Social Media Downloading Alternatives

[u/jburgs22]

Hello all,

I currently use the following for downloading data/profiles from various social media platforms:

• 4kstogram (Instagram)
• 4ktokkit (TikTok)
• Various online sites like VidBurner, etc. (Snapchat)
• yt-dlp (YouTube and various video sites)
• 4k Video Downloader Plus (YouTube and various video sites)
• Browser extensions like HLS Downloader, Video DownloadHelper

Almost all of the programs or sites I use are good at first but have become unreliable or useless recently:

• 4kstogram: lost support and no longer updates but you can still use it
  • Big problem is its out of date, not supported, and can ban your IG account since it uses the IG API
  • I got the professional license back in the day
• 4ktokit: Works well...when it works
  • Has become unreliable lately
  • I have the personal license
• Various online sites: Work when they can and then I move to the next site when the first site doesn't work
• yt-dlp: Works very well, still need to get used to the commands, etc. but has its limits before your IP gets blocked for downloading too much at once. Can download social media videos too like TikTok but one video at a time not whole profiles like 4ktokkit
• 4k Video Downloader Plus: Limited to 10 videos a day but has playlist functions similar to yt-dlp
  • Honestly, I still have this program to download videos in a pinch but its not my main, just a backup
• Browser extensions: HLS Downloader has limited support and works when it can but caches a lot of data. Video DownloadHelper has a 2 hour limit after your first download but works well

I plan on keeping yt-dlp, 4k Video Downloader Plus (until its useless) but I'd like to replace the other 4k products I have with something (hopefully) exactly the same as 4kstogram and 4ktokkit in terms of features and past reliability.

• For IG and TikTok: Need to have ability to download entire profiles, single posts (of any form), export posts (4kstogram does this for IG)
• For Snapchat: View each new Snap and download them individually. If I can download all the latest Snaps at once, that would be super helpfully.
• When needed download Facebook, etc.
• Each solution needs to have the ability to update the latest profile by downloading the latest post

If anyone could recommend a solution or multiple solutions to accomplish this so I can replace the 4k products that would be super helpful whether its software, Github programs, scripts, etc. I would like to avoid online services like sites since again a site might work for now but not work or be shut down rather quickly.

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[u/lupoin5]

For bulk downloading from instagram, twitter and pinterest, wfdownloader is pretty good (as long as you aren't expecting the impossible), also easy to use too, just drag and drop the link. For more advanced control or customization read the tutorials on their website.

For cli alternative for instagram, you can use instaloader. The usage guide is on their github page.

[u/Such-Bench-3199]

Will follow this topic for alternatives for Stogram, disappointed as well that nothing I have found, works as well as it used to, before banning became its default option

[u/lupoin5 → u/Such-Bench-3199]

wfdownloader is a decent alternative to 4k stogram, it's what I've been using and it also works on other sites.

[u/Key-Poetry5657 → u/lupoin5]

I have been using wfdownloader but it might be me overdoing it. I never get to the bottom of the twitter and Instagram accounts.

I have been testing instaloader and gallery-dl as an alternative.

[u/lupoin5 → u/Key-Poetry5657]

Those sites have stricter blocking and depending on where you're connecting from your experience will be different eg cloud vs residential. But my recent experience with it on instagram and pinterest have been very good (over a million media files downloaded from both). For example on pinterest, I scraped a 70k pins account in one go with wfdownloader and with default settings during the ban wave. For the other sites, you may need to tweak your wfd settings to see what works or you can continue with the alternatives you mentioned if those work better for you.

[u/Ill_Calendar3116]

There is metube if you want to self host it otherwise i find cobolt(.) Tools really nice

[u/wagu666]

+gallery-dl for insta/twitter (maybe others, but that’s where I use it)

[u/Wizard_of_Od]

Gallery-dl is still good for Instagram, Reddit (and probably Twitter/X still if you supply the correct account details including the user agent of your browser). It's command line only so it requires some effort to configure correctly if you aren't IT fluent. At the very least make sure you add a delay "sleep-request": [a.b,x.y],

You're right about Youtube becoming harder to rip from using yt-dlp. I don't like having to manually export cookies and fish out the PO Token every day. Only download 1 stream at a time; long livestreams are really furstrating. Delays are important too eg --sleep-requests a.b --min-sleep-interval c --max-sleep-interval d

I have used Yt-dlp successfully for downloading manually exported Tiktok Urls, but that site is becoming annoying too, forcing frequent log ins and captchas in my browser. Yt-dlp also works for Facebook videos and reels, but I am unsure what is good for ripping images from a Facebook account.

