Free
$0
month
The complete application is free and open-source under GPL-3.0-or-later. Voluntary donations support development.
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NewPipe
NewPipe is a free, open-source Android streaming client for YouTube and other media services, with background playback, downloads and local subscriptions.
Editorial overview
Aggregated Overview
NewPipe provides extensive playback, download, subscription and privacy features without a paid plan. Its Android-only distribution, service breakages caused by upstream changes and community-based support reduce convenience and operational stability.
This profile combines documented product information and independent evidence where available. It is not a hands-on test unless TechZella explicitly identifies one.
NewPipe Decision Snapshot
A quick way to understand who this product may suit, where its limits matter, and which facts are most relevant before you compare alternatives.
Platforms
Android, APK, F-Droid
TechZella assessment
8.5/10
Overview
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.
Security & Privacy
For security-sensitive software, TechZella focuses on documented architecture, authentication, data handling, deployment and privacy details that can affect a buying decision. This is product research, not an independent security audit.
Security posture at a glance
| Data storage | Local device storage for subscriptions, history and playlists |
|---|
Security claims are presented only when supported by documented sources. The presence of this section does not constitute a penetration test, certification or independent security audit.
NewPipe Features
Playback
- Video playback up to 4K where supported by the source service
- Background audio playback
- Movable popup player
- Live-stream playback
- Subtitles and closed captions
- Playback queues
Downloads
- Download videos
- Download audio streams
- Download subtitles
- Choose available formats and resolutions
- Local offline storage
Subscriptions and Organization
- Subscribe without signing into a service account
- Channel notifications
- Channel groups
- Local playlists
- Watch history
- Bookmarks
- Import and export subscriptions and application data
Privacy and Open Source
- No Google Play Services dependency
- No official YouTube API dependency
- GPL-3.0-or-later license
- Local storage controls
- Open-source Android application
Supported Services
- YouTube and YouTube Music
- PeerTube and PeerTube instances
- SoundCloud
- Bandcamp
- media.ccc.de
Alternatives
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.
NewPipe Specifications
| Platform | Android 6.0 or newer |
|---|---|
| Distribution | NewPipe F-Droid repository, standard F-Droid repository and GitHub Releases |
| License | GNU GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Pricing model | Free and open source |
| Free trial | Not applicable; full application is free |
| API | No official public product API |
| Integrations | Kodi; F-Droid; NewPipe Extractor ecosystem |
| Data storage | Local device storage for subscriptions, history and playlists |
| Supported services | YouTube, YouTube Music, PeerTube, SoundCloud, Bandcamp and media.ccc.de |
| Minimum Android version | Android 6.0 |
NewPipe Pricing & Plans
Pricing may change. Verify current plans on the vendor's website.
Our evidence-based assessment
TechZella Score
A proprietary editorial score based on product capabilities, usability, value, performance, support and user sentiment evidence.
8.5/10Moderate confidence
NewPipe provides extensive playback, download, subscription and privacy features without a paid plan. Its Android-only distribution, service breakages caused by upstream changes and community-based support reduce convenience and operational stability.
Methodology v1.0. The assessment weighs feature coverage (25%), ease of use (15%), value for money (20%), performance (15%), support (10%) and user sentiment (15%), using researched product evidence and verified review evidence where available. It is a TechZella editorial assessment, not a direct user-review average.
NewPipe Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free and open-source software.
- No Google Play Services or Google account requirement.
- Background playback, popup playback and offline downloads.
- Local subscriptions, playlists, history and data export.
- Supports multiple streaming services.
Cons
- Android-only official application.
- Not available through Google Play.
- Service compatibility can change when upstream websites change.
- No official public API for external integrations.
- Community-based support may be less structured than commercial support.
Community feedback
Reviews
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FAQ
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.