Alternatives to YouTube and Netflix
Watch video you own, or what you chose, without a feed deciding the next thing.
Ranked by score out of 30, most convivial first.
VLC
The cone-shaped player that plays almost any file, with no ads or account.
mpv
A minimal video player controlled by a config file and keys.
Jellyfin
A media server for your own films, shows and music.
Kodi
A media centre for your TV that plays your own films, shows and music.
NewPipe
A lightweight Android app for watching YouTube without an account or ads.
FreeTube
A desktop app for watching YouTube without an account.
For comparison
The big names these tools are measured against. We review them as benchmarks, so they sit outside the directory.
About these tools
Video sites choose what plays next and watch what you watch. VLC plays almost any file, mpv does it with a bare window, Kodi turns a computer into a media centre for your TV, Jellyfin streams your own films and shows from your own server, and NewPipe and FreeTube let you watch YouTube without an account or ads.
Most of these work best with video you own, and the YouTube viewers carry a risk: they depend on YouTube's pages, so they can break until their volunteers fix them.
How to choose
For one device, VLC is all most people need. If you have a library and a spare computer, Jellyfin or Kodi make it feel like a streaming service. To keep watching YouTube with less tracking, NewPipe on Android and FreeTube on the desktop are the closest fit.