FreeTube

Project Overview

FreeTube is an open-source desktop YouTube player built with privacy in mind. It allows you to watch videos without advertisements and prevents Google from tracking you with their cookies and JavaScript. Available for Windows (10 and later), Mac (macOS 12 and later), and Linux.

Key Features

• Watch videos without ads
• Use YouTube without Google tracking via cookies and JavaScript
• Two extractor APIs to choose from (Built-in or Invidious)
• Subscribe to channels without an account
• Connect to an externally setup proxy such as Tor
• Subscriptions, playlists, and history stored locally
• SponsorBlock and DeArrow support
• Open videos from browser directly into FreeTube (with extension)
• External player, Picture-in-Picture, keyboard shortcuts, themes, and more

Target Audience

• Privacy-conscious YouTube users
• Users who want to watch YouTube without ads
• Users who want to avoid Google tracking

Quick Start

1. Download from GitHub Releases
2. Install and launch FreeTube
3. Start watching YouTube videos without ads and tracking

Core Advantages

• Fully open-source and privacy-first
• No ads and no Google tracking
• Local storage of subscriptions and data — nothing is ever sent out
• SponsorBlock and DeArrow support
• Cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, and Linux

System Requirements

• OS: Windows 10+, macOS 12+, Linux
• Additional Dependencies: Electron (bundled)