└── README.md /README.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # 2025-06-11 I'm archiving this repo; if anyone wants to continue it, let me know. 2 | 3 | ## **A lot of these projects are untested by the maintainer(s) of this GitHub project so use at your own risk!** 4 | # YouTube-alternative-Clients-and-Frontends-overview 5 | Overview of alternative YouTube Clients and Frontends along with SponsorBlock and or Return YouTube Dislike integration 6 | 7 | ## Abbreviations 8 | | Abbreviation | Meaning | 9 | |--------------|-------------------------------------------------------| 10 | | ADB | Adblock/Adblocker | 11 | | ADBW | Adblock whitelisting and or SponsorBlock whitelisting | 12 | | BP | Background Playback | 13 | | PiP | Picture in Picture (sometimes called "Popup Player") | 14 | | SB | SponsorBlock | 15 | | YT | YouTube | 16 | 17 | # Useful YT additions 18 | ## [SponsorBlock](https://sponsor.ajay.app/) 19 | A lot of YT videos contain sponsored segments that are part of the video and thus won't get blocked using ordinary adblockers. 20 | What started to only skip segments containing sponsored content can now even skip other categories like intros and outros or even skip right to the point of a video, the so called 'highlight'([Example video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9FEpB36wZw)). 21 | Users can vote for video segments will then be automatically skipped. 22 | It is available as addon for all major browsers and is also included in a lot of 3rd party YT clients. 23 | **Does the usage of SponsorBlock have an influence on creators' revenue?** 24 | According to a [video of LinusTechTips](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9FEpB36wZw) published in feb. 2020 it does not. 25 | Some people even made projects that can free downloaded YT videos of such segments such as [SponSkrub](https://github.com/faissaloo/SponSkrub). 26 | 27 | ## [Return YouTube Dislike](https://github.com/Anarios/return-youtube-dislike) 28 | Return YouTube Dislike is an open-source extension that returns the YouTube dislike count. 29 | 30 | # Overview 31 | **If you want to sort the table down below you can go with [this solution](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/42843288/is-there-any-way-to-make-markdown-tables-sortable).** 32 | Project | Platforms | Open Source | Free | Based on | ADB | SB | Dislikes | Login | BP | DLs | ADBW 33 | --- | --- | --- | --- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- 34 | [Browser](https://github.com/coffeerhyder/YouTube-alternative-Clients-and-Frontends-overview#browser) | All | ✅ | ✅ |--- |✅ |✅ |✅ |✅ |✅ | ✅ | ✅ 35 | [Vanced](https://github.com/coffeerhyder/YouTube-alternative-Clients-and-Frontends-overview#vanced) | Android | ❌ | ✅ | --- | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ 36 | [LibreTube](https://github.com/libre-tube/LibreTube) | Android | ✅ | ✅ | Piped | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ 37 | [NewPipe](https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe) | Android | ✅ | ✅ | --- | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ 38 | [NewPipe x SponsorBlock](https://github.com/polymorphicshade/NewPipe) | Android | ✅ | ✅ | --- | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ 39 | [SmartTubeNext](https://github.com/yuliskov/SmartTubeNext) | AndroidTV | ✅ | ✅ | --- | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ 40 | [KODI](https://github.com/coffeerhyder/YouTube-alternative-Clients-and-Frontends-overview#KODI) | All | ✅ | ✅ |--- |✅ |✅ | ❌ |✅ |✅ | ❌ | ❌ 41 | [VueTube](https://github.com/VueTubeApp/VueTube) | Android, iOS | ✅ | ✅ |--- |✅ |✅ | ✅ |❌ |✅ | ❌ | ❌ 42 | 43 | ### TODO add to overview-table: 44 | **Android:** 45 | * Piped https://github.com/TeamPiped/Piped Open source alternative frontend for YouTube 46 | * ~~Pure Tuber: https://www.puretuber.com/en or https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=free.tube.premium.advanced.tuber~~ **DO NOT USE!