Bilibili Download Helper Full review
Bilibili Download Helper has the widest Chinese-site coverage of any tool we list: besides Bilibili it also supports Tencent Video, Weibo, Zhihu and Douban. It handles multi-part collections and favorites folders in bulk, and it can save danmaku comments as a separate file, something overseas tools basically never do.
VideoDownloaderHub does not host files or proxy downloads, and links to official channels are nofollow. Score 8/10. Data checked September 2026.
What is Bilibili Download Helper?
Bilibili Download Helper is a browser extension built for Chinese video sites. Bilibili is its main focus, and it also covers Tencent Video, Weibo, Zhihu and Douban. Once installed, a download button shows up on video pages, where you can pick the resolution and choose whether to include danmaku.
It fills a clear gap: overseas general-purpose downloaders handle Chinese sites poorly. SaveFrom.net does not support Bilibili at all, and 4K Video Downloader Plus only partly supports it and does not handle danmaku. Only yt-dlp covers it reasonably well, but that means using the command line.
Its most China-specific feature is danmaku export. Danmaku (the scrolling comments over the video) are part of the Bilibili viewing experience, and for a lot of people saving the video without them means only saving half of it. It can save danmaku as a standalone file, and a local player can load it to bring them back.
How Bilibili Download Helper works
Understand the mechanics and you will know when it breaks and what to do about it, instead of just hitting retry.
Reading the player page's playinfo
Bilibili's player page sends down a data object with the stream URLs for each resolution. The extension reads it and lists the available resolutions for you. Which tiers you can get depends on your account's permissions: above 1080p usually requires logging in, and higher tiers require a Premium (Da Hui Yuan) membership.
Why resolution depends on your account level
This is an important difference between Bilibili and overseas platforms: high-resolution streams are only open to certain accounts in the first place. So "I can't get 4K" is often not the tool's fault, it is that your account cannot get that stream. The extension runs in your logged-in session, so its ceiling is your account's ceiling.
Danmaku use a separate API
Danmaku are not in the video stream. They come from a separate API that returns timeline data in XML or protobuf format. The extension pulls that down and saves it as a file, and a local player (one that supports danmaku) can load it to bring them back.
Multi-part collections and favorites
A collection page lists the IDs of every part, and the extension walks that list, parsing and downloading each one. Favorites work the same way. That makes bulk downloads more reliable than approaches that simulate scrolling, because the list comes straight from the API.
How to use Bilibili Download Helper
The extension works inside your logged-in Bilibili session, so the resolution ceiling depends on your account level. That logic is a bit different from overseas platforms.
- Install it from the Chrome Web Store. Then log in to Bilibili in your browser. Without logging in you only get the lower resolution tiers.
- A download button appears on the player page, and opening it shows the available resolutions. If nothing above 1080p is listed, that usually means your account permissions cannot get that stream. It is not the extension's fault.
- You can tick danmaku in the download options. It saves as a standalone file, and a local player that supports danmaku matches it automatically when you load the video. If you want a complete archive, tick it.
- On a collection page you can tick which parts to download, or select all. Favorites work the same way. Because the list comes straight from the API, this kind of bulk download is more reliable than approaches that scrape by scrolling.
Platforms Bilibili Download Helper supports
These are results we confirmed in testing, not the list the developer advertises. Partial usually means you only get lower resolutions, or it only works on public content.
| Platform | Yes | Notes | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bilibili | Main focus: multi-part collections, favorites, danmaku, subtitles, covers. The resolution ceiling depends on your account permissions | Bilibili guide | |
| Tencent Video | Public content works. VIP content is not supported | - | |
| Both videos and images work | - | ||
| Zhihu | Videos in answers and articles can be downloaded | - | |
| Douban | Some content supported | - | |
| YouTube / TikTok and other overseas platforms | Not supported, use a general-purpose tool | YouTube / TikTok guide |
What Bilibili Download Helper downloads, where it runs, and bulk support
Three tables, three questions: what it grabs, where you run it, and how much at once.
| Content type | Yes | Formats and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Video | MP4 / FLV, up to 4K (depends on account permissions) | |
| Audio | Can download the audio stream only, handy for saving content from the music section | |
| Photos | Can download video covers and Weibo images | |
| Captions / subs | Danmaku save as a standalone file, and CC subtitles can be exported |
| Access | Yes | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Download online | No web version | |
| Browser extension | Its main form, on Chrome and Edge | |
| Desktop app | No desktop app | |
| Mobile app | On your phone, use Seal (based on yt-dlp, supports Bilibili) | |
| API / scripting | No API |
| Granularity | Yes | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A single video | The basics | |
| A multi-part collection | Tick parts or select all. The list comes straight from the API, so it is highly reliable | |
| A favorites folder | Can bulk download a whole favorites folder | |
| All uploads from one uploader | Supported in some versions. For large amounts, use yt-dlp |
Bulk means different things on different vendor sites: pasting several links at once, a whole playlist, or an ongoing channel subscription. The table above splits all three so nothing gets confused. More in Best picks for bulk downloads.
