Top 9 Safe & Free YouTube M4A Downloaders in 2025

Part 1: What is M4A? (vs MP3: Full Comparison Table)

M4A files, similar to MP3 files, are audio formats that can be played natively on iOS and macOS devices. Compared to MP3s, M4A files are generally smaller in size while providing higher sound quality.

Below is a detailed comparison of the M4A format and the MP3 format.

Feature	M4A	MP3
Codec	Advanced Audio Coding (AAC)	LAME / Fraunhofer
Sound Quality	128 kbps ≈ MP3 192 kbps	Requires higher bitrate
Max Bitrate	512 kbps (ALAC: lossless 24-bit)	Up to 320 kbps (lossy only)
File Size	15-20% smaller at equal quality	Larger
Metadata	Chapters, artwork, lyrics	ID3v2 tags only
Native Support	iOS, macOS, Android, Windows	Universally supported, especially on legacy devices

Part 2: Why Download YouTube as M4A? (Sound Quality, File Size, Compatibility)

Some people may wonder: if MP3 works for all audio, why choose M4A for YouTube downloads? The answer lies in M4A’s superior sound quality, smaller file size, and seamless device compatibility.

With all these advantages, it’s clear that M4A is the best format for YouTube audio. However, YouTube doesn’t allow direct downloading of M4A files, so you’ll need a reliable third-party downloader. If you want to find free, safe, ad-free, and fully functional YouTube M4A downloaders, keep reading.

Part 3: Best Desktop YouTube M4A Downloaders (Windows/Mac, Ad-Free)

In 2025, if you’re looking for a free, high-quality, and ad-free YouTube M4A downloader for Windows or Mac, SameMovie Video One is an excellent choice.

SameMovie Video One allows you to download YouTube videos, shorts, playlists, and music in M4A or MP3 formats — completely free. With M4A, you can enjoy YouTube’s original audio quality without any loss. If you also want the video, it supports MP4 and MKV downloads, letting you watch YouTube videos, movies, or shorts offline on any device, anytime, anywhere.

One of the standout features is its batch download capability, so entire playlists can be saved with just one click. Combined with its 10X faster download speed, even large playlists are ready in minutes. On top of that, it’s completely ad-free and safe, with no hidden fees or pop-ups, providing a clean and safe downloading experience.

You May Also Like: Comprehensive Review of SameMovie Video One (2025 Latest)

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How to Download YouTube as M4A with SameMovie

STEP 1 Install & Open SameMovie

Download and launch SameMovie Video One on your Windows or Mac computer. Select YouTube or YouTube Music as your platform.

STEP 2 Set Your Preferences

Click the gear icon in the upper-right corner to choose your output preferences, including video quality, subtitle/audio options, and save path.

STEP 3 Find Your YouTube Video

Copy the link of the YouTube video or playlist you want to download, then paste it into SameMovie’s search bar — or browse directly inside the built-in browser.

STEP 4 Choose Your Download Options

Click “Download”, then in the Advanced Download window, check “Download as Audio” in the bottom-left corner. After that, select your desired format (M4A or MP3) and quality.

STEP 5 Start the Download

Click Download to begin. SameMovie supports high-speed downloads, so your content will be ready in several minutes — no buffering, no interruptions, and completely ad-free.

STEP 6 Check Your Downloads

Go to the Library tab to access all your downloaded content. Now you can enjoy YouTube videos or audio offline, move them to your phone, or share them across any device.

Part 4: Top 7 Online YouTube M4A Downlaoders (No Software Needed)

1.Ytb.rip

Link: https://ytb.rip/en7/youtube-to-m4a
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Ytb.rip is a clean, completely ad-free online YouTube M4A downloader. It lets you convert YouTube to M4A, MP4, or WebM in seconds. The process couldn’t be simpler: just paste the YouTube link and click Convert — perfect for anyone who wants to quickly convert YouTube videos to M4A without registration or pop-ups. It supports 21 languages and is available worldwide.

The best part? You can convert YouTube videos to M4A without any ads at all. One drawback: not every YouTube video can be converted successfully. Occasionally, conversion may fail, especially for very new uploads or videos with restrictions.

⚠️No batch download feature? SameMovie has you covered – download multiple videos at once with ease!