** Several people have warned about this! Seems to be a commercial version of NewPipe. 47 | * ~~YouTube Pink~~ re-theme of [Vanced](https://github.com/coffeerhyder/YouTube-alternative-Clients-and-Frontends-overview#vanced) 48 | * GoTube: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=premium.gotube.adblock.utube 49 | * SkyTube https://github.com/SkyTubeTeam/SkyTube 50 | * SkyTube Extra https://android.izzysoft.de/repo/apk/free.rm.skytube.extra 51 | * MusicPiped https://github.com/deep-gaurav/MusicPiped 52 | * SongTube https://github.com/SongTube/SongTube-App | iOS + Android 53 | * DVD https://f-droid.org/de/packages/org.yausername.dvd/ an Android front-end for [yt-dlp](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp) (an extremely powerful downloader with support for hundreds of sites) 54 | * ASTRON https://github.com/astroncc/astron_app (**not** open source) 55 | * DailyTube https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=free.daily.tube.background 56 | * FloatTube https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.xpp.tubeAssistant 57 | * YouTube Thunder https://www.samapkstore.com/2022/02/youtube-thunder.html 58 | * YouTube Pro https://www.samapkstore.com/2021/04/download-youtube-pro.html 59 | 60 | **iOS:** 61 | * uYou: https://github.com/MiRO92/uYou-for-YouTube 62 | * uYouPlus: https://github.com/qnblackcat/uYouPlus a modded version of the official iOS app (arguably the most feature-complete alternative to Vanced) 63 | * Video Lite: https://apps.apple.com/de/app/video-lite-no-ads/id1598997500 64 | * YubePip: https://apps.apple.com/de/app/yubepip-youtube-pip-player/id1591269922 65 | * iSponsorBlock: https://apps.apple.com/de/app/vinegar-tube-cleaner/id1591303229 66 | * Brave Browser (includes YT adblocker): https://apps.apple.com/de/app/brave-private-internet-browser/id1052879175 67 | * Yattee: https://github.com/yattee/yattee 68 | * YouTube++ (no legit link yet) 69 | 70 | **Desktop:** 71 | * KODI + KODI and TubeCast https://github.com/enen92/script.tubecast 72 | * MyTube https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/mytube/9wzdncrcwf3l#activetab=pivot:overviewtab 73 | **Browser / alternative front-ends:** 74 | * Invidious https://invidious.io/ 75 | * Viewtube https://github.com/ViewTube/viewtube-vue | https://viewtube.io/ 76 | 77 | **🔸Work in progress:** 78 | * [ReVanced](https://revanced.app/) 79 | * [Hyperion](https://discord.gg/dNZ2Ay4gga) 80 | * [Eclipsed](https://discord.gg/SDsaQqvGJF) 81 | * [WebTube](https://discord.gg/zypWQvxuGe) 82 | 83 | # More details 84 | Some of the projects in the list are worth adding some extra information which you will find below. 85 | ## Browser 86 | Use a browser of your choice + open source adblocker like [U Block Origin](https://ublockorigin.com/) + [SponsorBlock](https://sponsor.ajay.app/) + addon + [Return YouTube Dislike](https://github.com/coffeerhyder/YouTube-alternative-Clients-and-Frontends-overview#return-youtube-dislike) addon. 87 | Other addons worth mentioning: [Enhancer for YouTube](https://www.mrfdev.com/enhancer-for-youtube) 88 | **Browser on mobile** 89 | On mobile, you'll need to install a browser, like [IceRaven](https://github.com/fork-maintainers/iceraven-browser) or [KiwiBrowser](https://kiwibrowser.com/), then install the addons from their respective adddon store. 90 | Depending on the browser, you'll additionally need to install a user script for background playber. Alternatively, the [Brave browser](https://brave.com/) supports background playback OOTB (needs to be enabled first) and a build in ad-blocker, but no extension / add-on support. 91 | ## Vanced (old website [vancedapp.com](https://vancedapp.com/)) 92 | Vanced has been [officially shut down](https://telegra.ph/Vanced-Discontinuation-03-19) but to this moment the app is still working but it might be harder to find and install. 