ytdl-sub Hosting Live In 5 Minutes

Deploy ytdl-sub on xCloud and get ytdl-sub hosting to manage yt-dlp subscriptions from a browser editor on your own domain. xCloud runs the pinned GUI image, which bundles ytdl-sub, yt-dlp, ffmpeg and aria2, generates the editor password, mounts persistent volumes for configuration and media, and publishes it over HTTPS, so you need no SSH. Nothing downloads until you schedule it.

Deploy your ytdl-sub

No terminal
No technical skills needed
No lock-in, cancel anytime

What is ytdl-sub?

ytdl-sub is a command-line tool that downloads media via yt-dlp and prepares it for your media player, including Kodi, Jellyfin, Plex and Emby, with no additional plugins or external scrapers. A self-hosted ytdl-sub describes channels and playlists in a subscriptions file, with presets that name and organise downloads, instead of typing bare yt-dlp commands each time. Upstream is licensed under GPL-3.0.

On xCloud the install runs the official GUI image at 2026.08.26.post1, pinned by digest, as one container with no database. The editor is a VS Code instance in the browser with a built-in terminal, behind a generated 32-character password, which gives shell access inside the container. Volumes hold config plus tv_shows, movies, music_videos and music libraries. Only download content you may lawfully keep.

From Sign-Up to a Live Downloader In Just 3 Easy Steps

Self-hosting ytdl-sub normally means a container, yt-dlp and ffmpeg, volumes, a login, a domain and a certificate before the first subscription. This is the same result without assembling any of it.

Step 01
Sign Up
Create your xCloud account and pick ytdl-sub from the OneClick catalog. Choose your domain and target server — there are no extra fields to fill in.
Step 02
We Deploy It For You
One click. We bring up the official ytdl-sub GUI image, pinned by immutable digest, mount the config volume plus the tv_shows, movies, music_videos and music volumes, generate a 32-character editor password, and publish it over HTTPS on your domain.
Step 03
Add A Subscription
Open your HTTPS ytdl-sub URL and sign in with the generated password; the first start can take one to two minutes. Accept the VS Code workspace-trust prompt, open /config/ytdl-sub-configs/subscriptions.yaml, add a channel or playlist, and run ytdl-sub sub in the terminal to test.

Everything ytdl-sub Does, On Your Own Server

ytdl-sub runs in full here: yt-dlp downloads organised for your media server, edited and run from the browser on your own domain.

Media-Server Friendly Library
Downloads are named and organised into a layout that Plex, Jellyfin and Kodi can read, written to tv_shows, movies, music_videos and music volumes.
Subscription Presets
Channels and playlists are described in a subscriptions file, with presets that handle naming and organisation instead of bare yt-dlp commands.
Browser Editor With Terminal
A VS Code editor in the browser has a built-in terminal, so you edit configuration and run ytdl-sub without SSH.
yt-dlp, ffmpeg And aria2 Bundled
The official GUI image includes ytdl-sub, yt-dlp, ffmpeg and aria2, so there is nothing to install alongside it.
Optional Scheduling
Set CRON_SCHEDULE and edit the cron file to run downloads on a schedule. Nothing downloads until you do.
Plain Files, No Database
All state is plain files in named volumes, so there is no database to run or back up.

Everything You Need To Run Your Media Downloader 24/7

Managed hosting for ytdl-sub, so the parts that keep it online are not your problem.

ytdl-sub 2026.08.26.post1 deployed instantly
Official image pinned by digest
Editor password generated for you
Kept behind xCloud nginx
Free SSL certificate
Server backups and snapshots
Server security updates included
Choose your server region
Unused balance refunded

What You Can Do With ytdl-sub

Fill a media library from channels
Download YouTube channels and playlists on your own server into folders your Plex, Jellyfin or Kodi library can scan.
Keep libraries apart
Send downloads to separate tv_shows, movies, music_videos and music volumes so each library points at its own folder.
Edit configuration in the browser
Edit the config and subscriptions files in a browser editor and run ytdl-sub from its built-in terminal, without SSH.
Run it on a schedule
Set CRON_SCHEDULE and edit the cron file so subscriptions are checked automatically instead of by hand.

ytdl-sub Screenshots

The ytdl-sub browser editor open on the subscriptions file

The built-in terminal in the ytdl-sub editor

ytdl-sub vs Alternatives

Manual yt-dlp commands: Running yt-dlp by hand gives a file per command. ytdl-sub adds subscription-based presets that name and organise downloads for Plex, Jellyfin and Kodi, run from a subscriptions file.
MeTube: In a ytdl-sub vs MeTube comparison, MeTube has its own OneClick page. Its catalogue entry describes a web UI for yt-dlp that downloads video and audio to your server, with playlists and format presets.
YTPTube: YTPTube has its own OneClick page. It is a web interface and download manager for yt-dlp with scheduled tasks, presets and a built-in file browser and player.
YoutubeDL-Material: YoutubeDL-Material has its own OneClick page. It is a Material Design web app on yt-dlp with a built-in player, playlists and subscriptions.

