The Windows installer includes third-party offers
  • Often stops working with YouTube, sometimes for months
  • Gets stuck reading links or fails with errors
  • Only MP3 or OGG, with no quality settings
  • The Mac version is still in beta
cobalt logo

7. cobalt

Website
3.1
A great downloader, just not for YouTube anymore.
Type
Open source website
Platforms
Any browser, or self-hosted
Price
Free
Version tested
11.7.1
Parameter Breakdown
Each one is out of 5, and the 3.1 above is their average.
Audio Quality4.2/5
Bitrate, and whether it re-encodes
Speed2.2/5
Paste to finished file
Ease Of Use2.0/5
How much you have to learn
Safety4.6/5
Adware, bundling, fake buttons
Batch & Playlists1.8/5
Queues, playlists, channels
Format Options4.0/5
MP3, M4A, Opus, FLAC
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
  • No ads, pop-ups or sign-in
  • Clean, simple paste-a-link design
  • Free and open source, with a no-logs policy
  • Still works for TikTok, SoundCloud, Instagram and more
Weaknesses
  • The public site has not supported YouTube since mid-2025
  • Running your own copy for YouTube is fiddly and often fails
  • Community copies that still work may not be trustworthy
  • Long waits at the verification check

8. Generic Web Converters

Avoid
2.4
The y2mate and ytmp3 kind of website.
Type
Ad-funded websites
Platforms
Any browser
Price
Free, funded by ads
Version tested
Domains change constantly
Parameter Breakdown
Each one is out of 5, and the 2.4 above is their average.
Audio Quality2.6/5
Bitrate, and whether it re-encodes
Speed3.6/5
Paste to finished file
Ease Of Use4.4/5
How much you have to learn
Safety0.8/5
Adware, bundling, fake buttons
Batch & Playlists1.0/5
Queues, playlists, channels
Format Options2.2/5
MP3, M4A, Opus, FLAC
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
  • Nothing to install, and they work on any device
  • Fast and simple for a single track
  • No account needed
Weaknesses
  • Pop-ups and redirects to scam and adult sites
  • Fake download buttons and pushed browser extensions
  • Notification prompts that keep spamming you later
  • Sites get shut down and copycats take their place
  • 320 kbps claims are just upscaled YouTube audio

Which One Should You Pick

Best overall
yt-dlp
The most reliable, and completely free.
Best for most people
Stacher
All of yt-dlp, without the commands.
Best free app
MediaHuman
No ads, no limits, and it syncs your playlists.
Easiest to use
4K YouTube to MP3
Paste a link and you are done. $15 once removes the limits.
Best for playlists and channels
Stacher
Subscribe to a channel and it grabs new uploads for you.
Best on a phone
YouTube Premium
The official way to listen offline.

Full Comparison Table

ToolOverallAudio QualitySpeedEase Of UseSafetyBatch & PlaylistsFormat OptionsPrice
1. yt-dlp4.65.04.83.04.95.05.0Free
2. Stacher4.54.84.54.44.44.64.4Free, Premium $5 a month
3. MediaHuman YouTube to MP34.34.44.04.64.64.53.8Free, faster mode costs extra
4. 4K YouTube to MP34.24.04.34.84.63.63.8Free plan, $15 lifetime
5. Any Video Converter Free3.84.03.63.83.23.64.6Free, Pro from $49.95 once
6. ClipGrab3.23.82.84.23.02.82.8Free
7. cobalt3.14.22.22.04.61.84.0Free
8. Generic Web Converters2.42.63.64.40.81.02.2Free, funded by ads
Every figure is out of 5, and Overall is simply the average of the six.

FAQs on YouTube to MP3 Converters

Is it legal to convert YouTube videos to MP3?

Not always. Downloading videos you don't own breaks YouTube's Terms of Service, and in many countries, copyright law as well. However, your own uploads and Creative Commons music are fine. If you just want music offline, YouTube Premium is the official way to do it.

Is a 320 kbps MP3 better quality?

No. YouTube streams audio at around 128 to 160 kbps, so a 320 kbps file is just the same audio blown up to a bigger size. You are better off keeping the original quality.

Why did my YouTube to MP3 converter stop working?

YouTube keeps changing things to block downloaders. Tools that update quickly, like yt-dlp and Stacher, are usually fixed within a day or two. Websites often stay broken for much longer.

Are these YouTube to MP3 converters safe?

Yes, the apps on this list are safe. However, read every screen while installing ClipGrab and Any Video Converter, and skip any extra offers. The ad-filled websites are the real risk.

Which YouTube to MP3 converters are free?

yt-dlp, Stacher, MediaHuman, ClipGrab and cobalt are free. 4K YouTube to MP3 and Any Video Converter also have free versions, but with limits.

Can I convert YouTube to MP3 on my phone?

Not safely. The converter websites on phones are full of fake buttons and pop-ups. I would use YouTube Premium, or convert on a computer and copy the files to your phone.

Do I need FFmpeg?

Only for yt-dlp and Stacher, to make MP3 files. For those who are not aware, FFmpeg is the free tool that does the actual conversion. The other apps handle it for you.

Decision Matrix

What you needyt-dlpStacherMediaHuman4K MP3Any Video ConverterClipGrabcobalt
Free with no download limits
Works with YouTube right now
Easy without technical skills
No ads, upsells or extra software
Runs on Mac, Windows and Linux
Open source
Yes Partly No