93 | At this moment it's unclear whether or not someone will resume this project but there is a related subreddit in which such information can most likely be found in the future: [/r/AfterVanced](https://www.reddit.com/r/AfterVanced/) 94 | **Be especially careful not to install fakes or adware. 95 | There is a re-theme of Vanced called 'YouTube Pink'. Be careful with this as well!** 96 | As of 2022-03-26 the 'old' Vanced Manager is still working as is contains a mirror as fallback where it gets the Vanced APKs and Vanced MicroG from so all you have to do to get Vanced is to find a source for the Vanced Manager. 97 | Below is a collection of links that may or may not lead to genuine ways to install Vanced: 98 | * https://www.reddit.com/r/AfterVanced/comments/tk1fdr/so_you_want_to_install_andor_reinstall_vanced/ 99 | * https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/team-vanced/ 100 | * https://vanced.esherloon.com/ ([on reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/AfterVanced/comments/tj6dsv/release_youtube_vanced_mirror_and_custom_vanced/)) 101 | * https://t.me/Unofficial_YouTube_Vanced_Module 102 | * https://github.com/pixincreate/Vanced 103 | * https://github.com/ReVancedTeam 104 | * https://revanced.app/ 105 | * https://www.reddit.com/r/revancedapp/ 106 | * https://www.reddit.com/r/AfterVanced/comments/tpmzcb/how_to_change_the_channel_url_in_vanced_manager/ 107 | * https://www.reddit.com/r/AfterVanced/comments/twzq2s/the_sticky_of_stickies_all_the_important_stuff/ 108 | * https://www.reddit.com/r/AfterVanced/ 109 | * https://vancedmanager.com/ 110 | # [KODI](https://kodi.tv/download/) 111 | KODI + [YT Addon](https://github.com/anxdpanic/plugin.video.youtube) + [SponsorBlock Addon](https://github.com/siku2/script.service.sponsorblock) 112 | **Alternative**: KODI + New YT Addon [Tubed](https://github.com/anxdpanic/plugin.video.tubed) (no SponsorBlock support yet) 113 | KODI + YT can be a bit complex to setup and some features like access to the "Watch later" YT playlist can be harder to accomplish. 114 | 1. Install the mentioned addons and setup YT with your personal YT API keys as explained [here](https://seo-michael.co.uk/how-to-create-your-own-youtube-api-key-id-and-secret/). 115 | 2. The watch later playlist is not accessible by default because YT has changed their API. 116 | If you are frequently using the watch later playlist, get your watch later playlistID as explained [here](https://github.com/anxdpanic/plugin.video.youtube/issues/69#issuecomment-766843932) and put it in the corresponding field in the KODI YT addon settings. 117 | It is recommended to store this internal playlistID as it never changes obtaining it from Google can be a bit time consuming. 118 | 3. Extra hint regarding handling of the watch later playlist: 119 | By default KODI will auto-remove all watched items from the watch later playlist. 120 | If you do not like this behavior you can disable it in the YT addon settings. 121 | 4. SponsorBlock settings 122 | If you're using SponsorBlock in KODI, check out the settings by Clicking on **options** when the YT addon is highlighted -> SponsorBlock 123 | # Misc 124 | ## Similar projects 125 | * https://github.com/mendel5/alternative-front-ends 126 | * https://gist.github.com/SkyyySi/1b621c7c20ae7e0865a8ac428156c1cf 127 | * https://www.reddit.com/r/AfterVanced/comments/tigkow/youtube_vanced_alternatives/ 128 | * https://www.reddit.com/r/AfterVanced/comments/tiqzon/youtube_music_vanced_alternatives/ 129 | ## TODOs for this project 130 | * Update main table columns: Maybe remove "Adblock" and "Adblock Whitelisting" column: All YT alternatives either have no ads or block them and nearly none provides Adblock-Whitelisting (only Vanced?) 131 | * Update main table: Test- and add remaining projects 132 | * Link more projects for category "Browser" 133 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------