How to Download Streaming Videos and Archive Live Streams 2025

I wanted to download streaming videos for offline watching, but every forum and blog seemed to recommend different tools, with a wide variety of them but a lack of clear classification. The more I researched, the more confused I became. This is probably the so-called information explosion. Their content was too complicated, so I thought I might as well test them myself and then categorize them according to their main functions and the type of content they are best at handling.

This guide is the result of my efforts. I have divided the ways to download streaming videos into 2 types: powerful PC client software and live stream downloads. You can jump directly to the corresponding section.

PC Client: In-Depth Download, Most Comprehensive Streaming Video Support

Many users say that downloading streaming videos is a cat-and-mouse game. Streaming platforms are constantly updating their video technology strategies, and many tools will soon become outdated and stop working.

This is why PC clients are the first and often the most reliable choice. These solutions usually have a dedicated development team that can keep updates more frequently to adapt to constant changes. Because of the maintenance, PC client tools usually provide excellent stability and the most comprehensive feature support, which is why I list PC solutions as the first way to download streaming videos.

1. Tool Required: StreamFab Video Downloader

The reason I recommend StreamFab is that among all the PC streaming downloader solutions I tested, only StreamFab introduced native download mode technology instead of re-encoding mode. (for details, see: download vs. re-encode)

This native technology can get higher video quality (for example, I can only download Disney videos in 720P using Tunepat, and StreamFab can reach 1080P) and faster download speed (for example, when I use CleverGet to download, the first quarter is very fast, but the speed drops after 20%, and I doubt the authenticity of its progress bar). StreamFab's download speed document is good, the quality is good, and the overall experience is impressive

StreamFab Video Downloader

StreamFab supports archiving videos up to 1080p from 1000+ services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and even supports some 4K/8K video downloads. This is a major feature that many competitors cannot match.

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In addition to technical capabilities, it is also important to understand the brand strength, user feedback, and overall reliability of a tool. Based on my observations in various user communities and review platforms, StreamFab generally occupies a strong position in the streaming media download market.

Although StreamFab's premium downloading features are not available for free, many users who prioritize high-quality, reliable downloads from premium streaming services believe that StreamFab offers "worth it" value compared to "free" or cheaper alternatives that often fail.

Of course, no matter how many StreamFab reviews you read, it is better to try it yourself. StreamFab provides 3 free trials. During the trial period, downloads are not limited in quality and duration, which is one of the reasons why I included it in the solution. A complete trial experience can help users better understand this product.

2. Operation Steps

For a comprehensive guide, see: how to use StreamFab

In general, I have a good experience using StreamFab. With the latest streaming media technology, there are occasional bugs, but StreamFab fixes them quickly. From the perspective of stability, quality, maintenance, and security, it is worth a try.

Recorder: Download Real-Time Live Streaming Videos

While StreamFab excels at directly downloading almost any video stream due to its sophisticated native download technology, there's a particularly unique type of video content it can't handle: live streams.

Live streams usually don't offer a download option, and even if they provide a replay, it might not be uploaded until long after the broadcast. If you want to save live content in real-time or need to add annotations to the live footage, a recording tool is your best bet.

1. Tool Required: RecordFab

RecordFab

Specifically branded and designed for "streaming video" and focuses on recording the live video stream itself, not your entire desktop activity. This means you can keep interacting with other applications, Browse, or even receive notifications, and your recorded live stream will remain clean and uninterrupted.

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My key reason for recommending RecordFab is its unique approach to recording live streams. Many recording tools use a "desktop recording" method, meaning they'll capture everything within a designated screen area—including any pop-up notifications, mouse movements, or other desktop interactions.

This can be incredibly annoying when you're trying to get a clean recording. RecordFab dedicated "stream-only" recording truly elevates its reliability for capturing live content.

2. Operation Steps

Since RecordFab is a relatively new sub-brand of StreamFab and focuses on the specific streaming video recording market segment, RecordFab's user base is still very broad compared to StreamFab, but its two key differentiating advantages of live streaming video preservation and background recording are very obvious.

For a detailed test about RecordFab, please check: RecordFab review

Conclusion

In this article, I use StreamFab and RecordFab to download streaming videos. They are powerful, but their main needs are different.

• StreamFab: Best for downloading conventional, pre-recorded video streams (VOD - Video On Demand).
• RecordFab: Best for capturing live video streams (real-time broadcasts).

By combining these two tools, you can achieve all your streaming video download and storage demands.