FreeTube
FreeTube is an open source desktop YouTube player built with privacy in mind. Use YouTube without advertisments and prevent Google tracking from you with their cookies a...
- Free • Open Source
- YouTube Client
- Video Streaming App
- YouTube Downloader
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- AppImageHub
- Flathub
- Flatpak
What is FreeTube?
FreeTube is an open source desktop YouTube player built with privacy in mind. Use YouTube without advertisments and prevent Google tracking from you with their cookies and JavaScript. Available for Windows, Mac & Linux thanks to Electron. Please note that FreeTube is currently in Beta. While it should work well for most users, there are still bugs and missing features that need to be addressed.
How does it work?
FreeTube uses the proprietary YouTube HTTP API with a set of hard coded API keys. Videos are resolved using youtube-dl and played using the stock HTML5 video player. While YouTube can still see your API and video requests it can no longer track you using cookies or JavaScript. Your subscriptions, history, and saved videos are stored locally on your computer and never sent out. Using a VPN or Tor is recommended to hide your IP while using FreeTube.
Features
Watch videos without ads Use YouTube without Google tracking you using cookies and JavaScript Make API calls through the Tor network Subscribe to channels without an account Local subscriptions, history, and saved videos Export & import subscriptions Mini Player Light / dark theme
FreeTube Screenshots
FreeTube Features
FreeTube information
- Developed byPrestonN
- LicensingOpen Source (AGPL-3.0) and Free product.
- Written in
- RatingAverage rating of 4.7
- Alternatives58 alternatives listed
Supported Languages
- English
GitHub repository
- 7,638 Stars
- 506 Forks
- 398 Open Issues
- Updated
Comments and Reviews
Tags
- YouTube Client
- Video Streaming
- Youtube player
- youtube-videos
- User interface
Lists containing FreeTube
Fedora: A good list of Apps • My privacy & user friendly setup [Dec. 2022] • Privacy Services (WIP) • UsefulRecent user activities on FreeTube
- Kurotresina liked FreeTubeKu
Benji liked FreeTube
Serious Goose added Picture in Picture as a feature to FreeTube
MiniTube isn't working for me on Linux Mint regardless of installing from the software center or the deb file, even though I installed libmpv1 from the package manager. Therefor, I'm using FreeTube instead. It works for the most part. I can subscribe to channels, view comments, download videos, enable dark mode, etc.
EDIT: I forgot a few other great features it has. It offers import/export functionality in FreeTube, NewPipe, or OPML formats. It can also connect with Tor.
However, one problem I have is it appears to only play HD at 720p and not 1080p. Another is it doesn't seem to be getting recognized by my screensaver. My screensaver starts up after 1 minute of playing a video on FreeTube as if there's no activity going on.
[Edited by CapR, August 11]
Free of annoying ads, and you can subscribe to channels without revealing your identity to Google.
All good. Except it doesn't support browsing tabs.
Not feature complete, or as fast as the youtube web but it does his own thing. Its open to get better.
The best desktop application, free, open source, cross-platform and ad-free to watch youtube videos without ads, you can subscribe to your favorite channels without needing a google account.
Just downloaded, so far so good
Does everything and more. Watch youtube privately and skip sponsors/ads!