SponsorBlock
Focus: skip sponsors. Shares youtube and video with FreeTube. A browser extension, not a desktop app. Adds Chrome, Firefox and Safari. Rated 4.7 (FreeTube: 4.5).
Browser ExtensionFreeChrome, Firefox
4.7Visit
Desktop App
FreeTube
Watch YouTube without ads or tracking.
Rating
4.5 / 5
Pricing
Free
Difficulty
Beginner
Works on
macOS, Windows, Linux
Built with love by Shushant Lakhyani. Building bestproductivityresources.com
What is FreeTube?
FreeTube is an open-source desktop YouTube player built with privacy in mind. Its README says it lets you use YouTube without adverts and stops Google tracking you with cookies and JavaScript. Subscriptions, playlists and history are stored locally on your computer, you can subscribe without an account and group channels into profiles. It runs on Windows, Mac and Linux and is currently in beta.
Third-party open-source projects. We are not affiliated with their authors; repositories are provided as-is by their maintainers. Review each project's license, code and security before installing. See our Disclaimer.
Pros: what FreeTube does well
- No account needed to follow channels
- Subscriptions stay on your own computer
- Fewer distractions from adverts
Cons: where it falls short
- Still in beta, so bugs happen
- YouTube can still see your video requests
Who FreeTube is for
People who watch YouTube to learn and want fewer ads and less tracking.
Who can skip it
Anyone who needs their YouTube account and recommendations.
FreeTube alternatives
Not sold on FreeTube? These do a similar job, and each card says what it has in common.
uBlock Origin
Focus: ad blocker and content blocker. Shares privacy and open source with FreeTube. A browser extension, not a desktop app. Adds Firefox and Chrome. Rated 4.8 (FreeTube: 4.5).
Browser ExtensionFreeFirefox, Chrome
4.8Visit
Pi-hole
Focus: ad blocker, dns and network. Shares privacy and open source with FreeTube. A web app, not a desktop app. Adds Web. Rated 4.7 (FreeTube: 4.5).
Web AppFreeLinux, Web
4.7Visit
Pinchflat
Focus: video archive, podcast and self-hosted. Shares youtube and open source with FreeTube. A web app, not a desktop app. Adds Web. Rated 4.4 (FreeTube: 4.5).
Web AppFreeWeb
4.4Visit
Miniflux
Focus: rss reader, news and self-hosted. Shares open source and github with FreeTube. A web app, not a desktop app. Adds Web. Rated 4.6 (FreeTube: 4.5).
Web AppFreeWeb, Cross-Platform
4.6Visit
Floorp
Focus: browser, firefox and customisation. Shares privacy and open source with FreeTube. Rated 4.4 (FreeTube: 4.5).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.4Visit
Free alternatives to FreeTube
Want to spend nothing? These free picks cover similar ground.
gPodder
Focus: podcasts and audio. Shares subscriptions and open source with FreeTube. Rated 4.4 (FreeTube: 4.5).
Desktop AppFreeLinux, macOS
4.4Visit
LibreWolf
Focus: web browser, firefox and ublock origin. Shares privacy with FreeTube. Same 4.5 rating.
Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.5Visit
Tube Archivist
Focus: archive, media server and self-hosted. Shares youtube and open source with FreeTube. A web app, not a desktop app. Adds Web. Rated 4.4 (FreeTube: 4.5).
Web AppFreeWeb
4.4Visit
mpv
Focus: video player, media and subtitles. Shares open source and github with FreeTube. Adds Offline. Rated 4.7 (FreeTube: 4.5).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.7Visit
MuseScore Studio
Focus: music notation, sheet music and composition. Shares open source and github with FreeTube. Rated 4.7 (FreeTube: 4.5).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.7Visit
Unhook
Focus: distraction blocker, recommendations and focus. Shares youtube with FreeTube. A browser extension, not a desktop app. Adds Chrome and Firefox. Rated 4.7 (FreeTube: 4.5).
Browser ExtensionFreeChrome, Firefox
4.7Visit
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