Let’s be real: you’re watching a YouTube video for the hundredth time just to hear that one song, podcast episode, or lecture, and you’re thinking, “Why can’t I just have the audio?” That’s exactly what YouTube to MP3 converters do. They rip the audio track from any YouTube video and turn it into an MP3 file you can actually keep.
Why would you want this? Because streaming the same video over and over kills your data, drains your battery, and requires you to stay connected. An MP3 file, on the other hand, sits on your device, plays on anything, takes up barely any space, and doesn’t care if you’re on a plane, in the subway, or wandering through a dead zone with zero signal. You get your favorite music, that educational series you’re binging, or those motivational talks without the hassle of buffering or burning through your monthly data cap.
The beauty of MP3 converters is simple: you paste a link, hit convert, and boom:you’ve got audio you can listen to whenever and wherever you want. No subscriptions, no premium accounts, just straight-up access to the sound you actually care about.
We’ve split this into three categories so you can find what works for you: converters for your phone, desktop software for your computer, and online tools that run in your browser. Let’s get into it.
Best YouTube to MP3 Converters for Phone
1. YMusic (Android)
YMusic is the kind of app Android users wish they’d found sooner. It’s a full-on YouTube music downloader that doesn’t mess around:you get MP3 downloads, background playback, and a built-in player all in one package. That means you can download your favorite tracks and listen without switching between apps or dealing with YouTube’s “video must be on screen” nonsense.
How it works: Open YMusic, search for whatever you’re after, tap the video, and hit download. You pick MP3 as your format, choose your quality (all the way up to 320kbps if you want studio-level sound), and let it rip. Everything saves directly to your device, and the app keeps it all organized in its library so you’re not hunting through folders.
Compatibility: Android only, and since Google Play doesn’t allow YouTube downloaders, you’ll need to grab the APK from YMusic’s official site or another trusted source. Make sure you’re downloading from the real deal to avoid sketchy knockoffs. Once it’s installed, you’ve got full control over audio quality, and the app works offline without any problems.
2. Video to MP3 Converter (Android)
This one takes a slightly different approach. Instead of downloading directly from YouTube, Video to MP3 Converter handles the files you’ve already saved. Download a YouTube video using another app, then throw it into this converter, and it strips out the audio in seconds. Simple, effective, and surprisingly fast.
How it works: Grab a YouTube video however you normally do, then fire up Video to MP3 Converter and point it at the file. Choose your quality settings, hit convert, and you’re done. The app also lets you trim the audio if you only want a specific section, which is handy if you’re cutting out intros or making ringtones.
Compatibility: Android devices. It’s free, though you’ll see ads here and there. Supports a bunch of audio formats beyond MP3:WAV, AAC, WMA:so if you need something specific, this app’s got you covered.
Best YouTube to MP3 Converters for Computer
1. 4K YouTube to MP3
If you want reliability without the headaches, 4K YouTube to MP3 is where it’s at. This desktop software has been around for over a decade, and it just works. No bundled junk, no confusing menus, no trying to trick you into installing browser toolbars:just a clean converter that does what it says.
How it works: Copy your YouTube link, paste it into 4K YouTube to MP3, and the software handles the rest. It grabs the audio, converts it to MP3 in whatever quality you picked, and saves it to your computer. Want to download an entire playlist? Paste the playlist link and let it grab every track at once. The software works fast, doesn’t bog down your system, and you can queue up multiple downloads if you’re in a hurry.
Compatibility: Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, which makes it one of the few converters that actually supports all three major operating systems. The free version caps you at a limited number of downloads per day, but it’s enough for casual use. If you’re grabbing playlists regularly, the paid version ($15/year or $25 lifetime) removes the limits and adds playlist/channel downloads.
2. MediaHuman YouTube to MP3 Converter
MediaHuman is one of those rare pieces of software that’s completely free, works incredibly well, and doesn’t try to upsell you every five seconds. It handles batch downloads like a champ, which means you can throw a dozen YouTube links at it and walk away while it converts everything in the background.
How it works: Paste as many YouTube links as you want into MediaHuman, and it queues them up for conversion. The software processes them one by one (or all at once if you enable simultaneous downloads), and when it’s done, you’ve got a folder full of MP3s ready to go. If you use iTunes, MediaHuman can automatically send your files there, which saves you the hassle of manually importing everything.
Compatibility: Windows, macOS, and Linux. Completely free:no paid upgrades, no premium features locked behind a paywall, nothing. It’s just a solid, functional converter that works on every major operating system. MediaHuman also supports downloads from Vimeo, SoundCloud, and a bunch of other platforms, so it’s useful beyond just YouTube.
3. Any Video Converter Free
Don’t let the name fool you:Any Video Converter is way more than just a video converter. It handles YouTube downloads, audio extraction, and pretty much any file conversion you can think of. It’s a Swiss Army knife of media tools, and the MP3 conversion feature works great even though it’s technically just one small part of what the software does.
How it works: Copy your YouTube link, paste it into Any Video Converter, and let it download the video first. Once that’s done, select MP3 as your output format, choose your quality settings, and hit convert. It’s a two-step process instead of one, but the software is fast enough that it doesn’t feel slow. You get full control over bitrate, sample rate, and other audio settings if you care about that level of detail.
Compatibility: Windows and macOS. The software is free, but during installation, it tries to sneak in some optional bundled software, so pay attention and uncheck those boxes if you don’t want extra junk on your computer. Once it’s installed, it’s solid and works without any issues.
4. DVDVideoSoft Free YouTube to MP3 Converter
DVDVideoSoft keeps things focused. This software is built specifically for extracting audio from YouTube, and it doesn’t try to do a hundred other things at once. If you just want a straightforward YouTube to MP3 converter that handles playlists and channels without making you jump through hoops, this is a solid pick.
