Have you ever heard of Downie, a software program for downloading videos from the Internet? With the current popularity of online video, it is very convenient to store videos on your own device and watch them whenever you want. In this article, we will provide basic information about Downie, its reputation, safety, and alternatives.
Basic Information on Downie
Downie is a Mac OS-only software for downloading videos from YouTube and other video sites.
The developer is Charlie Monroe Software, an overseas company that develops applications exclusively for iOS and Mac OS, and unfortunately, it does not seem to support Japanese at present. However, since it is stated on the official HP that version updates are performed quite frequently, there is a high possibility that it will be improved in the future.
In case you are wondering, the main use of this product is YouTube, but it is also compatible with other video streaming sites. Its most significant feature is its support for YouTube 4K video, which other products cannot support.
Safety of Downie
Since Downie is developed by an overseas company, one might be concerned about its safety. However, the developer's website, Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking services are well-developed, and a search on overseas sites did not reveal any information on risks such as viruses. However, as information available in Japan is still quite limited, be sure to install from the official site.
Demerits of Downie
Next, regarding demerits, the first and most significant demerit is that it cannot be used on Windows. As far as the company's information is concerned, it can be said that the possibility of developing business in the future is also low.
Also, the official website does not actually support Japanese, and few Japanese-language reviews or information can be found. There was no mention of using the software on a paid site, which probably means that it is only available for download on free sites. Although reasonably priced, there are many other options for downloading software, so perhaps it would be more advantageous to choose a product that is better known and has better Japanese-language support than Downie.
StreamGaGa as an alternative to Downie
So, is there an alternative to Downie that is easy to use and fully supported downloadable software? Of course there is. What we would like to introduce to you here is StreamGaGa, a download tool with excellent features.
What is StreamGaGa?
StreamGaGa is a software that allows you to download videos from more than 1,000 video distribution sites, including paid distribution platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. To make it easier for you to understand its benefits, we have compiled a table comparing it to Downie.
Software |
StreamGaGa |
Downie |
Supported sites |
More than 1000 sites including paid distribution sites |
Free distribution sites only |
Subtitles |
Automatically detected |
Not supported |
Picture Quality |
Selectable quality up to 8k |
4k video from Youtube |
Pricing Plans |
Plans from $19.994/month Many other promotions |
Buy-Only $19.99 Premium $26.99 |
As you can see, StreamGaGa downloader has richer features and can provide better service with subtitle function and ad removal function besides downloading. This software is ideal for those who usually enjoy video content in their home theaters. Here is a brief description of how to use the software.
After launching the software, the home page will appear and icons for the various services available will be displayed. Simply select the service you wish to use, or copy and paste the video link, and the download will begin automatically. On the next screen that appears, you can conveniently set the video quality, subtitles, and other settings. It is feature-rich, easy-to-use, and beginner-friendly, and since it is compatible with both Windows and Mac OS, it works equally well in any environment.
Conclusion
In this article, we have summarized Downie, a Mac-only downloader, and its alternative, StreamGaGa. Downie supports YouTube 4K videos, but it does not have Japanese language support and is not available for Windows. StreamGaGa, on the other hand, supports more than 1,000 video streaming sites, has subtitle and ad-removal functions, and works on both Windows and Mac OS. Please take this opportunity to try it out.