Simple Pricing. Everything Included.

Dedicated Cloud VPS sizes, pre-configured for ytdl-sub hosting. Pick the one that fits, and resize any time.

Cloud VPS 6 GB

Cloud VPS 16 GB

More headroom and disk for larger libraries and heavier ffmpeg work.

$59.99per month

16 GB RAM
6 vCPU cores
200 GB NVMe SSD
30 TB
Unlimited

Get started

Every size is a dedicated Cloud VPS we provision, patch, monitor and restore. Billed monthly with no lock-in — delete the server and the unused balance comes back to your account. ytdl-sub itself is licensed by its maintainers under GPL-3.0.

Docker hosting

Already Have a Server? Bring Your Own

Connect any VPS — DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, Hetzner or bare metal — and deploy ytdl-sub on it through the same panel, for a per-server management fee instead of a Cloud VPS rental.

Free

Start your journey without cost.

$0forever

1 server
10 sites

Start free

Starter

Professional

The same platform, discounted at 6–10 servers.

$4per server / month

6–10 servers
Unlimited sites
All features included
Bring any VPS provider

Get started

Agency

The same platform, discounted at 11+ servers.

$3per server / month

11+ servers
Unlimited sites
All features included
Bring any VPS provider

Get started

Priced per connected server, so your rate adjusts automatically as you add or remove servers. You pay your own provider for the server itself.

Self-managed hosting

Ready To Run Your Own Media Downloader?

ytdl-sub on xCloud runs on a dedicated Cloud VPS that we provision, patch, monitor and restore. Deploy faster. Own the server. Stay in control.

Fast Provisioning
Deploy faster using an xCloud Managed Server built with optimized stacks and high-speed SSDs.
Enterprise-grade security
Protect your infrastructure with a free SSL certificate and more advanced security features at no additional cost.
Intuitive Control Panel
From Server creation to application deployment, everything can be managed from our intuitive control panel.

Hear what people are saying about us

See why agencies, developers, startups, and growing businesses choose xCloud to power their projects.

xCloud works really well, I am surprised by its performance being this the release version, I have tried many paid platforms such as runcloud, cloudpages or serveravatar, as well as free platforms such as CyberPanel, CloudPanel or Hestia Control Panel and direct competitors such as SpinupWP and FlyWP. Of all those that I have tried, the platform that works best for WordPress is SpinupWP and I believe that xCloud can reach and surpass that development, its roadmap is promising. Congratulations to the xCloud team, I hope they become the leading platform in the segment, it has all the potential to achieve it!

Brian Geovanny

I've been with runcloud for the last 3 years. However, after trying xcloud for the last month, I'm switching over. They are on a roll with their setup.

Kevin Pineda

I'm moving my servers to xCloud, a cloud control panel by M Asif Rahman and the WPDeveloper team. Their roadmap looks interesting and no, there are no team mates nor API limits with xCloud! #xCloud #wordpress #hosting

Leo Koo

How Cloud Nine Web Elevated Client Experience While Streamlining Hosting Operations using xCloud

Ed Ellingham

xCloud is like having an expert server team on call — without the big agency costs. It's given me back my time and given my clients peace of mind. Highly recommended for freelancers and small teams who want reliable performance and security.

Dumitru Butucel

xCloud isn't just a solution. It's like one of that friend who got your back when you screw things up pretty bad.

Waqar Ahmed

Trust me when I say, once people explore the potential of xCloud they gonna switch from other panels, just keep delivering the best tech, lots of love for the team 😍😍

Rahul Singh

So far my experience has been smooth like silk. I didn't imagine that configuring and managing a VPS would be so easy. As of today, I have deployed 8 sites. The support is good, and they treat users with respect, even if they ask stupid questions (myself included). For the future, I hope for greater flexibility in scheduled backups and more comprehensive and consistent documentation. I'm sure that within a few months, xCloud will become the leader in its segment. This community is amazing, and the Staff here is super helpful.

Massimo Villa

Came from cloudways then to runcloud then to xcloud. Looks like I'm staying here.

Gerson El

I've recently taken all of my Vultr-hosted sites and gotten rid of cPanel for them to substitute it with xCloud. I have to say, I'm really impressed with xCloud so far! The interface is definitely the standout feature for me.

Tony Lewis

I came from Cloudways and won't go back. Highly impressed with xCloud. Glad I gave them a chance.

