Sometimes services will try to force you to sign up for an account by blocking access to content with annoying popups. They might also break without JavaScript enabled. These frontends can allow you to circumvent these restrictions.
If you choose to self-host these frontends, it is important that you have other people using your instance as well in order for you to blend in. You should be careful with where and how you are hosting, as other peoples' usage will be linked to your hosting.
When you are using an instance run by someone else, make sure to read the privacy policy of that specific instance (if available). They can be modified by their owners and therefore may not reflect the default policy. Some instances have [Tor](tor.md) .onion addresses, which may grant some privacy as long as your search queries don't contain personally identifiable information.
The [Old Reddit](https://old.reddit.com) website doesn't require as much JavaScript as the new Reddit website does, but it has recently blocked access to IP addresses reserved for public VPNs. You can access Old Reddit through their [Tor](tor.md) onion service [launched in October 2022](https://forum.torproject.org/t/reddit-onion-service-launch/5305) at [https://old.reddittorjg6rue252oqsxryoxengawnmo46qy4kyii5wtqnwfj4ooad.onion](https://old.reddittorjg6rue252oqsxryoxengawnmo46qy4kyii5wtqnwfj4ooad.onion).
You can access ProxiTok through a number of public instances, with some that offer a [Tor](tor.md) onion service or an [I2P](alternative-networks.md#i2p-the-invisible-internet-project) eepsite.
**Note:** YouTube has gradually rolled out changes to its video player and API that have thwarted some of the methods used by third-party frontends for extracting YouTube data. If you experience reliability issues with one YouTube frontend, consider trying out another that uses a different extraction method.
Invidious does not proxy video streams by default. Videos watched through Invidious will still make direct connections to Google's servers (e.g. `googlevideo.com`); however, some instances support video proxying—simply enable *Proxy videos* within the instances' settings or add `&local=true` to the URL.
</div>
<divclass="admonition tip"markdown>
<pclass="admonition-title">Tip</p>
Invidious is useful if you want to disable JavaScript in your browser, such as [Tor Browser](tor.md#tor-browser) on the Safest security level. It does not provide privacy by itself, and we don’t recommend logging into any accounts.
You can access Invidious through a number of public instances, with some that offer a [Tor](tor.md) onion service or an [I2P](alternative-networks.md#i2p-the-invisible-internet-project) eepsite.
Piped is useful if you want to use [SponsorBlock](https://sponsor.ajay.app) without installing an extension. It does not provide privacy by itself, and we don’t recommend logging into any accounts.
When using FreeTube, your IP address may still be known to YouTube, [Invidious](https://instances.invidious.io), or [SponsorBlock](https://sponsor.ajay.app) depending on your configuration. Consider using a [VPN](vpn.md) or [Tor](tor.md) if your [threat model](basics/threat-modeling.md) requires hiding your IP address.
FreeTube extracts data from YouTube using its built-in API based on [YouTube.js](https://github.com/LuanRT/YouTube.js) or the [Invidious](#invidious) API. You can configure either as the default, with the other serving as a fallback.
By default, FreeTube blocks all YouTube advertisements. In addition, FreeTube optionally integrates with [SponsorBlock](https://sponsor.ajay.app) to help you skip sponsored video segments.
When using Yattee, your IP address may still be known to YouTube, [Invidious](https://instances.invidious.io), [Piped](https://github.com/TeamPiped/Piped/wiki/Instances), or [SponsorBlock](https://sponsor.ajay.app) depending on your configuration. Consider using a [VPN](vpn.md) or [Tor](tor.md) if your [threat model](basics/threat-modeling.md) requires hiding your IP address.
Due to App Store restrictions, you will need to take a few [extra steps](https://web.archive.org/web/20230330122839/https://gonzoknows.com/posts/Yattee) before you can use Yattee to watch YouTube. Yattee allows you to connect to instances of [Invidious](#invidious) or [Piped](#piped).
By default, Yattee blocks all YouTube advertisements. In addition, Yattee optionally integrates with [SponsorBlock](https://sponsor.ajay.app) to help you skip sponsored video segments.
When using LibreTube, your IP address will be visible to YouTube, [Piped](https://github.com/TeamPiped/Piped/wiki/Instances), or [SponsorBlock](https://sponsor.ajay.app) depending on your configuration. Consider using a [VPN](vpn.md) or [Tor](tor.md) if your [threat model](basics/threat-modeling.md) requires hiding your IP address.
By default, LibreTube blocks all YouTube advertisements. Additionally, LibreTube uses [SponsorBlock](https://sponsor.ajay.app) to help you skip sponsored video segments. You are able to fully configure the types of segments that SponsorBlock will skip, or disable it completely. There is also a button on the video player itself to disable it for a specific video if desired.
**NewPipe** is a free and open-source Android application for [YouTube](https://youtube.com), [SoundCloud](https://soundcloud.com), [media.ccc.de](https://media.ccc.de), [Bandcamp](https://bandcamp.com), and [PeerTube](https://joinpeertube.org) (1).
When using NewPipe, your IP address will be visible to the video providers you access. Consider using a [VPN](vpn.md) or [Tor](tor.md) if your [threat model](basics/threat-modeling.md) requires hiding your IP address.
**Please note we are not affiliated with any of the projects we recommend.** In addition to [our standard criteria](about/criteria.md), we have developed a clear set of requirements to allow us to provide objective recommendations. We suggest you familiarize yourself with this list before choosing to use a project, and conduct your own research to ensure it's the right choice for you.
