Plain yt-dlp runs from a command line, while Nickvision Parabolic puts a Windows app around the same kind of downloading. It is free, and the current version is 2026.5.0, released on May 24, 2026.
Nickvision and the open source repository
Parabolic comes from Nickvision, which publishes its projects on GitHub. The source code sits in the NickvisionApps/Parabolic repository under the MIT license, so anyone can read it.
The package ID is Nickvision.Parabolic, and the tags point to yt-dlp and youtube-dl as the downloading engines.
Video and audio downloads with ffmpeg cutting
The main feature is downloading web video and audio. The latest changelog adds detail: time frame downloads are now cut with ffmpeg rather than yt-dlp's download-sections option, and some playlists no longer fail with a format error.
The release also updates the bundled deno.
Size and Windows details
The Windows download is 223.9 MB, which is large for a front end to a command-line tool. The price is free.
What's new in 2026.5.0
Version 2026.5.0 is mostly bug fixes. It fixes a startup failure on KDE and a failure to start when the database file is invalid, and it also fixes the saving of the None post processor argument.
Nickvision Parabolic pros and cons
Pros
- Free, with an MIT license
- Source code is public on GitHub
- Time frame downloads now cut with ffmpeg
- Fixes playlist format errors
- Updated May 24, 2026
Cons
- Large download at 223.9 MB
- Large download for a front end to a command-line tool
- Check the GitHub page for system requirements before installing
Is Nickvision Parabolic safe?
Parabolic is released by Nickvision under the MIT license, and its full source code is public at github.com/NickvisionApps/Parabolic for anyone to read. It is a front end for yt-dlp, so the code that fetches your video and audio can be inspected too. As with any downloaded installer, a quick antivirus scan before the first launch is a sensible habit.
How to install Nickvision Parabolic
- Press the download button to get the official file.
- Run the installer you saved and confirm the Windows security prompt if the publisher matches.
- Follow the setup steps, then start Nickvision Parabolic from the Start menu.
