Downloading a YouTube video does not require installing anything: all you need is a browser and a link to the video. Skachok works like an ordinary website: paste the address, pick the quality, get an MP4 or MP3. Below we cover how to do it from a computer and from a phone, why 720p is free while 1080p and above need a plan, and what to do when a video cannot be found.
Why online beats a desktop program
Ten years ago people downloaded YouTube videos with desktop downloaders and browser extensions. That route has become inconvenient: YouTube changes its page layout and the way it signs stream URLs several times a year, and each change breaks the old extensions. Users find out at the worst possible moment: the button is there, but the file never downloads.
An online service is updated on the server side. You do not have to install, update or approve anything in your security settings. That matters on a work laptop without admin rights, on a school computer and on a phone, where extensions simply do not exist.
Another advantage is one method for every platform. The same link field works for TikTok, VK Video (the video service of Russia's largest social network), Pinterest and two dozen other sites. There is no need to keep a separate program for each platform.
Available qualities and formats
Skachok shows every variant a video has and groups them into two blocks.
Video (MP4):
- 144p, 240p, 360p, 480p, 720p: free, no sign-up;
- 1080p Full HD: on the Lite plan and above;
- 1440p (2K): on Pro and Max;
- 2160p (4K): Max only.
Audio:
- MP3 at 192 kbps: on paid plans (Lite from $1.99/mo; 99 ₽ in Russia);
- M4A (the original AAC track, no re-encoding): from Lite;
- OGG: from Pro;
- FLAC: on Max.
The 720p boundary is not arbitrary. YouTube stores "ready-made" files with sound only up to 720p. Everything above that is kept as separate streams: video without sound and audio without picture. The server has to download both streams and merge them into a single MP4, which costs resources, so 1080p and above are part of the paid plans. We explained the DASH technology and codecs in detail in the article on downloading in 1080p and 4K.
Which audio format to choose and how to grab just the sound is covered in the article on YouTube to MP3. In short: MP3 is enough for casual listening. If a video has a dubbed track in another language, you can pick it when downloading; there is a separate article about that. On Pro and Max, sponsor segments inside a video are cut out automatically via SponsorBlock.
Step by step on a computer
- Open the video on YouTube and copy the link from the address bar. Any form works:
youtube.com/watch?v=…, the shortyoutu.be/…, a link with a timestamp?t=…or a Shorts address. - Go to the YouTube page on Skachok or the home page. Paste the link into the field and click "Find".
- In a couple of seconds a card appears with a thumbnail, title and duration. Below it are quality buttons in the "Video" block and formats in the "Audio" block.
- Choose the variant you need and click "Download". On the free plan an 8-second timer runs before the download starts. The file is saved to your browser's Downloads folder.
For 720p and below, the file starts downloading immediately: we serve it directly. For 1080p and above, the streams are merged on the server first: you will see a progress bar, and the download starts automatically when it finishes.
How to download a YouTube video on a phone
The process is the same; only the way you get the link and where the file ends up differ.
Copy the link. In the YouTube app, tap "Share" under the video, then "Copy link". In a browser, just copy the address.
Android. Open Skachok in Chrome or any other browser, paste the link, choose the quality and download. The file lands in the Download folder, and the gallery picks it up on its own. If the video does not show up in the gallery, open it through the Files app.
iPhone. In Safari, the file goes to Files → Downloads. To move it to Photos, open the downloaded video, tap "Share" and choose "Save Video". On iPhone use Safari rather than the in-app browser inside the YouTube app or a messenger: those do not always let you save a file.
The plan limits on a phone are the same as on a computer: 720p free, 1080p from Lite. For a smartphone screen 720p is usually enough.
What the free plan gives you and when you need a paid one
Free and without sign-up:
- 3 downloads a day (5 a day on a free account; signing up also gives you 2 days of Pro);
- quality up to 720p;
- speed of about 1 MB/s;
- 3 links at a time;
- an 8-second timer before each download.
If that is not enough, there are three paid plans. Lite at $1.99 a month unlocks 1080p, 20 downloads a day, 5 links at a time and removes ads. Pro at $3.99 gives 1440p, 50 downloads, 10 links, no timer, plus SponsorBlock and an alternative (dubbed) audio track 3 times a day. Max at $5.99 gives 4K, 100 downloads, 50 links, no speed cap, FLAC, queue priority and dubbed tracks 100 times a day.
Every new account gets 2 days of Pro for free, no card required, just an email sign-up. That is enough to find out whether you need a paid plan at all. The full comparison is on the pricing page. 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.
Several videos at once
You can paste links in a batch, one per line. Skachok shows a card for each, and the "Download all videos" button starts them all at once in the chosen quality. Free: up to 3 links at a time; Lite: 5; Pro: 10; Max: 50.
If you paste a playlist link, the service expands it into a list of videos within the same limit; see the article on downloading playlists. Short vertical videos download exactly like regular ones: how to download Shorts.
If the video cannot be found
A few typical causes.
- The video is private. Videos set to "Private" cannot be downloaded. "Unlisted" ones can.
- A live stream is in progress. Only the recording can be downloaded, after the stream ends.
- The link has extra parameters. Remove everything after
&, for example&list=…or&pp=…, and try again. - A temporary YouTube error. Under peak load the platform sometimes returns an error. Wait a minute and retry.
If nothing helps, write to us on the support page and attach the link; we will take a look manually.
FAQ
Do I need to sign up to download a YouTube video?
No. You can paste a link and download a video up to 720p right away, without logging in: 3 videos a day anonymously. A free account raises the limit to 5 and gives 2 days of Pro as a gift, while paid plans unlock 1080p and above.
Why is 1080p not free if YouTube shows it for free?
The YouTube player merges video and sound on the fly in your browser. To hand you one finished file, our server does the merging, and that costs resources. That is why 720p is free and 1080p and above start from the Lite plan.
Can I download only the sound?
Yes. After the search, choose MP3 in the "Audio" block and we will extract the audio track at 192 kbps. M4A, OGG and FLAC are available on paid plans.
Are downloaded files stored on your servers?
No. The file is assembled for a specific request and deleted automatically after a few minutes (about 20). We do not build a library of other people's videos.
Does this work on iPhone?
Yes. Open Skachok in Safari, paste the link and download; the file goes to Files → Downloads, and from there you can save it to Photos.