If there’s one place that has the song you want, that’s probably YouTube. Undeniably, YouTube is one of the largest content platforms out there. The problem is, your song is most likely...a video. To save a song or playlist from YouTube, you’ll need a YouTube converter. In this guide, we review the best and safest options you can use online or on your Mac.
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What is a YouTube to MP3 converter?
It’s an app or service that allows you to convert YouTube to MP3 — turn video into audio. YouTube to MP3 converter can either be one of the features of some app (very often, YouTube downloaders have it); or, it’s a standalone service where you paste or drag your video so it converts to MP3. Here’s what you should pay attention to when choosing a YouTube converter:
- Safety. While you can find a good YouTube to MP3 converter online (and we review some of them below), it’s generally a better idea to get some trusted converter app. The problem with online services is they are often riddled with ads. In many cases, those ads contain malware you can accidentally download on your Mac.
- Speed. You want a YouTube converter capable of processing big playlists fast because it directly impacts your workflow. What is fast? On average, the conversion of 10 three-minute videos shouldn’t take longer than one minute.
- Quality. The best YouTube converter works with virtually every video format and can successfully turn it into an audio track. Also, make sure the tool you use doesn’t change the quality of the original sound when converting.
We hand-picked 13 YT to MP3 converter tools that will work for different folks. Many of these tools have extra features, so you can do much more than just converting videos with them. Get a good look at the pros and cons, and pick what works best for you.
Pulltube
Favorites first. We love this app because it’s safe, fast, reliable — and it can download and trim videos from YouTube. Basically, Pulltube covers your entire flow: get a video, extract audio from it, trim the result (or don’t), and save the audio track in seconds anywhere on Mac.
How to convert YouTube to MP3 with Pulltube: Paste or drag a video onto the app > click HQ > Audio only > Download.
Pros- Choose your format — you can save an audio track as MP3 or M4A.
- 1000+ websites covered — apart from YouTube, you can use Pulltube to download audio from over 1000 sites, including Facebook, Dailymotion, and more.
- Trimming and subtitles — this will be particularly useful if you use Pulltube to download movies or audio from specific movie scenes.
- Browser extensions — you can download YouTube videos with Pulltube extensions. Because many people don’t trust extensions, this can be a minus.
- You can’t preview a video — it could be useful to preview the video before converting it, especially if you’ve trimmed it. Pulltube doesn’t have this feature.
Folx
Folx is the fastest video and torrent downloader for Mac. Its superpower is splitting downloads into multiple streams, which accelerates the download process. Of course, Folx can also rip audio from YouTube. Perfect for playlists and long videos.
How to convert YouTube to MP3 with Folx: Click the plus button to enter YouTube video URL or type the name of your video directly in the search field. Click Quality > audio > OK.
ProsConvert From Youtube To Mp3 Mac Free
- Built-in search — Folx is a Mac app that has search baked into it. This means you don’t have to paste any links from YouTube, find the video right in the app.
- Awesome speed — since you can download videos in up to 20 parallel streams, you basically get those videos on your Mac 20X times faster.
- iTunes integration — if you use iTunes playlists, Folx can convert YouTube videos to MP3 and automatically add those MP3 files to your iTunes.
- Limited formats — you can only download MP4 in different resolutions and MP3 with Folx. That’s perfectly enough for most people, though.
- Legal content in built-in search. Folx takes copyright seriously, so you’ll only find videos you’re legally allowed to download in the search. Well, that’s a limitation, but not a bad one.
AnyTrans
AnyTrans is a file transferring app (surprised?) that can download and convert video from YouTube. This means, you not only extract an audio track from your video, you can also move it to iPhone, iPad, or Android phone in seconds.
How AnyTrans converts YouTube to MP3: In AnyTrans, select Media Downloader > YouTube. You’ll see YouTube UI mirrored in the app. Find your video > Analyze > select your preferred audio format > Download.
Pros- Trusted software — AnyTrans is a reliable Mac app and a part of Setapp suite, so you can trust it 100%.
- File transfer and backup features — YouTube video saver is only one of the many superpowers. You can use it to migrate content between devices, backup your drive, etc.
- Format customization — view all available audio formats upon clicking your video and choose the one you want to convert to.
- Different apps for iPhone and Android — depending on the phone you want to transfer your audio to, you’ll need to either choose AnyTrans for iOS or AnyDroid (these are two different apps). Luckily, they are both on Setapp.
- No multiple downloads — no simultaneous download available.