Why we picked Bilibili Download Helper
What it does well, including who shouldn't bother. Point 4 below is its weak spot.
Chinese-site coverage is what sets it apart
Overseas general-purpose tools generally handle Chinese sites poorly. It covers Bilibili, Tencent Video, Weibo, Zhihu and Douban in one go, and no other tool we list has that combination.
- Bilibili is its main focus, with the most complete features
- Tencent Video, Weibo, Zhihu and Douban covered too
- Overseas tools like SaveFrom do not support Bilibili at all
- No need to hunt for a separate tool for each Chinese site
Danmaku can be saved separately
Danmaku are part of the Bilibili viewing experience. Saving only the video means losing half the content. It saves danmaku as a standalone file that a local player can load to bring them back.
- Danmaku saved as a standalone file that players can load
- CC subtitles can be exported too
- Cover images can be saved along with the video
- Good for complete archives, not just saving the picture
Bulk downloads of multi-part collections and favorites are reliable
The item lists for collections and favorites come straight from the API, with no need to simulate scrolling to piece them together. So bulk downloads are far more complete than approaches that scrape the page.
- Multi-part collections: tick parts or select all
- Bulk download whole favorites folders
- The list comes from the API, so no items get missed
- Good for following anime, saving courses and archiving series
Who shouldn't bother
Coverage and the permission ceiling are its two main limits.
- Chinese sites only, not a single overseas platform is supported
- Max resolution depends on your account permissions, and Premium-only content is out of reach
- Tencent Video VIP content is not supported
- Needs permission to read page data, and does not work on your phone
Bilibili Download Helper pros and cons
- The widest Chinese-site coverage (Bilibili/Tencent/Weibo/Zhihu/Douban)
- Danmaku export as a standalone file
- Reliable bulk downloads of multi-part collections and favorites
- Audio-only downloads, handy for the music section
- Free, no watermark, no usage limits
- No support for overseas platforms at all
- Resolution ceiling is limited by account permissions
- Tencent Video VIP content cannot be downloaded
- Needs fairly broad page permissions
- No mobile option
Bilibili Download Helper FAQ
Why can't I get 1080p or 4K?
Most likely it is not the extension, it is that your account cannot get that stream. Bilibili's high-resolution tiers have a permission threshold built in: 1080p usually requires logging in, and higher tiers require a Premium membership.
First make sure you are logged in in your browser, and that the video actually offers that tier to your account (check whether it appears in the player's resolution menu). If a tier does not show up in the player, you cannot download it either.
Can it download Premium or paid anime content?
If you are a Premium member yourself and can watch it normally in the player, those tiers can generally be downloaded. But getting around membership limits to access paid content is a different matter: technically this kind of protection should not be bypassed, and legally many regions explicitly prohibit it.
We do not provide or recommend any way to get around a paywall. For the compliance boundaries, see Terms of use.
How do I use downloaded danmaku?
Danmaku save as a timeline data file (usually XML). When you open the video in a local player that supports danmaku (for example, one that can load danmaku files), put the danmaku file in the same folder with the same name, and most players match it automatically.
If your player does not support it, there are tools that burn danmaku into the video picture, but then they become part of the image and you cannot turn them off.
How is it different from using yt-dlp for Bilibili?
yt-dlp also supports Bilibili, with stronger bulk support and incremental resuming. Two practical differences:
- The extension brings your logged-in session along automatically, while yt-dlp needs you to export and pass in cookies by hand.
- The extension's danmaku export is easier, just a tick in the download options.
For saving a few videos now and then, use the extension. To archive an entire uploader or automate things, use yt-dlp.
Is it safe to install an extension like this?
It needs permission to read page data, covering what you see on these sites. Only install it from the official store, and check the permission notes and recent reviews first. Pay special attention to changes in feedback after the extension changes hands.
In the extension settings you can limit site access to just the domains it actually needs, and disable it when you are not using it. If you are not OK with that level of access, use yt-dlp instead.
Bilibili Download Helper alternatives worth a look
If Bilibili Download Helper is not the right fit, these are the most common next stops.
yt-dlp
Also supports Bilibili (including multi-part videos and subtitles), with stronger bulk and incremental resuming, and it covers 1,800+ other sites.
When to switch? You want to archive an entire uploader, automate things, or also download from overseas platforms.
Read the yt-dlp reviewStacher
A GUI for yt-dlp that covers Bilibili and overseas platforms, with a visual queue.
When to switch? You want both Chinese sites and overseas platforms without touching a terminal. The cost is no danmaku export.
Read the Stacher reviewSeal
The way to download Bilibili on your phone, also built on yt-dlp.
When to switch? You mostly watch Bilibili on your phone.
Read the Seal reviewCR TubeGet
A traditional desktop client whose coverage includes some Chinese sites.
When to switch? You want a desktop client rather than an extension. It handles Chinese-site details less well than a dedicated extension.
Read the CR TubeGet review
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