Twitch Leecher

Twitch is a massive platform with tons of content to be consumed, 24/7. If you can’t watch your favourite streamer live then the next best thing is to stream a VOD (video on demand).

But, what if you can’t stream it or want to watch it whenever you want with or without the internet.

Well, there’s a way and that way is called Twitch Leecher.

What is Twitch Leecher

Twitch Leecher is an open-source Twitch-specific VOD downloader for Windows 7 or above based PCs created in 2016 with updates still coming in 2022.

It is a desktop application that allows users to download specific VODs from Twitch straight to the PC which can be played by any modern video player. It can be used to keep backups of your own VODs or to download other streamer’s VODs.

Twitch Leecher has a search function built in so you don’t need to log on to Twitch and then find the URL to start a download, although that can also be done. Twitch Leecher is also one of the few tools which can allow you to download VODs from sun-only channels – a real selling point.

Twitch Leecher, unlike some of its competitors, downloads videos in small packets in parallel with eachother which achieves high speeds of up to 150Mbit/s and low wait times for users.

Twitch Leecher is not the only Twitch VOD downloader but perhaps it is the most well known.

Who made Twitch Leecher?

Twitch Leecher was created by Franiac aka Dominik Rebitzer, a German software developer and a self-styled ‘one-man metal core band’ called Fake Smile Revolution. Find out more about that here.

In terms of his development work, he only has Twitch Leecher listed in his GitHub repositories and his history shows his contributions have been solely on TL.

Is Twitch Leecher Safe?

Twitch Leecher does not have an official developer certificate for Windows so strictly speaking it can pose a risk to your system. The reality, however, is that Twitch Leecher is safe and its release changes are well documented on GitHub.

The latest release was 30th of March 2022 taking it to version 2.0.7.There are 16 open issues listed, the majority being enhancements rather than problems.

Plus, as it is quite popular you can see from the GitHub community, Reddit discussions and so on that serious issues have never happened – the worst that has happened is that it doesn’t work perfectly.

Lastly, you should only download Twitch Leecher from GitHub and not from anywhere else. Franiac only uploads and updates GitHub so downloading from anywhere else is a risk.

Twitch Leecher Download Locations

The only place we’d recommend downloading it is from GitHub here. It is also available from file sharing websites such as File Croco, File Horse and File Eagle but there’s no guarantee it’s the latest version or if its free of malware as Franiac won’t have uploaded it there himself.

Twitch Leecher Alternatives

TwitchDownloader – Twitch Downloader can download VODs, clips and render the chat and it does have a workable UI. However, Twitch Downloader is rather unstable and prone to breaking/crashing mid download. It is also slower than Twitch Leecher due to a different method to download. Still, it’s free and works well enough for most things.

Docker Streamlink Recorder – Records livestreams as it happens which works similarly to Cable/Sky TV when you aren’t at home when programmes go live. It will do it automatically rather than having to find the VOD with Twitch Leecher.

iTubeGo – iTubeGo is advertised as a YouTube downloader but it also works with Twitch URLs. The downloads are fast and it works with both Windows and Mac which is a huge advantage. There is a paid version which gives enhanced support.

Is using Twitch Leecher unfair for content creators?

Using Twitch Leecher has clear advantages for users as it means you can watch their content at your leisure, but it doesn’t have any advantages for the creator. The best way to support a streamer is to watch their content on Twitch, subscribe and of course donate.

Downloading VODs via Twitch Leecher habitually means you aren’t likely to subscribe as you get their content for free, you aren’t watching live and seeing the ads and you aren’t contributing to viewing figures.

Not only that, the content your download isn’t yours or even theirs, it is Twitch’s – there’s a bit of a grey area in terms of legality by downloading and keeping a copy of the content.

Twitch Leecher FAQs