Pros & Cons of Ytb.rip

✅Pros	Ad-free interface and simple to use Supports multiple languages (21 options)
❌Cons	Not all YouTube videos can be successfully converted to M4A No batch download feature Slower download speed for large files Lacks advanced settings like custom audio quality

2.TubeRipper

Link: https://tuberipper.cc/64/save/m4a
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

TubeRipper lets you convert YouTube to M4A, MP3, FLAC, OGG, WAV, OPUS, MP4, WebM, and 3GP — basically every format you’ll ever need. Besides YouTube, it also supports lesser-known platforms like EinsUndEinsTV, VTXTV, SR, Nicknight, and YapFiles, making it a solid all-rounder when you need to convert videos to M4A from almost anywhere.

Downsides: Banner ads pop up during the YouTube-to-M4A conversion process, and parsing + conversion speeds are noticeably slower than the fastest tools on this list.

⚠️Tired of annoying ads? Switch to SameMovie and enjoy a clean, ad-free downloading experience!

Pros & Cons of TubeRipper

✅Pros	Supports a wide range of audio and video formats Compatible with multiple platforms beyond YouTube
❌Cons	Banner ads appear during download or conversion Conversion and parsing can be slow

3.AM4A

Link: https://am4a.cc/
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

AM4A stands out from many other online downloaders thanks to its ability to convert entire YouTube playlists to M4A in one click. Before converting YouTube to M4A, users can directly set the desired audio quality and start/end positions right on the website. Besides M4A, it also supports MP4 and MP3 output formats.

Beyond YouTube, the tool works great for converting TikTok, Facebook, Reddit, and Twitch videos to M4A (or other formats), making it a truly flexible all-in-one solution. However, the website design can feel a bit cluttered with “support me” banners everywhere, which slightly hurts the experience. Also, parsing and download speeds tend to be slower when converting YouTube to M4A.

Pros & Cons of AM4A

✅Pros	Supports full playlist downloads Allows custom audio quality, start and end positions before converting
❌Cons	Page layout feels messy and filled with “support me” elements Slower parsing and download speed No multilingual support

4.Dubs

Link: https://dubs.io/youtube-to-m4a
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dubs offers one of the cleanest and most modern interfaces you’ll find among free online YouTube M4A downloaders. The page is beautiful and completely ad-free. It lets you convert YouTube to M4A (or to MP3, AAC, OPUS, WebM, MP4, etc.) and allows you to choose the exact output format before the conversion starts.

Even better, Dubs provides official mobile apps for both iOS and Android, so you can convert YouTube videos to M4A directly on your phone. The only minor drawback is that the entire service is currently English-only, which might be inconvenient for non-English speakers.

⚠️Need multi-language support? SameMovie offers 20+ languages for a seamless experience!

Pros & Cons of Dubs

✅Pros	Clean, ad-free interface Mobile apps for iOS and Android
❌Cons	Service is currently English-only, which may be inconvenient for non-English speakers No batch download or playlist support, limiting efficiency for multiple videos Cannot customize advanced settings like audio quality or metadata

5.Evano

Link: https://evano.com/youtube-to-m4a
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Evano features a clean, modern, and ad-free interface, similar to Dubs. It offers a free YouTube M4A downloader, along with over 300 other conversion tools supporting a wide variety of formats, making it a very comprehensive platform. However, during testing, some conversions failed multiple times for unknown reasons, which may affect reliability.

⚠️Want 100% success? Try SameMovie – the most reliable video downloader for guaranteed results!

Pros & Cons of Evano

✅Pros	Extremely clean, modern and 100% ad-free interface 300+ conversion tools in one place (not just YouTube)
❌Cons	Frequent conversion failures with no clear explanation Cannot choose audio quality/bitrate when converting YouTube to M4A No playlist download support (one video at a time only) English-only, no multi-language support

6.AnyUkit

Link: https://anyukit.com/youtube-to-m4a/
Rating: ⭐⭐

AnyUkit is a versatile online YouTube M4A downloader designed primarily for downloading YouTube content with ease. With its convenient browser plugin, you can download YouTube videos directly while browsing, making the process quick and effortless. The platform supports converting YouTube videos into M4A formatv, and other popular formats such as MP3, MP4, OGG, FLAC, MOV, MPEG, and WebM.

Beyond video and audio downloads, AnyUkit also offers handy tools like Image & Text Downloader, YouTube Subtitle Downloader, and YouTube Thumbnail Downloader, giving you more ways to extract content.

Pros & Cons of AnyUkit

✅Pros	Multilingual support One-click download plugin for YouTube
❌Cons	Only works for YouTube; other platforms aren’t supported Pop-ups and redirects may appear, which can interrupt your converting experience No support for batch downloads

7.Y2down

Link: https://y2down.cc/enyQ/
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Y2down is a clean and user-friendly online platform with no pop-ups. Before downloading, you can select the format you want, making it easy to convert YouTube videos to M4A. The tool supports over 10 formats, including MP3, MP4, WebM, AAC, FLAC, OPUS, OGG, and WAV, so you can convert almost any video regardless of its original format.

