NewPipe
A lightweight Android app for watching YouTube without an account or ads.
Instead of YouTube
Screenshot from newpipe.net, taken 2026-10-30, shown to help you recognise the tool. It belongs to its maker. Ask us to remove it.
A phone with no Google services on it still sometimes wants to watch a video. NewPipe lets you search and watch YouTube videos with no Google account, no ads and no Google services on the phone. Subscriptions are stored on your device, and it can play audio in the background and download videos. It runs on Android.
NewPipe scores a 5 on lock-in, self-direction and power, a 4 on footprint and a 3 on longevity and delivery.
It is licensed GPL-3.0 and marked beta on its own page. For YouTube it parses the website or uses an internal interface, so a change on YouTube's side can break it until it is updated. It is not on Google Play, so you install it from F-Droid or from its own releases.
Using it means a subscriptions list that lives on the phone, with videos that can be played in the background or saved.
- Watch YouTube with no account and no ads
- Subscriptions stay on your device
- Can break when YouTube changes
What stands out
Do you make NewPipe? Get the badge for your site
This badge reports a dated review. It is not a certification and it costs nothing. Link it to this page and leave the numbers alone: the image always shows the current score.
For dark backgrounds, use newpipe-dark.svg in place of newpipe-light.svg.
For comparison, we also reviewed YouTube (16/30) as a benchmark.
Other tools for “watch without being watched”
- VLCThe cone-shaped player that plays almost any file, with no ads or account.
mpvA minimal video player controlled by a config file and keys.
JellyfinA media server for your own films, shows and music.
KodiA media centre for your TV that plays your own films, shows and music.
FreeTubeA desktop app for watching YouTube without an account.