freetubeapp/freetube

Analysis updated 2026-06-21

★ 20,759VueAudience · generalComplexity · 2/5Setup · easy

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((FreeTube))
    What it does
      Ad-free YouTube
      No Google tracking
      Local data storage
    Tech Stack
      Vue
      Electron
      Invidious API
    Use Cases
      Private viewing
      Subscription management
      No-account YouTube
    Features
      SponsorBlock
      DeArrow
      Tor proxy support
      Channel profiles

mindmap root((FreeTube)) What it does Ad-free YouTube No Google tracking Local data storage Tech Stack Vue Electron Invidious API Use Cases Private viewing Subscription management No-account YouTube Features SponsorBlock DeArrow Tor proxy support Channel profiles

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What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Watch YouTube videos without ads appearing before or during playback on Windows, macOS, or Linux.

USE CASE 2

Subscribe to YouTube channels and manage playlists without creating a Google account.

USE CASE 3

Import your existing YouTube subscriptions into FreeTube and keep them stored privately on your own machine.

USE CASE 4

Use built-in SponsorBlock integration to automatically skip sponsored segments and self-promotional segments in videos.

What is it built with?

VueElectronJavaScript

How does it compare?

	freetubeapp/freetube	ayangweb/bongocat	automaapp/automa
Stars	20,759	20,688	21,271
Language	Vue	Vue	Vue
Setup difficulty	easy	easy	easy
Complexity	2/5	2/5	2/5
Audience	general	vibe coder	general

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Google can still see your IP address unless you use a VPN or Tor, no Google account is needed.

License terms are not described in the explanation.

In plain English

FreeTube is an open-source desktop app for watching YouTube videos without ads and without Google tracking. The README pitches it as a privacy-first YouTube player: you can browse, watch, subscribe, and keep playlists, but Google's cookies and JavaScript do not run on your machine while you do. It is currently in Beta, so the README warns that bugs and missing features still exist. The README explains how it works in plain terms. Instead of using YouTube's official login-based API, FreeTube has a built-in extractor that pulls video data and streams directly, and it can optionally route that through the Invidious API, an alternative front-end project to YouTube. Your subscriptions, playlists, and watch history are stored locally on your computer and never sent to YouTube. YouTube can still see your video requests by IP, so the README recommends using a VPN or Tor for extra protection. The feature list called out in the README is long. Highlights include watching videos without ads, subscribing to channels without an account, connecting to an external proxy such as Tor, importing and exporting subscriptions, organizing subscriptions into Profiles for a more focused feed, viewing YouTube Trending and Chapters, integration with SponsorBlock and DeArrow, picture-in-picture mini player, multiple windows, keyboard shortcuts, full theme support, video screenshots, an option to show only family-friendly content, and channel posts. You would use FreeTube if you want a YouTube viewing experience that is private, ad-free, and works without signing in. Two browser extensions (LibRedirect and RedirectTube) can redirect YouTube links straight into the app. It is built with Electron, so it runs on Windows 10 and later, macOS 12 and later, and Linux, with downloads on GitHub Releases, the FreeTube website, and Flathub among others. The primary language is Vue.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1

I want to watch YouTube without ads or Google tracking on Windows 10. How do I install FreeTube, import my existing YouTube subscriptions, and enable SponsorBlock?

Prompt 2

FreeTube can redirect YouTube links from my browser into the app. How do I set up the LibRedirect extension so clicking any YouTube link opens it in FreeTube instead?

Prompt 3

How do I create separate Profiles in FreeTube to organize my YouTube channel subscriptions into different topic groups?

Prompt 4

I want extra privacy while using FreeTube. How do I connect it to a Tor or VPN proxy so YouTube can't log my IP address?

Prompt 5

How do I switch FreeTube from using its built-in extractor to the Invidious API as the data source for YouTube videos?

Frequently asked questions

What is freetube?

FreeTube is a free open-source desktop app for watching YouTube without ads or Google tracking, your subscriptions, playlists, and watch history are stored only on your own computer and never sent to YouTube.

What language is freetube written in?

Mainly Vue. The stack also includes Vue, Electron, JavaScript.

What license does freetube use?

License terms are not described in the explanation.

How hard is freetube to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is freetube for?

Mainly general.

Open on GitHub → Explain another repo

This repo across BitVibe Labs

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