---
title: "Deploy Cobalt Tools"
description: "Download from YouTube, TikTok & 20+ platforms. No tracking."
category: "Other"
url: https://railway.com/deploy/cobalt-tools
---

# Deploy Cobalt Tools

Download from YouTube, TikTok & 20+ platforms. No tracking.

**[Deploy Cobalt Tools on Railway](https://railway.com/template/cobalt-tools)**

- **Creator:** codestorm
- **Category:** Other
- **Total deploys:** 56

## Template content

### cobalt-tools https://res.cloudinary.com/dh2nt6hgh/image/upload/v1759035050/cobalt_logo_zlnnac.png

- **Image:** ghcr.io/imputnet/cobalt:latest
- **Public domain:** Yes

## Documentation

# Deploy and Host Cobalt Tools on Railway

Cobalt is an open-source media downloader focused on a clean, privacy-first experience. This Railway template deploys the official Cobalt API as a lightweight, stateless service.

![Cobalt Tools](https://opengraph.githubassets.com/027231e34679f13d043884e2d69bd69e052e500e3bf7b5b03c72101eda21b724/imputnet/cobalt)

> **Important**: This template deploys the **Cobalt API only**. It does not include a web interface. You interact with it via API requests (or connect it to your own frontend / automation tools).

> Looking for a ready-to-use Web UI? Deploy the official companion template here:  
> **[Cobalt Web UI →](https://railway.com/deploy/cobalt-web-ui)**

## What This Template Deploys

| Service     | Description                                                                 |
|-------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Cobalt API  | Stateless media processing API. Accepts a public media URL and returns download links, redirects, tunnels, or picker responses. |

**Image used:**
```txt
ghcr.io/imputnet/cobalt:latest
```

**Default port:** `9000`

No database, Redis, or persistent volume is required for basic usage.

## About Hosting Cobalt Tools

Hosting your own Cobalt instance gives you a private, ad-free, and tracking-free media downloader API under your control.

Cobalt is designed to be **stateless**. Every request is processed independently without storing files or user data. This makes it very lightweight and easy to deploy on Railway.

This template is ideal for:
- Personal media downloading workflows
- Automation pipelines (n8n, Make, custom scripts)
- Backend for custom download frontends
- Privacy-conscious users who want to avoid public downloader sites

## Supported Platforms

Cobalt supports downloading from many public platforms, including:

- **Video**: YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Twitch clips
- **Social**: TikTok, Instagram, Twitter/X, Reddit
- **Audio**: SoundCloud and other supported audio platforms

> Platform support can change because websites frequently update their systems. Always refer to the official Cobalt repository for the latest compatibility.

## Environment Variables

Only `API_URL` is strictly required. The other variables are pre-configured for better Railway deployment experience and safer public usage.

| Variable                   | Description                                              | Default                  | Recommended |
|----------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------|-------------|
| `API_URL`                  | Base URL of your Cobalt instance                         | Auto-filled by Railway   | Required    |
| `PORT` / `API_PORT`        | Port the API listens on                                  | `9000`                   | Yes         |
| `CORS_WILDCARD`            | Allow requests from any origin                           | `1`                      | Yes         |
| `RATELIMIT_MAX`            | Max requests per IP per window                           | `20`                     | Yes         |
| `DURATION_LIMIT`           | Maximum media duration allowed (in seconds)              | `10800` (3 hours)        | Yes         |
| `TUNNEL_RATELIMIT_MAX`     | Rate limit specifically for tunnel responses             | `40`                     | Yes         |
| `FORCE_LOCAL_PROCESSING`   | Force local processing instead of remote resolution      | `never`                  | Optional    |

You can adjust rate limits, duration limits, and other settings according to your needs after deployment.

## Deployment

1. Click **Deploy** on this template.
2. Railway will automatically set `API_URL` to your public domain.
3. Wait for the deployment to finish.
4. Your Cobalt API is now ready at your Railway public domain.