Downie
Downie is a media downloader app for Mac, which works with an impressive number of websites (1200+). If you install Downie through Setapp, you’ll get it natively integrated with another app — the best media converter called Permute. This will allow you to turn a video into virtually any audio format.
How to convert with Downie: Paste or drag your YouTube link into the app and wait until it automatically downloads. Click the three dots > Audio only (if you don’t have Permute) or Send to Permute > pick the format. Permute will open and convert your video.
Pros- Great with Permute — the duo of Downie and Permute is very powerful. Permute can convert your videos to AAC, MP3, M4A, or even iPhone ringtone.
- Highly-rated software — Downie and Permute (both from the same developer company) are trusted Mac apps.
- Cumbersome flow — because two apps are involved (Downie and Permute), it might be not the best fit for everyone.
Any Video Converter
It’s all in the name. The best thing about Any Video Converter (AVC) is that it supports 20+ video and 15+ audio formats. So if you’re looking to get your song in some rare audio format, Any Video Converter will be a good choice. It’s a dedicated video downloader and converter app with simple UI and a basic video editing toolkit.
How Any Video Converter works: Click Convert Video > Upload or drag your video file > Select the output format from Profile > Convert Now.
Pros- Editing tools — clipping or cropping, you can change your video before saving it as MP3.
- Quality isn’t affected by conversion — even with such an abundance of supported formats, the quality of the output is good.
- UI flaws — format selection is a pretty cumbersome process due to poor UI.
- No presets — you would expect Any Video Converter to offer presets so you can always convert to your preferred formats. Unfortunately, they are not there.
- It’s slow — compared to other tools, it takes Any Video Converter a while to change video format.
VidToMp3
VidToMp3 is an online video converter you can access from any browser. It’s easy to use, since there’s really only one option available — YouTube converter MP3. However, be careful and avoid clicking on any popups or ads, there could be a malicious file hiding in them.
How to convert with VidToMp3: Paste your video link on the website, confirm that you act in accordance with copyright rules, and click Go. You’ll get a link to your converted file.
Pros- Free online service — you can just google VidToMp3 and get your task solved in a browser, there’s no need to download a converter.
- Quick — VidToMp3 can’t convert multiple videos, but it’s quick converting one (even a pretty long one) YouTube video to MP3.
- Security concerns — your browser will probably mark VidToMp3 unsafe because of the numerous reports that the ads on this site contain malware.
- MP3 only — this service specifically turns videos into MP3, you can’t select any other format.
4K YouTube to MP3
4K YouTube to MP3 app works great to download playlists and entire channels. The free plan is limited to only 10 tracks per channel, but there’s an option to upgrade to a paid plan. You can download and save audio from YouTube and other platforms in MP3, M4A, and OGG.
Convert Youtube To Mp3 On Mac Free
How 4K YouTube to MP3 works: Paste the link into the app or click YouTube to search for your video in the app. Pick the format and download.
Pros- Onboarding tour — it’s a perfect app for beginners, with a clear video onboarding and simple UI.
- Built-in search — you can search for and download videos without leaving the app.
- Trusted software — YouTube to MP3 converter Mac app without ads, 100% safe and secure.
- Paid functionality — there are lots of cool features such as private content download, but most of them are part of paid plans.
- No simultaneous downloads — you can only have one download in progress with a free plan.
ClipGrab
ClipGrab is a free video downloader and converter that works with YouTube, Vimeo, and a few other popular video sites. It’s an app with a built-in search, so you can find and download tracks right in the app. While the ClipGrab PC version reportedly contains malware, the app has bad reputation, but it works — and with malware protection like CleanMyMac X you have nothing to worry about.
How to convert YouTube to MP3 with ClipGrab: Enter keywords in the app to search for your YouTube video. Click the video > Format (audio only) > Grab this clip.
Pros- Different formats — you can save audio in MP3, OFF, WMV, and more.
- Simple UI — enter your keyword and hit the Download button, as easy as that.
- Annoying popups — the app is free but it asks you for donations way too often. You’ll come across annoying popups even in the desktop app.
- Malware accusations — although the Mac version seems to be secure, there have been many reports that ClipGrab for Windows infects computers with malware.
MP3FY
Looking for the best YouTube to MP3 converter online? Try MP3FY. It doesn’t offer lots of fancy options such as format customization or editing, but you’ll get the work done. MP3FY can turn a video of any length into an audio track super fast.
How to use MP3FY: Paste the link to your video in MP3FY > Confirm > Download MP3.
