Find The Best M3U8 Downloader to Download Your Playlists
Summary: Trying to figure out how to download M3U8 videos easily? Many people encounter difficulties of encryptions when trying to download M3U8 playlist. Don't worry, in this article, we’ll help you find the right M3U8 downloader for your situation.
Table of Contents
What is M3U8?
M3U8 is the Unicode variant of M3U that uses UTF-8-encoded characters. M3U8 files serve as the foundation for the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) format, which was created by Apple to broadcast video and audio to iOS devices and has now become a popular standard for adaptive streaming in general.
Watching streamers on Twitch and YouTube is pretty much a normal part of daily life. But if you want to save a stream for later, how do you download it? Using the M3U8 downloader: simply add any M3U8 URL and select "Download" from the menu. From an M3U8 file, the program will download videos.
Top 8 M3U8 Downloaders Available in 2023
Here we’ve listed 8 effective ways for you to download your M3U8 videos on different systems and devices.
- The M3U protocol has been around for decades, but it was only extended to the M3U8 protocol by Apple around 2015. Nowadays, the format is pretty much the standard for most streaming sites; both for audio and video.
1. StreamFab M3U8 Downloader [Windows & Mac]
One of the most difficult things to deal with when you’re downloading M3U8 videos is getting past the encryption hurdle. As a result, StreamFab DRM M3U8 downloader comes in handy that can bypass those protocols of HTTP Live streaming websites and other platforms using DRM M3U8 technologies with its built-in browser.
- Download m3u8 videos in up to 1080p/2160p quality.
- Download m3u8 videos in MP4/MKV/MP3 format from worldwide.
- Batch mode to download high-quality videos at a fast speed.
- Remux subtitles into the downloaded m3u8 videos.
- Explore videos within the in-built browsers of this m3u8 downloader.
2. CocoCut Video Downloader [Chrome Extension]
CocoCut is a famous M3U8 downloader for Chrome as an extension-based program with multiple active users, allowing you to download videos from many websites, including YouTube, Dailymotion, Vimeo, and Twitter. It can detect M3U8 files and batch download them. But not all videos are available to download, sometimes it doesn't work.
- Clear and simple interface
- Easy to use. No need to download any software.
- Not all m3u8 websites are supported
- It takes time to wait the downloading process
3. Live Stream Downloader [Firefox Extension]
The Addons M3U8 Live Stream downloader seems like the perfect tool for you to download HSL streams from Firefox. This Firefox Extension can detect any audio, video, or media streams on the active tab and download it from segmented parts to a single file. By utilizing numerous simultaneous threads to retrieve the data, the download speed is accelerated, enabling you to obtain the file fast. Additionally, this m3u8 downloader is protecting you against network failures and resumes interrupted downloads.
- Uses multi-threading to increase download speed
- Supports detecting many audio and video formats
- Detect and Download M3U8 HLS Streams (HTTP Live Stream) in multiple threads
- The overworld art style isn't great
- Takes a while to get going
- The grind can be a major drag
4. M3U8 Stream Player [On iOS]
You can try the M3U8 Stream Player from the app store to download streaming videos for iOS. This will give you access to all sorts of videos on your iPhone or iPad. But, the app has a few too many annoying ads. Furthermore, it doesn’t seem like many people have used the app, which makes it harder to trust.
- Apple store verified, safe, and clean
- This m3u8 palyer is simple to use
- Users are able to airplay M3U8 videos on tv
- Riddled with annoying full-screen ads
5. StreamFab for Android [On Android]
Android phones and devices provide greater portability and a handy experience for exclusive entertainment on the go. If you need an M3U8 downloader APK, then this M3U8 Loader fits the bill. StreamFab for Android receives positive ratings. The best comprehensive solution helps you to download streaming videos from Amazon, Netflix, and across 1000+ websites on your Android devices.
All you need to do with this tool is to find the link to the stream and copy-paste the video. Afterward, you can watch as the video loads in the download queue. With StreamFab extending its hand to Android, you can now download your treasured video titles on your Android devices anytime, taking advantage of your network's complete bandwidth.
- Lossless video and audio quality
- Personal customize format
- Over 1000+ websites are supported
- You need to pay to unlock more functions
6. Leawo Prof.Media [Windows & Mac]
Leawo Prof. Media serves as a comprehensive platform for handling M3U8 files by delivering the capacity to download and operate them seamlessly. This application empowers you to procure and download DRM M3U8 files from various internet streaming platforms. Furthermore, you can conveniently play M3U8 playlists directly within the software.
