Downloading a video by link is the shortest way to save a clip from any platform: no hunting for a tool for each site, no extensions, no figuring out where YouTube hides its button and where VK hides its own. One video address, one field, one button. Skachok supports 25+ platforms: from YouTube and TikTok to Rutube, Dzen and Odnoklassniki (three of the biggest Russian video sites). Below we look at how it works, which sites are supported, how to download several videos at once and what the service cannot do.
How it works
Every platform stores video its own way. YouTube serves DASH streams, Rutube and OK.ru serve HLS fragments, TikTok serves a ready MP4 at a direct address that expires after a while. In the past each site needed its own tool, and each one broke whenever the platform updated.
Skachok does the work on the server. You paste a link, the server identifies the platform by its domain, opens the video page, finds every available format and shows them to you. After you pick a quality, it either passes the file straight from the platform or assembles it from fragments and then delivers it. For you there is no difference: in both cases an MP4 shows up in your Downloads.
When a platform changes something, one server gets updated. You do not reinstall anything, and old links to guides do not go stale.
Which sites are supported
The full list is in the site menu; here it is grouped by purpose.
Russian platforms. VK Video and VK Clips, Rutube, Dzen, Odnoklassniki. They work without a VPN, in MP4 up to 1080p. Foreign services support them poorly, which is why this group is Skachok's core.
Short video. TikTok and Likee without a watermark, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and posts, Threads, Coub.
Major video hosts. YouTube up to 4K with MP3, M4A, OGG and FLAC, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Bilibili.
Social networks and microblogs. X (Twitter) with video and GIFs, Facebook, Tumblr, Weibo, Pinterest with video pins and full-size images.
Streams. Twitch: clips, VODs and highlights up to 1080p60. Kick: clips and recordings.
Messengers and music. Public Telegram channels via t.me/channel/number links, SoundCloud tracks in MP3.
Every platform has its own page on the site with a sample link and specifics. If your site is not on the list, try anyway: some platforms are handled through a generic parser.
How to download video by link: step by step
The steps are the same for any platform and any device.
- Copy the video link. On a computer that is the address in the browser bar. In a mobile app, tap "Share" and choose "Copy link". Short links such as
youtu.be,vm.tiktok.com,t.coandpin.itwork too. - Open Skachok and paste the link into the field on the home page. The clipboard icon to the right of the field pastes it in one tap.
- Click "Find". Within a few seconds a card appears: preview, title, duration, the list of video qualities and audio formats.
- Pick a quality in the "Video" block or a format in the "Audio" block.
- Click "Download". On the free plan an 8-second timer runs first. The file is saved to your browser's downloads.
No sign-up is required for this. Signing up gives you 2 days of the Pro plan for free, with no card, and unlocks 1080p, 2K and downloads with no timer.
Several links at once
If you need to save a series of videos, a playlist or every clip from a collection, paste the links into the field one per line. The service extracts addresses even from text with descriptions, so you can paste a whole list from your notes. The button changes to "Find N", where N is the number of links.
After the search each video gets its own card, and a panel with two buttons appears above them: "Download all videos" and "All as MP3". The quality for batch downloads is the best one available on your plan. The browser asks once for permission to save multiple files; grant it.
The number of links per batch depends on the plan:
- Free: 3 links, 1 download at a time;
- Lite: 5 links, 2 in parallel;
- Pro: 10 links, 3 in parallel;
- Max: 50 links, 10 in parallel plus queue priority.
Links from different platforms can share one list: YouTube, VK and TikTok mixed together are processed just like links from a single site.
Formats and quality
The service delivers video as MP4. It is the only container that opens without fuss on iPhone, Android, Windows, macOS and TVs. The list of resolutions depends on what the author uploaded and what the platform stores: YouTube up to 4K, most others up to 1080p.
- Up to 720p is free: 3 downloads a day without signing up, 5 on a free account.
- 1080p starts with the Lite plan at $1.99 a month (99 ₽ in Russia).
- 1440p (2K) starts with Pro, 2160p (4K) is on Max.
Why 1080p and above is not free is explained in our article on downloading video in 1080p, 2K and 4K. In short: platforms serve Full HD as separate streams or fragments, and the server assembles them into a single file.
Audio is available on its own. MP3 at 192 kbps and M4A from Lite, OGG from Pro, FLAC on Max. For YouTube, Pro and Max add two more features: SponsorBlock cuts out sponsor segments, and the "Audio track" block lets you download the video with an alternative dub if the author uploaded one.
What cannot be downloaded
The service works with whatever a regular visitor sees without logging in. Hence the limits.
- Private videos. "Friends only" videos on VK, private accounts on Instagram, X and Likee, closed Telegram channels.
- Live broadcasts. Streams cannot be downloaded while they are running. Wait for the end; the recording appears on the channel.
- Streaming services and paid courses. DRM-protected video is not supported.
- Profile or feed links. You need a link to a specific video, not to the author's page.
If a video is public but is not found, strip everything after the ? in the link, wait a minute and try again. The daily limit can also be the cause: 3 downloads a day without signing up, 5 on a free account; the limits of the other plans are on the Pricing page.
FAQ
Do I need to install anything?
No. Skachok works in the browser on phone and computer. No extensions, programs or apps are needed.
Which sites can I download video from by link?
From 25+ platforms: YouTube, VK, TikTok, Rutube, Dzen, OK.ru, Pinterest, Instagram, X, Twitch, Telegram, Likee, Vimeo and others. The full list is in the site menu.
Can I download several videos at once?
Yes. Paste the links one per line and click "Find". The free plan takes 3 links at a time, Lite 5, Pro 10, Max 50.
What format does the video come in?
MP4. Audio can be downloaded separately as MP3, and on paid plans also as M4A, OGG and FLAC.
How much does it cost?
Downloads up to 720p are free: 3 a day without signing up, 5 on a free account. Lite at $1.99 a month unlocks 1080p, Pro at $3.99 unlocks 2K, Max at $5.99 unlocks 4K. Dollar prices apply to cards issued outside Russia (Visa/Mastercard); from Russia you pay in rubles (99, 249 and 399 ₽ a month) via SBP (Russia's instant payment system) or a Russian bank card.