NewPipe
FreeWatch on Android with no ads, background playback and no account
A third-party video front-end for Android that links against no official client libraries and needs no account. There are no pre-roll or mid-roll ads; it supports background and picture-in-picture playback, downloading video and audio locally, and subscriptions stored on the device with import and export.
Why we picked it
GPL-3.0, 39,700 stars.
Background playback and ad removal on the official client cost a subscription. NewPipe's approach is to skip that client entirely: it parses the web interface for playback URLs, links no proprietary libraries, and therefore carries no ad module.
A side effect is that it needs no account. Subscriptions live on the phone, can be exported to a file and carried to another device, and watch history is never uploaded. As ways of not letting a platform build an interest profile of you go, this is among the most complete.
To be clear about:
- It is not on the Play Store. The APK comes from the official site or from F-Droid. Check the site and the signature when installing.
- When the platform changes its interface, it breaks. That is the fate of third-party front-ends; there have been stretches of several days waiting for a fix. Expect it if stability matters to you.
- It bypasses the platform's advertising, so creators do not receive that share. Weigh that yourself.