One of Y2down’s biggest advantages is its multilingual support, offering over 30 languages, so users from all over the world can use it. Beyond YouTube, the platform also supports video downloads and conversions from other sites such as Facebook, SoundCloud, Vimeo, TikTok, IMDb, Twitch, and Twitter.

Pros & Cons of Y2down

✅Pros	Multilingual support (30+ languages) Works with multiple platforms besides YouTube
❌Cons	Clicking download triggers redirects to new pages, which can be confusing No batch download or playlist support Limited advanced options for audio quality and metadata Only supports online use; no desktop software version

Part 5: Best YouTube M4A Downloader for Android (2025 Tested)

When it comes to finding a reliable YouTube M4A downloader for Android, NewPipe stands out as the top choice in 2025. This lightweight, free, and open-source app allows you to convert YouTube videos to M4A directly on your Android device, using the original high-quality AAC stream. This ensures you get the same audio quality that YouTube streams, with no loss in sound quality.

NewPipe also lets you enjoy background playback, block ads, download entire playlists, and use the app without any Google tracking. For anyone looking for a trustworthy, fast, and straightforward way to convert YouTube to M4A on Android, NewPipe is the go-to solution.

Get the latest version directly from https://newpipe.net (or F-Droid/GitHub).

How to Download YouTube as M4A with NewPipe

1. Download the latest version of NewPipe from the official website or GitHub.
2. Open YouTube, copy the video link (on Android, click Share > Copy Link).
3. Open NewPipe, paste the video link into the search bar.
4. Customize your download options (title, format, resolution, etc.) and click Download.
5. Once the download is complete, go to your Android device’s Downloads folder and find the “YouTube Downloader” folder where your MP4 or M4A file is saved.

Pros & Cons of NewPipe

✅Pros	100% free & open-source No ads & No tracking
❌Cons	Not available on Google Play Finding the M4A file after download can be a bit tricky No in-app YouTube search — links must be copied and pasted manually Android-only — no desktop version available for downloading on computers

Part 6: Comparison Table - Which YouTube M4A Downloader Wins in 2025?

Here’s a straightforward comparison of all the YouTube M4A downloaders we tested in 2025, designed to help you find the perfect tool quickly. We’ve rated each one based on key factors like compatibility, ad-free experience, playlist support, and additional features. Whether you're using Windows, Mac, Android, or just browsing, you’ll easily find the best fit for your needs.

Part 7: FAQs on YouTube M4A Downloaders

Can I download YouTube audio as M4A without using third-party software?

No. YouTube Premium only gives you temporary offline files inside the YouTube app and never in real M4A format. If you want actual .m4a files you can keep forever and play anywhere, you need a third-party tool. The fastest and safest way right now is using an online tool (like Dubs or Ytb.rip) or a desktop/app solution (SameMovie or NewPipe).

Can I download YouTube M4A files on my iPhone or iPad?

Directly on iOS it’s tricky because of Apple restrictions.

• Easiest method: Use SameMovie Video One on a Windows/Mac → download M4A → AirDrop or transfer via Files app to your iPhone/iPad.

You May Also Like: How to Download YouTube Videos to USB Drive

Can I download a whole YouTube playlist as M4A?

Yes — but most free online tools only do one video at a time. The only tools that reliably download whole playlists as original-quality M4A in 2025 are:

• SameMovie Video One (Windows/Mac – fastest, 10× speed, ad-free)
• NewPipe (Android – completely free)
• AM4A.cc (online, slower and has banners)

Are YouTube M4A downloaders safe and legal?

Yes! Downloading YouTube audio as M4A for personal, non-commercial use is generally accepted in most countries. And most YouTube M4A downloaders are safe, but it's important to choose reputable ones. To ensure a safe, ad-free, and smooth experience, we recommend using SameMovie for both security and convenience.

Conclusion

Whether you're looking for a fast, ad-free experience on desktop or a reliable, easy-to-use app on Android. M4A offers superior sound quality and smaller file sizes compared to MP3.

While plenty of free online YouTube M4A downloaders exist, most come with annoying ads, slow speeds, random failures, or zero playlist support. After testing everything available this year, SameMovie Video One stands out as the clear winner for anyone serious about downloading or converting YouTube to M4A.