StreamgrabVideo downloader for MP4, HLS and M3U8 streams
Streamgrab finds the video a page loads and saves it as a file. It works inside the browser, so there is no companion app to install, and nothing is stamped on the result. It does not download YouTube or DRM-protected video.
For Microsoft Edge and Firefox on desktop. No account. Updated 2026-10-03, version 0.1.0.
What it saves, and what it does not
When a video file, an HLS playlist (.m3u8) or a DASH manifest (.mpd) loads on the page, the toolbar icon gets a number. Open the popup, pick a quality and press Download.
- Direct video files (MP4 and WebM): saved as they are.
- HLS streams: the segments are fetched, decrypted when the stream uses plain AES-128 with its own key, and joined into one MP4 on your computer. MPEG-TS pieces are converted to MP4. If a stream cannot be converted, it is saved as a .ts file and the Downloads page says so.
- DASH streams: one video track and one audio track are fetched. This version saves them as two files, and the Downloads page says so. Any video editor can merge them.
It does not save: YouTube (Streamgrab refuses youtube.com and the servers that deliver its video); anything protected by DRM, meaning HLS with SAMPLE-AES or Widevine, PlayReady or FairPlay keys, and DASH manifests with ContentProtection; and live streams, which have no end to save. The popup says plainly when a video is protected. A server that checks where each request comes from may refuse the download.
Streamgrab next to Video DownloadHelper
Read on 3 October 2026 from the Firefox Add-ons page and from search snippets of review pages, so the complaints are marked reported. Streamgrab is our own tool; check the vendor pages before you decide.
| Topic | Video DownloadHelper | Streamgrab |
|---|---|---|
| Users and rating | 1,847,522 users, 4.3 stars from 42,614 reviews on Firefox Add-ons | New, with no reviews yet |
| Companion app | Reviewers report that one is required (reported) | None. Segments are fetched and joined in the browser |
| Watermark | Reviewers report one on some unlicensed HLS and DASH video (reported) | None, on Free or Pro |
| Free limits | Reviewers report one HLS download per 120 minutes on free Chrome (reported) | Direct files unlimited. Five HLS or DASH downloads a day, up to 720p |
What free does
The free version saves every direct file and five streams a day, with no account and no card.
- Direct video files (MP4 and WebM) without limit
- Five HLS or DASH downloads a day, up to 720p, two held at a time with one running
- No watermark on anything you save, free or Pro
- A quality list read from the stream itself, with the size for direct files
- Progress in the popup and on the Downloads page, with Cancel and Try again. Failed segments are retried before the download gives up
- No companion app. The pieces are fetched and joined in the browser
- The pages you visit and the videos you save stay on your computer
Pricing
Free saves direct files without limit and five HLS or DASH downloads a day up to 720p. Pro removes the daily limit and the 720p cap, adds a bigger download queue, Download all and filename templates, and costs €12 for a year or €29 once.
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Direct video files (MP4 and WebM) | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| HLS and DASH downloads | 5 a day | Unlimited |
| HLS and DASH quality | Up to 720p | Any |
| Stream downloads held at a time | 2, one running | Any number, 3 running |
| Download every stream on a page | Not included | Included |
Filename templates ({title} {site} {date} {quality}) |
Not included | Included |
| Watermark on the saved video | None | None |
| Browsers per licence | Not applicable | Up to 3 |
| Price |
€0 forever No account, no card Add to Edge Add to Firefox |
€12 for a year or €29 once, for good. One-time payments, nothing renews. Get Pro, 1 year, €12 Pro for good, €29 |
New installs get full Pro for 7 days, free, with no card. After that Streamgrab stays free unless you buy a pass. Pro is not a subscription. How buying works.
Questions
- Is there an HLS downloader extension for Edge and Firefox?
- Yes. Streamgrab is a free extension for Microsoft Edge and Firefox on desktop. It reads the HLS playlist the page loads, fetches the segments, and joins them into one MP4 file on your computer.
- How do I download an m3u8 video?
- Open the page and play the video. When Streamgrab shows a number on its toolbar icon, open it, pick a quality from the list and press Download. The m3u8 playlist is read for you, so you do not need to find its address.
- How do I download an MP4 from any website?
- Play the video and open Streamgrab. Direct MP4 and WebM files are listed with their size, and are saved as they are, without a limit, on the free plan too.
- Does it work without a companion app?
- Yes. The pieces of a stream are fetched and joined in the browser, so there is nothing else to install and no account to make.
- Which browsers does it work in?
- Microsoft Edge and Firefox, on desktop.
- Does it download YouTube?
- No. Streamgrab refuses youtube.com and the servers that deliver its video.
- Does it download DRM-protected video?
- No. HLS with SAMPLE-AES or Widevine, PlayReady or FairPlay keys, and DASH manifests with ContentProtection, are recognised and the popup says they cannot be downloaded. Live streams are not saved either.
- Why does a DASH download give two files?
- DASH keeps video and audio apart. This version saves them as two files, and the Downloads page says so. Any video editor can merge them.
- What if a stream is very large?
- Streamgrab joins a stream in memory, so a stream larger than about 2 GB, or one that lists more than 50,000 pieces, is refused with a message before anything is saved.
- Why does it ask for access to all websites?
- A video can load from any site. Streamgrab has to see the content type and size of the requests a page makes to tell which ones are video, and needs the same access to fetch playlists and segments from the servers that host them. It only observes requests, does not block or change them, and does not read page content.
- Is Pro a subscription?
- No. Pro is €12 for a year or €29 once, and nothing renews. One licence works on up to 3 browsers.
- How do I activate Pro?
- Pay on Payhip, copy the licence key from the receipt or the email, open the Streamgrab popup, choose Upgrade and paste the key. See pricing.
- Where do I get help, or send an idea?
- Use the contact form on the seller page for help. To suggest a feature or report a problem, use the form on the roadmap page or in the extension.