No additional configuration, database, Redis, or volume is needed for basic usage.

## How to Use the API

Send a `POST` request to your deployed URL:

```bash
curl -X POST "https://your-app.up.railway.app/" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9wgccc",
    "downloadMode": "auto",
    "videoQuality": "1080",
    "audioFormat": "mp3"
  }'
```

Cobalt will respond with the appropriate download information (direct link, tunnel, picker, etc.) depending on the platform and your request parameters.

## Authentication (Recommended for Public Deployments)

By default, authentication is **disabled** to make testing easy. If you expose your instance publicly, it is strongly recommended to enable authentication.

Cobalt supports two authentication methods via the `Authorization` header:

- `Authorization: Api-Key your-secret-key`
- `Authorization: Bearer your-token`

After enabling authentication, only requests with a valid key/token will be accepted.

## Comparison

| Feature                        | Self-hosted Cobalt (This Template) | Public Cobalt Instances      | Typical Ad-supported Sites   |
|--------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|
| Ads                            | ✅ None                            | ✅ None                      | ❌ Often aggressive          |
| Tracking                       | ✅ None                            | ✅ None                      | ❌ Common                    |
| Privacy                        | ✅ Full control (your own server)  | ✅ High                      | ❌ Low                       |
| Full API Access                | ✅ Unlimited                       | ❌ Limited / rate-limited    | ❌ Usually none              |
| Self-hostable                  | ✅ Yes                             | ❌ No                        | ❌ No                        |
| Database / Storage required    | ✅ No                              | ✅ No                        | ⚠️ Varies                    |
| Rate limit control             | ✅ Full control                    | ❌ Shared                    | ❌ None                      |
| Authentication                 | ✅ Optional (recommended)          | ❌ Not available             | ❌ Not available             |
| Automation friendly (n8n etc.) | ✅ Excellent                       | ⚠️ Limited                   | ❌ Poor                      |
| Risk of sudden shutdown        | ✅ Very low                        | ⚠️ Medium                    | ❌ High                      |
| Custom frontend / integration  | ✅ Full control                    | ❌ Restricted                | ❌ Impossible                |
| Cost control                   | ✅ You decide                      | Free but limited             | Free (with ads)              |

## Troubleshooting

**API returns errors or doesn't work**
- Make sure `API_URL` is correctly set to your Railway public domain (including trailing slash).
- Check that you're sending a `POST` request with valid JSON body.

**Getting rate limited too quickly**
- Increase `RATELIMIT_MAX` or `TUNNEL_RATELIMIT_MAX` according to your usage.
- Consider enabling authentication to prevent abuse.

**Want to use this with a web interface**
- This template only provides the API.  
  For a ready-made Web UI, deploy the companion template:  
  **[Cobalt Web UI](https://railway.com/deploy/cobalt-web-ui)**

**Platform suddenly stops working**
- This is normal. Websites frequently change their systems. Update to the latest Cobalt image when available, or check the official repository for updates.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Does this include a web UI like cobalt.tools?**  
No. This template only deploys the Cobalt API backend.  
Want a full Web UI? Use this companion template: **[Cobalt Web UI](https://railway.com/deploy/cobalt-web-ui)**

**Does Cobalt store the downloaded files?**  
No. Cobalt is stateless and does not store files. It only resolves and returns download links.

**Do I need Redis?**  
No for single-instance deployments. Redis is only useful for advanced multi-instance or shared tunnel setups.

**Can I restrict who can use my instance?**  
Yes. Enable authentication using the `Authorization` header.

**Is it safe to expose publicly?**  
It is safer to enable authentication if you make it public. You can also tighten rate limits.

## Why Deploy Cobalt Tools on Railway?

Railway makes it easy to run infrastructure without managing servers, SSL certificates, or networking. This template takes advantage of Railway’s automatic domain, SSL, and scaling so you can have your own clean media downloader API running in minutes with almost zero maintenance.

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Open this page in a browser: https://railway.com/deploy/cobalt-tools