Cobalt

Cobalt is an open-source media download tool that lets users save videos and audio from dozens of popular platforms without ads, tracking, or sign-up requirements. The project was created by a developer known as wukko and is hosted on GitHub under an open-source license, with the codebase written in TypeScript and deployed as a self-hostable web application. Users simply paste a media URL from platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Twitch, SoundCloud, Pinterest, or Vimeo into the input box, select their preferred output format and quality, and the server fetches the media file for download. Unlike many similar download services, this tool does not inject advertisements, display popups, or require browser extensions. The settings page lets users configure default video resolution, audio bitrate, file naming conventions, and metadata stripping options. Privacy is a core design principle — the tool does not log user activity, does not store downloaded files on its servers beyond the transfer session, and does not use third-party analytics scripts. Developers can self-host their own instance using Docker, which gives organizations full control over their download infrastructure without depending on the public instance. The community actively contributes support for new platforms and formats through GitHub pull requests, keeping the tool current as social media platforms change their APIs. For content creators who need to archive their own published content, researchers collecting source media for analysis, and everyday users who want to save videos for offline viewing, this tool provides a clean and trustworthy alternative to ad-heavy download sites.