• Linux, Windows, Mac etc: Freetube (YouTube-only)
• Android: PipePipe (Peertube isn't mentioned in that description but it's in the app, also Youtube, Bilibili, Bandcamp etc)

NewPipe all the way. Alternatively, Termux+yt-dlp is a more utilitarian solution.

Hmm, seems that nobody has yet mentioned Grayjay.

One marketable advantage is that the sources there are deployed as plugins, instead of being precompiled into the app (like newpipe). That mainly means that if a streaming platform breaks the apps, an update is pushed faster, and you don't have to update the whole app to get that either.

The youtube source has sponsorblock integration, and allows you to login to bypass bot checks if you get fragged too much (not required).

And yes, sources, it's not only for youtube, but also a couple of other streaming services, togglable, again, as plugins. There is a peertube plugin also, but my concern is that i don't see a way to change the instance URL in it's settings, which does seem to matter since there's login functionality (why bother? for example to avoid defederation walls of the main instance perhaps? i dunno)

There's also an interesting feature with serverless sync of your playlists and history, should you want that, and not any less interesting integration with a closely related Polycentric project - essentially off-platform comment feed for all videos. But that's more bells and whistles

Does VLC still work?

I remember that you used to be able to just paste YT url in it and it would play the video.

Though that was on the computer, not the face rectangle.

Android TV (YouTube Only):

https://github.com/yuliskov/smarttube

I find Fennec (or some other mobile Firefox fork) with extensions to be preferable to a standalone app, but if you really want a standalone app, I also like PipePipe.

Here's a soft-fork of Freetube for Android.

I currently use Librewolf, ad guard, and pihole. It does not use SponsorBlock, at least not that I know, as I currently run it on a pi 5 attached to my TV.

pipepipe is the best imo

Any YouTube videos I want to watch, I use yt-dlp and then load it onto Jellyfin.

Firefox with uBlock Origin and SponsorBlock.

Firefox with uBlock.

Shameless plug

https://github.com/Materialious/Materialious

What do folks here think about Morphe for YouTube? I haven't done a full comparison to FreeTube but it seems smoother

I was a big fan of Tubular (NewPipe fork) for a while since it had built in sponsorblock but it stopped getting updated and no longer works. NewPipe is my current go-to.

Tubular.

Revanced patcher. Totally customize the native YouTube app. Includes sponsor block by default.

I use three apps, if one doesn't work, the other two usually do. Most often all of them work very well. It's very rare I have to switch apps these days, but things were bumpier in the past.

https://github.com/teamnewpipe/newpipe (the OG app, most reliable)

https://github.com/wizdom13/WizeStream (my current fave, best features)

https://github.com/InfinityLoop1308/PipePipe (very reliable, lots of features)

This is a bit niche, but for anything Linux that uses a controller to operate VacuumTube is great.

Use the normal YouTube app, and patch it with reVanced (on your phone). Doesn't directly support peer tube, but it's an ad free experience that you can tailor to your needs (including sponsor block and more).