- Convert m3u8 videos into MP4 format video
- Remove m3u8 protection from the blu-ray and DVD movies
- Download videos from online streaming sites or m3u8 music playlists
- Leawo is primarily designed to work on Windows systems
- The cost is elevated when contrasted with several of its rivals
7. FFmpeg [Open-source M3U8 Downloader]
FFmpeg offers another avenue for M3U8 downloads, serving as a platform that can procure videos, audio tracks, and playlists from various online sites. Catering primarily to professionals, this open-source software requires users to be knowledgeable about codecs and comfortable executing commands from the terminal with the right parameters.
For normal users, the biggest problem is that it is too hard to master the operation steps of this m3u8 downloader. Personally speaking, this method to download m3u8 is not recommended. But if you are a programmer, you can have a look.
- Simple and easy interface, without ads.
- Totally free to use, without any payment requirements.
- Different command lines to download different kind of videos.
- Command-line interface is less intuitive for most users
- It is hard to understand and use effectively
- Lack of official support
8. KEEPVid.to [Online M3U8 Downloader]
As an online M3U8 Downloader and converter, KEEPVid.to can save m3u8 as MP4 files and convert hls m3u8 to MP3 with easy steps. KeepVid has the ability to download M3U8 videos from over a thousand different websites. All you require is an M3U8 video link. Simply insert the link into the KEEPVid m3u8 downloader, click submit, and you’re good to go - KeepVid will thoroughly scan the provided link for videos and display the results along with numerous downloading options.
- Easy for anyone to download m3u8 files
- Supports a wide range of input sources
- Download m3u8 videos in different formats
- Not provide advanced features like video editing
- Issues like server stability and website maintenance
- Ads can potentially compromise the user experience
Comparison Among Top M3U8 Downloaders [User Review]
There are too many m3u8 downloaders available in the market. The problem is not how to find a m3u8 downloader, but how to find a good, or the most suitable m3u8 downloader.
In order to provide a more friendly guide to users, our tech team has reviewed the top different m3u8 downloaders mentioned above and compiled the comparison sheet below to make the key point as objective as possible.
| Feature | StreamFab | CocoCut | iOS M3U8 Player | Livestream Extension | Leawo | FFmpeg | KEEPVid.to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compatibility | Win/Mac/Android | Win/Mac/Android/iOS | Chrome/ Firefox/ Edge | Web-based | Win/Mac | Win/Mac | Online Tool |
| Video Quality | 1080p/2160p | 1080p | 480p-720p | 480/720p in usual | 1080p | 1080p | 480p in usual |
| Download Speed | Fast | Fast | Slow | Slow | Fast | Fast | Slow |
| Batch Download | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Subtitle Remux | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Ease of Use | Simple | Simple | Medium | Simple | Medium | Hard | Simple |
| Price | Free trial | Free trial | Free | Free | Free trial | Free | Free |
How to Download M3U8 videos with StreamFab?
- How do I download m3u8 videos or save m3u8 videos to MP4? Follow the simple steps to start immediately!
*Always respect copyright laws and only download content with the permission of the copyright owner.
Choose the streaming service
Find the streaming website you want, or copy and paste your M3U8 video URL directly into the address bar on the Homepage.
Customize the file
When you play the M3U8 DRM protected content, a pop-up window will ask you to choose the preferred resolutions of video quality and format.
Click the download button
After customization, you can download m3u8 video right now or add it to the queue.
FAQ
Here’s the general outline for finding a .M3U8 file from a URL and downloading it. Please be aware that this may not work for all websites due to differences in structures and protections.
- Go to the website where you suspect the .M3U8 file is hosted.
- Right-click anywhere on the webpage and select inspect.
- From the developer tools pane, select the ‘Network’ tab.
- Refresh the webpage.
- In the ‘Network’ tab, you can type “.m3u8” into the filter bar at the top to limit the files displayed.
- You should see the .M3U8 file requests in the name or type column.
For downloading, turn to Part4: How to Download M3U8 videos with StreamFab for details.
If you want to open M3U8 files, or you need special software that can decrypt the file for you. That said, you already have access to the M3U8 DRM protected content, but it cannot be played or opened on your device.
To solve this question, PlayerFab is a nice answer. No matter what kind of format your video is, you can use it to open and play the video on your PC device with fantastic viewing experience.
Final Thoughts
When you first come across an M3U8 file, you probably wonder how you could watch this thing. Luckily, using a DRM M3U8 downloader and Player, you’ll have the ability to download as many files as you want and watch them offline.
With the right M3U8 downloader, you’ll have the ability to download streaming video from whichever streaming platform or playlist you want. Don’t get caught up in all the trappings and challenges that come with other downloaders, choose the StreamFab M3U8 downloader for its versatility and ease of use.
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