Streaming Vs. Downloading Videos: The Pros and Cons

A Girl Watching a Video on iMac

A Girl Watching a Video on iMac

Did you know that the average American watches over 7 hours of video per day? That’s a lot of time!

And with so many different ways to watch videos, it can be hard to decide which option is best for you. Streaming and downloading videos are both popular options, but they each have their own pros and cons.

In this article, we’ll compare and contrast the two options so you can decide which one is right for you.

Streaming

Streaming platforms are all the rage now. Almost everyone has accounts on Spotify, Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, YouTube and more.

Streaming refers to the process of playing media content, such as videos, music, or even games, directly from the internet. It does not require you to download the file or application onto your device.

Pros and Cons of Streaming

Pros

  • Gives you access to content without taking up space on your hard disk
  • Allows you to explore different content to determine what you like before downloading it
  • You can stream videos on smart devices

Cons

  • You need access to the internet. Meaning: No offline viewing
  • Buffering becomes annoying if you have a slow internet connection

Downloading

Downloading, on the other hand, involves saving your media file from the internet to your device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or computer.

Pros and Cons of Downloading

Pros

  • Files can be viewed offline
  • Thousands of legitimate sites allow you to download a file safely
  • You can use a free video downloader to download files from the internet
  • Despite the slow connection, you will be able to view your video without any interruption once it is downloaded
  • Option to choose your preferred video format and resolution

Cons

  • Use malware scanners to ensure the installation file is safe
  • Copyright violation
  • Despite the option to customize video resolution, there will be some quality loss
  • Consumes storage space

In our opinion, choosing between the two is a matter of internet speed. While streaming requires it to be fast, downloading can be done in advance to save time.

ElwayShare offers you the option to download more than 500 videos at once from any platform. Get your free video downloading tool today completely free.

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