Boo Downloader vs yt-dlp
yt-dlp is the best downloader in the world and it is free. Boo is built on that same kind of engine — what you pay for is everything around it.
The short answer
Choose yt-dlp if you are comfortable at a terminal and want maximum control for nothing. Choose Boo if you want the same site coverage with a queue, a library, progress bars and no setup.
We should be straightforward here, because pretending otherwise would be silly: yt-dlp is superb, it is free, it is open source, and Boo Downloader stands on top of exactly that kind of extraction engine. If you already live in a terminal and enjoy composing format selectors, yt-dlp will serve you better than we will, and it will not cost you anything.
What yt-dlp is
yt-dlp is a command-line program with an enormous range of options and the widest site coverage of anything in this category. It requires a Python runtime or a standalone binary, plus FFmpeg on your PATH for merging and conversion, and it is driven entirely by flags.
Side by side
| Feature | Boo Downloader | yt-dlp |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan, paid Pro | Free, open source |
| Interface | Windows application | Command line only |
| Setup required | Run the installer | Install runtime, add FFmpeg to PATH |
| Supported sites | 1300+ | 1800+ extractors |
| Download queue | Visual queue, 5 at once, per-item cancel and retry | Sequential, or scripted yourself |
| Progress | Per-item bar, speed and ETA | Terminal progress output |
| Library of past downloads | Searchable, with thumbnails and re-download | Your file system |
| Playlist picking | Expands so you tick individual videos | Index ranges and match filters |
| Control over output | Quality and format menus | Total — every flag is yours |
| Engine updates | One button in Settings | yt-dlp -U, or your package manager |
Where Boo is the better pick
Nothing to assemble
No Python, no PATH editing, no separate FFmpeg. Install and paste a link.
You can see the queue
Forty downloads with individual progress, cancel and retry, rather than a wall of terminal output.
A library that remembers
Search what you downloaded last month, play it, or pull it again.
Where yt-dlp is the better pick
Genuinely. If any of these matter to you, use theirs.
- Costing nothing, forever
- Absolute control through hundreds of options
- Scripting, automation and server use
- Linux and macOS, and anywhere else Python runs
- The very newest extractor fixes, the day they land
Pick Boo Downloader if…
You want the coverage without the command line, and a queue and library you can actually see.
Pick yt-dlp if…
You are comfortable in a terminal, want total control, and would rather pay nothing.
What each one costs
Boo Downloader
Free plan; Pro by subscription or one-time lifetime licence.
yt-dlp
Free and open source, forever.
yt-dlp costs nothing and always will. If price is the deciding factor, use yt-dlp — we mean that.
Questions people actually ask
Is Boo Downloader just a yt-dlp wrapper?
Boo is built on that class of extraction engine, and we are open about it — rebuilding site extraction from scratch would be a worse product. What we built is the application around it: the queue, the playlist picker, the library, the progress reporting, the engine updater and the interface.
Why pay when yt-dlp is free?
You should not, if the command line suits you. People pay for Boo because they want a queue they can see, a searchable library, and an app their household can use without learning flags.
Does Boo support as many sites?
Very nearly. yt-dlp ships more extractors in total; Boo covers over 1300 and updates its engine independently of the app.
Can I still use yt-dlp as well?
Yes. They are separate programs and they do not interfere with each other.
Decide with the app open
The free plan costs nothing and needs no account. Ten downloads a day at 1080p, across all 1300+ sites.