Jared McDowell

I like xCloud better than RunCloud, but one thing I'll point out is that some years ago RunCloud was hungry for business, the support was outstanding, and the community was active and helped each other. Maybe it was sold, there was a change in management, or they stopped being hungry, but the quality of the RunCloud offering declined and it hasn't been moving forward quickly. My point is that currently the xCloud team has the edge and it is theirs to keep or lose

David McCan

How Kevin Heinrichs Cut Hosting Costs by 84% While Running WooCommerce & Node.js Sites Efficiently

Kevin Heinrichs

I had 150 sites on cloudways and am in the process of moving them to xcloud. Much faster and better priced.

Dan Spinoza

Dear xCloud Team, I have been using xCloud for some time now and am genuinely impressed with its capabilities and the flexibility it offers by allowing users to bring their own VPS for management. It's a fantastic service, and my experience so far has been very positive. Successful migrated 5 sites on a single server. Xcloud migration tool worked great. There were few hiccups with security plugin like MalCare but disabling the plugin prior to migration worked just fine.

Rahil Maknojia

Came from runcloud. Tried xcloud and never came back.

Karl Fanega

How Advanced Web Strategies Saved Over $2,000 & Recovered 56 Hours per Month Managing 70+ Client Websites

Gary Moody

xCloud gave me what no other hosting platform could: the flexibility of a VPS with the convenience of managed WordPress. As a solo founder running an entire business on one server, that combination is an important unfair advantage.

Jorge de los Reyes Martínez

I use Server Avatar and xCloud and I'll sooner use xCloud than Server Avatar personally.

Jay Pagano

How Newman Web Solutions Ensured Perfect Uptime and Seamless Scaling For 120+ WordPress Sites with xCloud

Lori Newman

I too have moved over to xCloud. It's pretty sweet. One click n8n and uptime Kuma apps

John Aperture

I went from Cloudways to xCloud. No intention on switching in the foreseeable future.

Blaine Moore

Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.

Can you self-host ytdl-sub with Docker?

Yes, and this template is ytdl-sub Docker hosting without the setup: the official ytdl-sub-gui image pinned by digest, a login password, five named volumes for config and the four library folders, and HTTPS on your domain for the browser editor.

How much RAM does ytdl-sub need?

Floor figures are one core, 512 MB of RAM and 10 GB of disk, and QA measured about 43 to 60 MiB idle with a peak near 607 MiB right after a 256 MB download. The 6 GB plan is the entry rung, with room for ffmpeg work.

How do I sign in to the ytdl-sub editor?

Use the generated 32-character password shown in the installation credentials. Requests without it are redirected to the login page. Allow one to two minutes on first start, and click Yes I trust on the VS Code workspace-trust prompt.

Does ytdl-sub download automatically?

Not until you set it up. Uncomment CRON_SCHEDULE in the environment, redeploy, and edit the cron file under /config/ytdl-sub-configs; nothing downloads by default. Run ytdl-sub sub in the terminal once first to check a small subscription.

Who can use the ytdl-sub editor?

Anyone with the password. The editor includes a terminal, so the password gives shell access to the container and its outbound network. Share it only with people you trust fully, and rotate it by changing PASSWORD and redeploying.

Can YouTube block or throttle ytdl-sub downloads?

Yes. Bulk unattended downloads can get an IP address throttled or banned, so test with a small subscription first. Sites change often, so set UPDATE_YT_DLP_ON_START if you need the newest yt-dlp, which needs outbound internet and slows startup.

What should I back up on a ytdl-sub server?

Back up the config volume at minimum, which holds editor settings and ytdl-sub-configs with config, subscriptions and cron. Back up the media volumes too if the sources may disappear, since downloads can be hard to fetch again.

Backups in xCloud

How do I upgrade ytdl-sub?

2026.08.26.post1 remains pinned until you take a newer template version. Copy the config and library volumes and look through the project's notes beforehand. Nothing upgrades a running site, and state is plain files that survive a redeploy.

Is ytdl-sub free?

Yes. ytdl-sub is GPL-3.0 software, per the LICENSE file at the 2026.08.26.post1 tag, so there is no fee for the code. Downloads grow without bound, so budget for the Cloud VPS and a generous disk.

What does ytdl-sub do that plain yt-dlp does not?

Upstream describes it as downloading via yt-dlp and preparing media for Kodi, Jellyfin, Plex and Emby. It adds subscription-based presets that name and organise downloads, so a channel becomes a tidy show folder rather than loose files.

Is there a ytdl-sub cloud service?

Not through this page. ytdl-sub cloud hosting here means your own downloader runs on a Cloud VPS that xCloud prepares, with config and library folders on volumes you own, behind a login you control and no vendor account in between.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes. There is no lock-in — cancel any time. Hosting is billed monthly and charged for what you actually use, so when you delete the server the unused balance is refunded to your account, less up to 10% in payment-processing fees.