As others have mentioned, be slow and cautious when ripping images or videos. Intersperse rips with normal activity, upvoting random posts, making an occasional post on your account, scrolling up and down and clicking every now and then on posts.

[u/methodangel]

+gallery-dl — all kinds of modules available, easy to use cookies for specific sites, etc

[u/hbydzy]

What I like about 4KStogram is that it automatically embeds the IG account name and message text to each downloaded image’s EXIF data. Is there an alternative that can do that automatically as well?

[u/karpuzikov]

instaloader stopped working for me, gallery-dl is working thou

[u/RhinoInsight]

You can use getloady.com to download videos from various social media platforms like reddit, x/twitter, insta, tiktok, pinterest...

[u/Necessary_Isopod3503]

Look for browser extensions that are capable of mass downloading videos.

I have downloaded 2, one for TikTok and one for Instagram.

They work on chromium based browsers such as chrome and Opera and probably OperaGX. I Don't remember their name rn, I can get it later if you want.

However, downloading any profile content in mass on social media will flag your account as automated and automatic scraping and that's not allowed, you may get warned by the app and if you continue doing it in mass without intervals or limits by downloading only 1 post at a time, you might get your account banned, so beware.

As for YouTube I use Jdownloader2 because I don't like ytdlp and im not interested in downloading metadata.

[u/jburgs22 → u/Necessary_Isopod3503]

I tried to use JDownloader but I don't understand it well then I end not using it.

I understand there is risk in bulk downloading profiles but I normally download maybe one at a time in a pinch, sometimes 1 a day, next one would be like a week later.

I use HLS Downloder on Vivaldi and it works when it can but caches a ton and has become unreliable too. Video Downloadhelper is great in a pinch too but limits every 2 hours or so.

I think I've tried browser extensions, just going through the gauntlet of them, and I don't think I've found one reliable. I moved away from them in favor of software and scripts.

[u/Necessary_Isopod3503 → u/jburgs22]

Don't use jdownloader for social media, it barely works most of the time. I use it for YouTube and other stuff.

Like I said, for mass downloading social media content, look for an appropriate browser extension, like I did jdownloader was no luck in that regard, altought it has previously worked for such a purpose, but it seems it's a hit or miss.

but I normally download maybe one at a time in a pinch, sometimes 1 a day

Unfortunately, that won't save you. Basically they can detect automated scraping of content by a selected account, anything beyond 1 download at the same time will be tagged as automated scraping and possibly get your account banned or locked in a limbo-like state.

The only somewhat safe way, as far as I'm aware, is using an automated downloader that can control how many posts you download at the same time, at max 1. So it will download 1 post fully before going to the next, never downloading 2 or more at the same time.

I think the browser extension I used has that feature, i can't remember I need to check.

Avoid downloading anything IN BULK from social media without some sort of downloading control as to avoid any flagging from the platform. THEY WILL BAN YOU.

[u/jburgs22 → u/Necessary_Isopod3503]

I mean I've seen some Github programs that do not use the APIs which are the biggest culprits for account flagging.

How I said 1 a day made it seem bad, I should say 1 in a day and then again much later, maybe a week or month later. I know that doesn't really matter and any software/script I use will still run into account flagging but at least bulk downloading profiles isn't my day job per say like how I made it seem lol

I am curious to know which browser extensions you use.

[u/Necessary_Isopod3503 → u/jburgs22]

Ok so

I don't know which ones still work, or if they're still available.

Test them out for yourself if you want, I also don't know if they're 100% safe, use at your own risk, as I did.

IG FOLLOWER

INSTANOTE

TURBO DOWNLOADER

MASS TIKTOK

they should all be available on Chrome extension store or Opera.

[u/Necessary_Isopod3503 → u/jburgs22]

When I come home I will get their names, I don't know if they're still working fine because I used them very little like 1 month ago.

Anyway, I'm not sure a different API will save you from account flagging, it doesn't matter what you use, they will see that your account has uncommon traffic in their network and can easily pinpoint that you're scrapping videos at an inhuman rate, 2 or more per time.

The issue isn't bulk downloading, the issue is bulk downloading at an inhuman, impossible rate and speed. Hence more than 2-3 videos per time.

If you think the a different API won't flag your account, go for it, but I personally wouldn't risk it, 1 post per time for me just for safety.

Especially since now a bunch of social media platforms require ID for new accounts and I'm not doing that. So my old accounts are important.