Ask Lemmy

This might not be up your alley, but I really like yt-dlp to save content.

(Windows instructions since I haven't fully transitioned yet, but if you have, you can figure this out no problem via the yt-dlp github page.) Open cmd to the yt-dlp directory (go to the folder where you see the exe in file explorer and type cmd into the address window so that you don't have to fuss with cd commands,) type whatever you have the yt-dlp exe renamed to without the extension (I just renamed it to yt since I rarely have a queue, and I'm lazy AF,) and then start pasting links. Add a space between every link obviously - but you can queue up whatever you want to watch the next day and download the queue while you sleep. Place the yt-dlp exe on a usb-c thumb drive and you can transfer the media files to your phone for listening to at work mid-transit if you need to keep your phone in your pocket.

ezpz, and an example of two videos in queue:

I may pay for premium, but I still hella support data archival.

Grayjay

The main problem with new YouTube alternatives is that creators rely on Google for income, switching to a new platform means becoming destitute. No premium content means no big audience means new platforms fail. It's the one social media I really don't see having its monopoly broken.

I like PipePipe. You can log in with a YouTube account (which fixes a lot of the YouTube blocking for me) and it's a fork of NewPipe too (just like Tubular but it regularly receives updates).

Revanced hasn't let me down. Sometimes Google will update something and cause a minor issue like loading shorts upon opening the app, or (in a previous version) not properly load comments.

Whatever version of Revanced i have currently is flawless, and has adblock+sponsor block built in.

I use NewPipe when I'm on mobile, assuming that you're talking about YouTube client software.

Grayjay is great and had plugins for different sources.

Apps for Android, Windows, Linux and MacOS

I've been happy with Grayjay, though (IIRC) it's not fully open source. It supports YouTube and Odysee and they're developing a desktop client as well (its in beta rn).

I'm on PipePipe. The latest fdroid release is bugged but the latest via obtainium is working perfectly. Also Great cos u can export and import ur tubular database.

LibreTube still works for me with the 'disable Piped proxy' option enabled

Besides the Newpipe mention by @tal@lemmy.today

You also have the option of Freetube which works like Tubular, the only downside is that there's no mobile app but it's available on Windows, Mac, and Linux via Flatpak/Flathub and distro repositories like the AUR or Nix Packages.

FYI: Fennec (aka: the Fdroid version of Firefox without the google play shenannigans) + uBlock Origin works flawlessly. I also use ProtonVPN with Secure Core to a North America Server via Switzerland, and most of the time, Youtube doesn't block me, and if it does, I just disconnect and reconnect to get a different server.

I know this isn't an "app" you hoped for, but it's how I've been watching youtube for the past few years.

(Yes, I'm aware of the Andy Yen twitter controversy, I'm keeping an eye on the situation)