NewPipe

NewPipe is a free and open-source streaming client for Android. It provides access to YouTube, YouTube Music, PeerTube, SoundCloud, Bandcamp and media.ccc.de without requiring user accounts on those services.

The project avoids Google Play Services and does not use the official YouTube API. Depending on the service, NewPipe uses an official API, website parsing or an internal service interface. User data such as subscriptions, history and playlists can be stored locally.

NewPipe began in 2015 under founder Christian Schabesberger. Team NewPipe now maintains the application and the related NewPipe Extractor project through volunteer open-source contributions.

NewPipe supports video playback up to 4K where the source service provides compatible streams. It also supports live streams, subtitles, comments, related videos, playback queues and adjustable stream formats.

The background player continues audio playback while other applications are open. A popup player provides a movable floating video window. Users can download videos, audio streams and subtitles for offline use.

Local features include channel subscriptions without account login, notification feeds, channel groups, watch history, bookmarks, local playlists and database import or export. The application can also open media in Kodi.

NewPipe is available free of charge under the GNU General Public License version 3.0 or later. There are no published paid plans, usage fees or commercial tiers.

The project accepts voluntary donations. NewPipe does not advertise a conventional free trial because the complete application is free.

Pros:

• Free and open-source under GPL-3.0-or-later.
• Works without Google Play Services or a YouTube account.
• Supports background playback, popup playback and offline downloads.
• Stores subscriptions, history and playlists locally.
• Supports several video and audio services.

Cons:

• Official support is limited to Android devices.
• It is not distributed through Google Play.
• Website parsing and internal service interfaces can break after upstream changes.
• There is no official public API for external application integrations.
• Some service support is less complete than YouTube support.

LibreTube is a privacy-oriented Android YouTube client with Piped-based access. SkyTube is another open-source Android YouTube client with browsing and subscription features. FreeTube provides a comparable privacy-focused YouTube experience on Windows, macOS and Linux. YouTube remains the first-party alternative for users who need official account, recommendation and platform support.

Is NewPipe free?
Yes. NewPipe is free software distributed under the GPL-3.0-or-later license.

Does NewPipe use the YouTube API?
No. NewPipe’s documentation states that it obtains YouTube data by parsing websites rather than using the official YouTube API.

Does NewPipe require a Google account?
No. Channel subscriptions, playlists and history can operate locally without signing into a service account.

Which platforms support NewPipe?
NewPipe is an Android application. The current F-Droid listing requires Android 6.0 or newer.

Does NewPipe have an API?
The application has no official public product API. NewPipe Extractor is a separate open-source library that supplies service extraction functionality.

Does NewPipe offer a free trial?
No separate trial exists because the full application is available free of charge.