YouTube to MP3 converters: A comparison

YouTube to MP3 converters can be used to download media from YouTube and save them on your computer as MP3 files. There are countless tools for converting YouTube videos into MP3 files, but you should be aware of certain legal and security risks. Keep reading to find out about which software is out there and what you should watch out for.

YouTube to MP3 converters have been around almost as long as YouTube itself. Conversion software and websites are a practical way to save music videos, concert footage, playlists, and podcasts as audio files on your computer. The idea is simple: You find the video on YouTube, copy the URL, and then download the file. You can save the YouTube download as an MP3 file or choose another file format. Some converters can even be used to convert videos from Instagram, Facebook, Vimeo, and Dailymotion.

If you heard about the shutdown of Convert2mp3 in 2019, you might be asking yourself whether YouTube to MP3 converters are legal. In general, under US copyright law, it’s illegal to make copies of copyrighted material. However, many videos on YouTube aren’t copyrighted. So while downloading videos that contain copyrighted material isn’t legal, downloading videos that aren’t copyrighted is perfectly legal in the US.

Bear in mind, though, that copyright laws differ from country to country. If you’re traveling internationally and have YouTube songs downloaded onto your hard drive, phone, or any other device, this could lead to problems. And in Japan, for example, it’s even illegal to stream videos on YouTube that violate copyright. You should always be conscious of the relevant laws in the countries you’re traveling to.

Also note that although it’s not illegal to download uncopyrighted material from YouTube, it does violate YouTube’s terms and conditions, which each user agrees to when they create an account.

There are countless free and paid YouTube to MP3 converters available to choose from. One big difference among them is whether they work directly in your browser or have to be installed as a software/app. When it comes to online converters, you can simply paste a YouTube URL into the tool, set parameters like format and quality, and then download the file from the browser. However, beware that downloads from converter websites can come with malware. Alternatively, you can use software that you install on your computer, which comes in both free and paid versions. This software comes with more features and settings and supports a wider range of formats. However, even with installed software and apps, you should be careful — be sure to only download them from reputable sites.

Let’s now turn to a comparison of four of the most popular YouTube to MP3 converters.

Let’s now take a closer look at these four YouTube to MP3 converters.

Click here for important legal disclaimers.