Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

FreeTube

FreeTube is an open source desktop YouTube player built with privacy in mind.

FreeTube

FreeTube Reviews and Details

This page is designed to help you find out whether FreeTube is good and if it is the right choice for you.

Screenshots and images

  • FreeTube Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-29

Features & Specs

  1. Privacy

    FreeTube offers enhanced privacy features, ensuring that user data isn't tracked or harvested. It doesn't track viewing habits and does not show personalized ads.

  2. Open-Source

    Being an open-source application, FreeTube lets anyone inspect its code, ensuring transparency and the possibility for user-contributed improvements.

  3. Ad-Free Experience

    FreeTube provides an ad-free experience, allowing users to watch YouTube videos without interruptions.

  4. Cross-Platform

    FreeTube is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it accessible to a broader audience.

  5. Offline Viewing

    FreeTube allows users to download videos for offline viewing, which can be particularly useful in areas with limited internet connectivity.

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Videos

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Social recommendations and mentions

We have tracked the following product recommendations or mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you see what people think about FreeTube and what they use it for.
  • How do you fight YouTube addiction and procrastination? I'm struggling with it
    Install the Freetube client at home ( https://freetubeapp.io ) and stop relying on YouTube's shitty algorithm to provide you with content. Go in search of the content you want... it's more work, but you're gonna find yourself happier with the end results. - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
  • AI is killing the web. Can anything save it?
    Freetube is a way to achieve this with YouTube. You just get RSS feeds, you avoid endless scrolling. https://freetubeapp.io/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • What Are the Most Underrated Tools You Use Every Day?
    On Windows: * Voidtools Everything (): Find files instantly by filename or file path. If you have an SSD, it's basically an instant search... Blows my mind that this free software has existed for at least a decade & Microsoft hasn't been able to natively build anything nearly as good. * Mythicsoft FileLocator... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Someone at YouTube Needs Glasses
    Another reason to use FreeTube. https://freetubeapp.io/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Show HN: I tried making YouTube safer for my kids
    This is nice. It's a disgrace that Youtube does not have the option to allow only certain channels for a kids' account, but of course it's brings Google more money to trap kids in endless video garbage, so here we are. I made a similar setup for my kids, but simply locally using Freetube (https://freetubeapp.io/). - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Block YouTube Ads on AppleTV by Decrypting and Stripping Ads from Profobuf
    Google for "sponsorblock" extension for your browser, crowdsourced data makes it skip all the promotions, intros, "like and subscribe" and all other unneeded parts. And when you're at it, ublock origin also skips the youtube ads. There's also: https://freetubeapp.io/ , but it's a constant cat and mouse game with youtube, where you now have to refresh a video a few times before it starts playing (then it works... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Kill your Feeds โ€“ Stop letting algorithms dictate what you think
    In the spirit of the video (and the article), I'm watching this on Freetube [0] while hiding the comments, recommended videos tab, and pretty much everything else apart from the video description. [0] https://freetubeapp.io/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • YouTube detects and blocking Brave browser
    Https://freetubeapp.io/ ^ great alternative to youtube in a browser. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • NewPipe on Linux, Using Android_translation_layer
    Why would one want NewPipe on desktop when there's https://freetubeapp.io/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • YouTube to restrict teenagers' exposure to videos about weight and fitness
    Hey Google, here's a suggestion: how about you make it possible to restrict a kids' account to only be able to view certain channels, disabling "the algorithm" altogether? Of course, that would lead to kids seeing less videos, so that is of course not an option, so while Google now tunes the algorithm a bit w.r.t. Weight and fitness, it is of course no problem that any young boy wanting to see some gaming videos... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • LTT video on de-Googling removed for "violating community guidelines"
    In your comment you said "the first video taken down from LTT", which is not true. Yes, this might be the first video removed for _one specific reason_. This also might be the first video where he broke external links policy[1] > Links to websites, apps, or other sources that give unauthorized access to audio content, audiovisual content, video games, software, or streaming services that normally require payment... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • LG and Samsung Are Making TV Screens Disappear
    On desktop I moved all my preferred channels on FreeTube and couldn't be more happy. https://freetubeapp.io/ Occasionally it may break because for obvious reasons Google does their best to force people to use their unwatchable page, but usually the fix comes out very quickly. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • MeTube: Self-Hosted YouTube Downloader
    Freetube is another one. https://freetubeapp.io/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Ask HN: Good way to extract small parts of YouTube videos as you watch
    I've been using youtube-dl for years. And https://freetubeapp.io/ is amazing. But what I really want is right in the gui where the video is playing being able to mark timecode1,timecode2 and then download just that small clip. Flow like this: hit spacebar to pause, then press A to mark that SpotA and then hit space bar again to resume playing... Space again to pause, then press B to mark that SpotB. Download and... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Tell HN: YouTube RSS feeds are gone
    Use https://freetubeapp.io for desktop OSes I think there are other apps for mobile OSes (no idea I don't watch YT on mobile. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Firefox slow to load YouTube? Just another front in Google's war on ad blockers
    I just use a free desktop client called Freetube instead ( https://freetubeapp.io ). Don't even have to login or create a profile, and there's a ton of UI customization options built in. Voila -- no more Google shenanigans. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • YouTube
    You can use https://freetubeapp.io/ to access Youtube in privacy. Source: over 2 years ago
  • List of YouTube alternatives not owned by Google
    I use FreeTube also. This is what I am using on my Mac. They have the app for Windows, MacOSx64, and various Linux OSs. No app for iOSs but maybe if we support him he may want to go further. On my Android tablet and phone I am using Grayjay, which also is another alternative. Source: over 2 years ago
  • How to block YT ads like a champ
    [FreeTube](https://freetubeapp.io/) \- Unlike the next 3, this will require a download, however it has a UI that looks closest to Youtube, downloads, 1080p and more! And is available on Linux as well. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • NewPipe โ€“ The lightweight YouTube experience for Android
    And FreeTube for desktop (just has regular adblock). It's an alternate client with a nice UI with a similar layout to YouTube. https://freetubeapp.io/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
  • any working adBlock for YouTube?
    Firefox or Ungoogled Chromium (needs to update uBlock manually) in Incognito window with unchanged vanilla uBlock Origin with lists updated and no other plugins and without YouTube account. Works perfectly. Also FreeTube. Source: almost 3 years ago

