Downloading video for a journey: Netflix against YouTube
Downloading before a flight is one of the most common things people do with a streaming app, and both services attach conditions that are easy to miss until you are already offline. The differences are in expiry, in what can be downloaded at all, and in how each handles a partial download.
The rules
| Netflix | YouTube Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| What can be downloaded | Most of the catalogue, some titles excluded | Most videos, subject to the uploader |
| Expiry | Typically 7 days, some titles 48 hours once started | About 30 days, refreshed on connection |
| Quality options | Standard and High, a large size difference | Several, up to 1080p |
| Device limits | Depends on the plan | One account, several devices |
| Partial downloads | Play up to the downloaded point | Generally will not play |
| Storage location | Internal, sometimes SD card | Internal |
The apps, and the third option
The most reliable download implementation of any streaming service, with clear per-title indicators. Standard quality is roughly half the size of High and looks the same on a phone.
Downloads require Premium. The catalogue advantage is enormous, and expiry is more forgiving than Netflix.
The third option: video you already own, on the device, with no expiry, no account and no rules. For a genuinely long trip this is the dependable one.
Same reasoning, and it plays formats other players refuse.
Prime Video. Downloads for offline viewing with generous device limits.
Disney+. Downloads on up to several devices, with no limit on titles.
HBO Max. Offline downloads on its ad-free plans.
Crunchyroll. Offline viewing for anime on the premium tier.
Viki. Asian drama with downloads for subscribers.
YouTube Go. Saved videos at a chosen quality, in the regions where it remains available.
Downloading properly before a trip
- Download whole seasons, not single episodes The most common mistake is arriving with one episode and a queue that never finished.
- Set quality to Standard on a phone Half the storage, no visible difference at arm's length. Use High only on a tablet.
- Check each title shows as fully downloaded A partial download plays for a few minutes and stops.
- Open the app once before boarding Downloads validate against the service, and doing it on airport WiFi avoids a surprise.
- Check the free space afterwards A season at High quality can be several gigabytes.
- Whole seasons downloaded and verified
- Files on the device played in a local player
- Standard quality, verified complete
- Opening the app on WiFi before you leave
- A download still in progress
- A title started days before the flight
- Relying on one episode
- Assuming a paused download resumed
For trips longer than a week
Both services' expiry rules make them unsuitable for a journey with no connection for more than a week. Netflix downloads expire, YouTube's refresh requirement eventually bites, and neither can be extended offline.
For anything genuinely long, video files on the device played in a local player is the only arrangement with no expiry at all. It is less convenient and it is the one that still works on day ten.
Whole seasons, Standard quality, verified complete, on WiFi before you leave. For more than a week, use your own files.
Frequently asked questions
Do downloads expire even if I do not watch them?
Yes. Netflix downloads have a licence period regardless of whether you started them.
Can I download to an SD card?
Netflix allows it on many devices. YouTube generally does not.
Does downloading use more data than streaming?
Roughly the same for one viewing. Downloading on WiFi and watching on mobile is the saving.
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