Pros- One-click solution — get your MP3 in seconds. MP3FY auto-downloads the file once the conversion is done.
- YouTube and 1000+ other sites — grab MP3 from any site or social media. The service works with Vimeo, TikTok, and all popular platforms.
- Poor customization — MP3FY claims it automatically picks the highest possible bitrate when converting your video. But you can’t really customize anything.
- Ads — just as any online converter, MP3FY will hamper your experience with popups. Be careful not to click on them.
Ontiva
It’s one of those rare cases when an online YT converter actually looks good. No popups or annoying ads, sleek interface, an abundance of file formats to choose from. Ontiva does a really good job downloading and converting YouTube videos. And if you upgrade to Premium, you can even convert entire playlists.
How to convert YouTube to MP3 with Ontiva: Paste the link to your video in Ontiva > Start now > Audio > Choose your preferred file format > Download.
Pros- Great UI — it’s simple to get started and easy to navigate.
- Lots of formats supported — you can save audio tracks in WEBM, AAC, FLAC, and many other pretty rare formats.
- Slow — compared to other online YouTube converters we’ve tested, Ontipa is a bit slow.
- Free plan is limited — unless you upgrade to Premium, you can only convert single videos, one at a time.
Converto
Converto is a free online converter with two options: convert a YouTube video to MP3 or MP4. Before converting, you can trim your video and edit metadata. This is super useful if you curate a playlist or just have many audio tracks on your Mac — Converto will help keep it all organized.
How Converto works: Paste the link to your YouTube video > Choose MP3 > Click the settings button to edit metadata or crop the video > Convert.
Pros- Editing options — we haven’t found many converters that allow you to edit video metadata. Converto does!
- Quick download — it’s pretty quick compared to other online services.
- Malware threat — it’s not the worst, but you’ll encounter popups on the Converto website. Some of them might contain malicious files.
320YTMP3
320YTMP3 is an online YouTube converter that takes pride in the ability to download YouTube audio in up to 320kbps. You can choose from a few popular audio formats — from MP3 to WMV to FLV. And it can download playlists, so it’s a great tool to grab your favorite YouTube music.
How 320YTMP3 works: Enter your keyword right on the website or paste the YouTube link. Click the video — it should open in a new tab — select the format and click Convert.
Pros- Playlist download — 320YTMP3 can get you multiple audio tracks in no time.
- Highest quality possible — the app automatically picks the highest bitrate possible.
- Paste error — while you can easily find videos using keywords, there seems to be a problem with the paste option. Anytime I tried to paste the link, it showed an error.
EasyMP3Converter
EasyMP3Converter is another online, free service you might try for unlimited YouTube conversion in any browser. You don’t need an account to start downloading, just paste your link and get the audio track. The media will convert automatically as you download it.
How to convert YouTube videos with EasyMP3Converter: Paste your YouTube link and click the dropdown button to select quality > Download.
Pros- Choose the quality — you can in fact specify whether you want the highest quality or you’re fine with a downgrade (in this case the download process will be faster).
- Malware threat — you can see it in the screenshot: lots of popups blocking the view and making your experience terrible. Whenever you try to click on the search field, it will redirect you to some website.
YouTube to MP3 converters FAQ
If you feel quite lost now, we’re sorry! There are lots of good converters for Mac to choose from, so we couldn’t make this review any shorter. To help you make the best choice, here’s our FAQ.What is the best YouTube to MP3 converter?
If you want a trusted converter for Mac with a good deal of customization, we recommend any app that’s part of the Setapp suite, a productivity tool for Mac and iPhone users. These include Folx, Downie, Permute, AnyTrans, and Pulltube. Why Setapp? The software added to the suite is hand-picked and verified, so you only get the best of the best.
How to use YouTube to MP3 converter
Online converters usually require you to paste a link to a video on their site and then download the converted version on your Mac. If it’s an app, it’s usually more robust — you can drag and drop the link or even search for your video and convert it within the app.
Can I convert YouTube to MP3 for free?
If you need a one-time solution, you can choose an online YT converter — they are usually free. But be very careful and try not to click on any ads that appear on the website to avoid malware.
Are there safe YouTube to MP3 converters?
We know where this question comes from. Malware is a big concern when it comes to YouTube downloaders and converters. But we can assure you the apps in the Setapp suite (Folx, Downie, Permute, AnyTrans, and Pulltube) as well as paid apps such as 4K YouTube to MP3 are safe to use. Generally, it’s reasonable to avoid free online converters to stay on a safe side.