Summary of the public mentions of FreeTube

Based on the recent mentions and context data provided, FreeTube appears to be gaining traction as a viable alternative to YouTube, particularly amongst users seeking privacy and more control over their digital environment. FreeTube is a desktop application that offers an interface similar to YouTube's, providing a comfortable transition for users familiar with the standard YouTube layout. Its unique value proposition lies in its commitment to user privacy and the absence of tracking or data resale, which has been a significant issue with other video platforms.

FreeTube is appreciated for its ability to circumvent ads and algorithms, providing users with an uninterrupted viewing experience. The platform supports blocking ads and unwanted video segments using extensions like SponsorBlock, which aligns with its mission to create a more viewer-centric experience. This stands in contrast to the ad-heavy and algorithm-driven environment of YouTube, which often directs users towards curated content that may not align with their interests or values.

A recurring theme in public discussions is the sentiment that FreeTube provides a more secure environment for children. Parents appreciate the ability to restrict content to specific channels, effectively sidelining the algorithm that typically dictates content suggestions on platforms like YouTube. This feature is particularly highlighted as a countermeasure to Google's broad algorithmic suggestions, which can lead children towards inappropriate content.

The technical community has also lauded FreeTube for its ease of use across desktop operating systems like Windows, Mac, and Linux. It's deployed as an AppImage, which simplifies installation and execution, a factor likely contributing to its popularity among more tech-savvy users. Critically, however, FreeTube does not yet offer a mobile application for iOS, slightly limiting its reach to desktop and Linux users specifically.

Despite its many advantages, FreeTube is not without its challenges. Users have noted that the service sometimes lags behind YouTube's changes, necessitating frequent updates to maintain feature parity and functionality. This ongoing "cat and mouse game" between FreeTube and YouTube results in occasional service interruption, where users might experience issues such as needing to refresh videos multiple times to initiate playback. However, users generally report that needed repairs or updates from the FreeTube development team are swift.

The overall consensus from product mentions is that FreeTube fills an important niche in the video platform space, providing a competitive alternative to YouTube for individuals placing a premium on privacy and customization. While it faces challenges typical of alternative technology servicesโ€”such as keeping pace with a market leader's frequent updatesโ€”FreeTube's commitment to privacy and ad-free viewing continues to earn it favor among those disillusioned with the mainstream video hosting platform.

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Is FreeTube good? This is an informative page that will help you find out. Moreover, you can review and discuss FreeTube here. The primary details have not been verified within the last quarter, and they might be outdated. If you think we are missing something, please use the means on this page to comment or suggest changes. All reviews and comments are highly encouranged and appreciated as they help everyone in the community to make an informed choice. Please always be kind and objective when evaluating a product and sharing your opinion.