How it works: Paste your YouTube link, pick your format (MP3, AAC, FLAC, or WAV if you want lossless quality), and click download. The software grabs the audio and saves it wherever you want. If you’re downloading a playlist, it processes every track automatically, and you can even merge multiple audio files into one if you’re trying to create a mix or compilation.
Compatibility: Windows and macOS. It’s completely free:no premium version, no paid upgrades. If you use iTunes, DVDVideoSoft can push your files there automatically, which saves you the hassle of importing them manually. The software has been around forever and gets regular updates, so it stays compatible with YouTube’s changes.
Ready to keep your favorite YouTube playlists offline? Pick a downloader from our list and start saving full playlists today.
Best Online YouTube to MP3 Converters
1. YTMP3
YTMP3 is the online converter everyone’s heard of because it’s fast, doesn’t bury you in ads, and actually works. You don’t need to install anything, create an account, or deal with sketchy pop-ups:just paste your link and get your MP3. It’s as simple as YouTube to MP3 conversion gets.
How it works: Copy your YouTube URL, paste it into the text box on YTMP3, choose MP3 or MP4 (if you want the video instead), and click convert. The site processes it in seconds, and you get a download button. Click it, and the file saves to your device. That’s it. No registration, no email verification, no waiting for confirmation codes:just instant conversion.
Compatibility: Works on literally any device with a browser. Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS:if you can open a webpage, you can use YTMP3. The site is free, though the audio quality caps out at around 192kbps, which is decent but not studio-level. If you’re just listening on your phone or in your car, it’s more than good enough.
2. Y2Mate
Y2Mate has been around forever, and people keep using it because it’s fast, supports multiple platforms, and gives you control over audio quality. It’s not just for YouTube:you can grab audio from Facebook, Vimeo, Dailymotion, and a bunch of other sites, which makes it handy if you’re pulling content from different places.
How it works: Paste your YouTube link into Y2Mate, pick MP3 as your format, and choose your quality. The site lets you go all the way up to 320kbps, which is the highest quality MP3 you can get. Hit convert, wait a few seconds, and download your file. Y2Mate also has a search function, so if you don’t have the link handy, you can search directly on the site and convert from there.
Compatibility: Works on any platform with a browser:Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, whatever. It’s free, but there are ads and some pop-ups, so expect to close a few extra tabs while you’re using it. The audio quality goes up to 320kbps, which is great if you care about sound fidelity.
3. OnlyMP3
OnlyMP3 is refreshingly straightforward. No clutter, no aggressive ads trying to trick you into downloading malware, no redirects to random websites:just a clean converter that shows you what you’re getting before you commit to downloading it. It’s one of the few online tools that actually respects your time.
How it works: Paste your YouTube link into OnlyMP3, and the site shows you a preview of the audio, the estimated file size, and the quality options. Pick the quality you want, hit convert, and download. The site gives you transparency upfront, so you know exactly what you’re getting before you waste time downloading something that turns out to be low quality or the wrong file.
Compatibility: Works on any device with a browser:Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS. The site is free, and while there are some ads, they’re not the aggressive, pop-up-every-two-seconds kind that make you want to throw your computer out the window. Audio quality goes up to 320kbps, which is solid for MP3.
Bonus: Browser Extensions – Tubly
If you’d rather skip websites entirely and have a YouTube to MP3 converter built right into your browser, that’s where extensions come in. The advantage here is simple: you’re already on YouTube, so why leave? An extension puts the download button directly on the video page, which means one less tab to open and no copy-pasting links between sites.
Tubly is a browser extension that handles both video downloads and MP3 conversion without making you install desktop software or deal with sketchy websites. It works on Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge, Opera, Brave, Vivaldi) and Firefox, and it’s built specifically to avoid the problems that plague most online converters: no aggressive ads, no malware risks, no redirects to random pages trying to trick you into downloading junk.
How it works: Install the extension from Tubly’s website, go to any YouTube video, and you’ll see a download button appear right below the video player. Click it, choose whether you want the video or just the audio as MP3, pick your quality (up to 320kbps for MP3, up to 4K for video), and hit download. The file saves directly to your device. If you’re watching YouTube Shorts, the extension detects those too and gives you the same download option. It even works with private or member-only videos you have access to – if you can watch it, you can download it.
Compatibility: Works on Windows, Mac, Linux, and ChromeOS. The extension is free with unlimited downloads up to 480p and daily limited access to premium features like 1080p, 4K, and MP3 conversion. For unlimited access to all quality options including 4K/8K video and 320kbps MP3, there’s a Pro plan. The extension operates entirely within your browser’s secure environment, so there’s no separate software eating up system resources, and it updates automatically to keep working when YouTube makes changes.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it: eleven converters that actually work and won’t make you regret clicking that download button. If you’re on Android, YMusic is the go-to for direct downloads and background playback. iOS users should grab Documents by Readdle and use it to access online converters without jailbreaking or jumping through Apple’s hoops.
For desktop users, 4K YouTube to MP3 and MediaHuman are reliable, fast, and don’t come with a bunch of bloatware. If you don’t want to install anything at all, YTMP3, Y2Mate, and OnlyMP3 work in your browser and get the job done without forcing you to create accounts or hand over your email.
And if you want the most seamless experience possible, Tubly puts the download button right where you need it: on YouTube itself. No switching tabs, no copying links, no leaving the site. Just click, choose MP3, and download. It works across all major browsers and stays updated automatically, which means it keeps working when online converters break and desktop software needs yet another update.
Pick whichever fits your device and workflow, and you’ll have YouTube audio saved as MP3 files whenever you need them. No more streaming the same video a hundred times just to hear the audio.
