I built a clean Facebook & Instagram Video Downloader for iOS using Capacitor and Next.js (No more spammy ad sites!)

Shrabon Mohsin — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:55:43 +0000

Hey DEV community! 👋

I wanted to share a utility project I’ve been working on for the past few weeks. I recently launched an iOS app called Fb Insta Downloader.

The Problem 😡

Every time I tried to save a video or reel from Instagram or Facebook to watch later, I had to use those random online video downloading websites. You know the drill—they are completely bloated with aggressive pop-up ads, sketchy redirects, and "your phone has a virus" warnings. It’s an absolute nightmare for user experience.

So, I decided to build a clean, minimal, and safe native app solution for myself and others.

The Tech Stack 🛠️

Instead of going full native or using heavy cross-platform frameworks, I went with a fast web-hybrid approach:

Frontend/UI: Pure JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.
Mobile Shell: Packed using Capacitor to build the iOS package. It allowed me to bridge the web environment smoothly into an native package with handy plugins for handling the file system, media saves, and ad networks (AdMob/Unity).
Backend API: A dedicated Next.js (TypeScript) API running on my server.
Video Parsing: The server handles the link extraction using yt-dlp to safely fetch and serve the highest resolution possible directly to the client side.

Early Roadblocks 🧠

The coding phase was smooth, but getting it live on the App Store connect and fighting through ad mediation approvals was a huge grind. Balancing ad delivery without messing up the clean interface I originally wanted has been a tricky optimization puzzle.

Check it out! 🚀

Since this is my first major hybrid app release, I would absolutely love to hear what other developers here think about this architecture or the app itself.

If you want to test it out on your iPhone, just let me know in the comments and I’ll gladly share the App Store link!

Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts on hybrid utility apps below.

Building the Ultimate Facebook & Instagram Video Downloader in 2026

Shrabon Mohsin — Sun, 10 May 2026 03:42:26 +0000

Tags: #webdev #nextjs #productivity #tools

If you've tried building or using a media downloader in 2026, you know the struggle. Platform APIs are constantly changing, rate-limiting is aggressive, and traditional web scraping methods for Facebook and Instagram are practically dead.

As developers and power users, we need tools that are reliable, fast, and built on modern architecture. Enter Power Downloader—a robust utility tool built to handle the complexities of 2026's media extraction.

The Engine Behind the Magic

Most generic downloaders fail because they rely on outdated scraping libraries. Power Downloader takes a completely different approach by leveraging the power of advanced backend extraction mechanisms (like the heavily maintained yt-dlp ecosystem). This ensures that whether it's a dynamic Instagram Reel or a high-definition public Facebook video, the extraction process is seamless and doesn't break every time the platforms update their UI.

Built with Modern Web Standards

To match the powerful backend, the frontend is crafted using Next.js 15.

• Zero Layout Shift: The UI is lightning-fast, highly optimized, and hydrates instantly.

• Clean UX: You won't find the intrusive, screen-blocking fake "Download Here" ads that plague 99% of utility sites.

• Highly Responsive: It works flawlessly whether you are testing on a desktop monitor or fetching a quick Reel on your mobile browser.

Why You Should Try It

If you are tired of bookmarking downloader websites that stop working after a month, it's time to switch to a tool that is actively maintained and built on a solid, future-proof tech stack.

Test the speed and extraction capability for yourself. Drop a Facebook or Instagram link and see how fast the server responds.

Try it live here: zoeapps.tech/powerdownloader