Replace AudioFetcher?
KINDA · weekend projectThe core loop is genuinely one-shottable: a small local UI, yt-dlp for the fetch, ffmpeg for the encode, files land in a folder. What is not a one sitting is everything that makes a public converter feel reliable week after week · YouTube bot checks, cookies/PO tokens, geo blocks, fair queues, abuse protection, and a hosted path so non-technical people never open a terminal. Build the personal script; do not expect one prompt to replace a maintained public service.
Build me a personal YouTube-to-MP3 tool to replace AudioFetcher for one user on my laptop. Requirements: - Python 3.11 + a tiny localhost Flask or Starlette app; one page with a URL field, quality select (128 / 192 / 256 / 320 kbps), and a Convert button. - On submit, shell out to yt-dlp to pull best audio only, then ffmpeg to CBR MP3 at the chosen bitrate. Write files into ./downloads with a safe title filename. - Support a single video URL and a playlist URL. For playlists, show a checkbox list of titles first (yt-dlp --flat-playlist --print), then convert only checked items one by one with a simple progress log on the page (SSE or polling). - Put YT_COOKIES_FILE and optional HTTP_PROXY in .env; pass them to yt-dlp when set. If yt-dlp returns LOGIN_REQUIRED or bot-check text, show that error plainly and tell me to export cookies from a logged-in browser. - Cap each job at 3 hours of media; reject live streams. No accounts, no cloud, no queue service for other users · this is just me. - Out of scope: multi-tenant fair queues, Stripe/Pro billing, magic-link auth, public abuse protection, mobile apps. - README: install yt-dlp + ffmpeg, how to export Netscape cookies, and a blunt note that YouTube blocks many datacenter IPs so a home machine or cookies may be required.
$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter) or copy it raw
Power users already run yt-dlp. Everyone else pays to paste a link in a browser and get an MP3 without installing tools or debugging LOGIN_REQUIRED. The money is convenience plus the permanent maintenance of staying ahead of YouTube client checks, not a novel audio algorithm.
xhosted UI for non-technical users
xplaylist preview with per-track checkboxes
xpriority queue and 320 kbps Pro path
xsomeone else fighting YouTube bot checks, PO tokens, and geo blocks
xemail magic-link Pro auth and fair multi-user queueing
What does the AudioFetcher verdict mean?
The core job looks buildable, with meaningful gaps: hosted UI for non-technical users, playlist preview with per-track checkboxes. Read the full tradeoff list before committing. This research record is not a hosted IVCIFY tool.
What price does this directory record show for AudioFetcher?
The directory records $6/month for Pro, checked 2026-07-30. Verify the source before making a purchase decision. This reference stays outside retail Stack Math unless current matched evidence supports the comparison.
What do I lose by replacing AudioFetcher?
Honestly: hosted UI for non-technical users; playlist preview with per-track checkboxes; priority queue and 320 kbps Pro path; someone else fighting YouTube bot checks, PO tokens, and geo blocks; email magic-link Pro auth and fair multi-user queueing. If any of those are load-bearing for you, keep paying.
Is there an open-source alternative to AudioFetcher?
The listed prior art includes yt-dlp (The actual download engine almost every converter wraps. Best DIY path is using it directly.), cobalt (Open-source multi-service media downloader with a self-hostable API and web UI.), youtube-dl (Older predecessor; still useful context for how long this cat-and-mouse has run.). Inspect those projects before starting from a blank prompt.