{
 "schemaVersion": 1,
 "generated": "2026-10-30",
 "dataLicense": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
 "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
 "notice": "Data from Open Source Everything (https://opensourceeverything.org), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0: use it freely, credit the site, link to the page, and share changes under the same license. Listings were drafted with AI assistance and are managed by the r/TrueOpenSource moderators; check a project's own page before relying on a fact.",
 "id": "alt-frontends",
 "name": "Private ways to use big sites",
 "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/g/alt-frontends/",
 "category": "web",
 "categoryName": "Browsers, privacy & security",
 "job": "Using YouTube, Reddit or Discord through cleaner, private apps",
 "closedApps": [
  "Official YouTube, Reddit and Discord apps"
 ],
 "coverage": "partial",
 "alternatives": [
  {
   "id": "newpipe",
   "name": "NewPipe",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/newpipe/",
   "summary": "NewPipe is a free Android app for watching and listening to videos and audio from YouTube and other sites without an account. It is for people who want a private, lightweight way to stream content on their phone.",
   "kind": "app",
   "setup": "easy",
   "setupWhy": "Install it like a normal app, or use it in your browser.",
   "platforms": [
    "android"
   ],
   "license": "GPL-3.0",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 40301,
   "forks": 3929,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": {
    "name": "v0.29.1",
    "date": "2026-08-15T22:05:38Z"
   },
   "code": "https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe",
   "website": "https://newpipe.net",
   "download": null,
   "release": "https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/releases/tag/v0.29.1",
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": {
    "contributingGuide": "https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/blob/HEAD/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md",
    "goodFirstIssues": {
     "count": 48,
     "url": "https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/issues?q=is%3Aopen%20is%3Aissue%20label%3A%22good%20first%20issue%22"
    },
    "helpWanted": {
     "count": 41,
     "url": "https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/issues?q=is%3Aopen%20is%3Aissue%20label%3A%22help%20wanted%22"
    },
    "plugins": null
   },
   "project": "newpipe",
   "rank": 1,
   "fit": "partial",
   "note": "Covers YouTube well; Reddit and Discord are not supported.",
   "why": "Does part of the job · Easy setup",
   "score": 46.8
  },
  {
   "id": "freetube",
   "name": "FreeTube",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/freetube/",
   "summary": "FreeTube is a desktop app for watching YouTube videos without ads and without Google tracking through cookies and scripts. It is for people who want a more private way to use YouTube on Windows, Mac or Linux.",
   "kind": "app",
   "setup": "easy",
   "setupWhy": "Install it like a normal app, or use it in your browser.",
   "platforms": [
    "windows",
    "mac",
    "linux"
   ],
   "license": "AGPL-3.0",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 22149,
   "forks": 1551,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/FreeTubeApp/FreeTube",
   "website": "https://freetubeapp.io/",
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": {
    "contributingGuide": "https://github.com/FreeTubeApp/FreeTube/blob/HEAD/CONTRIBUTING.md",
    "goodFirstIssues": {
     "count": 8,
     "url": "https://github.com/FreeTubeApp/FreeTube/issues?q=is%3Aopen%20is%3Aissue%20label%3A%22good%20first%20issue%22"
    },
    "helpWanted": {
     "count": 3,
     "url": "https://github.com/FreeTubeApp/FreeTube/issues?q=is%3Aopen%20is%3Aissue%20label%3A%22help%20wanted%22"
    },
    "plugins": null
   },
   "project": "freetube",
   "rank": 2,
   "fit": "partial",
   "note": "Covers YouTube only; no Reddit or Discord support stated.",
   "why": "Does part of the job · Easy setup",
   "score": 44.5
  },
  {
   "id": "vesktop",
   "name": "Vesktop",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/vesktop/",
   "summary": "Vesktop is a free desktop app for chatting on Discord, built as a lighter alternative to the official Discord program. It is aimed at people who want Discord on their computer with extra customization and more privacy.",
   "kind": "app",
   "setup": "easy",
   "setupWhy": "Install it like a normal app, or use it in your browser.",
   "platforms": [
    "windows",
    "mac",
    "linux"
   ],
   "license": "GPL-3.0",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 8549,
   "forks": null,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/Vencord/Vesktop",
   "website": null,
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": null,
   "project": "vesktop",
   "rank": 3,
   "fit": "partial",
   "note": "Covers Discord only; no YouTube or Reddit support stated.",
   "why": "Does part of the job · Easy setup",
   "score": 38.8
  },
  {
   "id": "invidious",
   "name": "Invidious",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/invidious/",
   "summary": "Invidious is a free program that lets people watch YouTube videos through a simpler, ad-free and tracking-free website instead of the official YouTube site. It is for people who want to watch YouTube more privately and without ads.",
   "kind": "self_hosted",
   "setup": "advanced",
   "setupWhy": "You run it on your own server (a computer you set up and keep running), or from the command line.",
   "platforms": [
    "web",
    "server"
   ],
   "license": "AGPL-3.0",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 25800,
   "forks": null,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/iv-org/invidious",
   "website": "https://invidious.io",
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": null,
   "project": "invidious",
   "rank": 4,
   "fit": "partial",
   "note": "Covers YouTube only; README does not mention Reddit or Discord.",
   "why": "Does part of the job · Advanced setup",
   "score": 36.2
  },
  {
   "id": "redlib",
   "name": "Redlib",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/redlib/",
   "summary": "Redlib is a private way to browse Reddit without ads, trackers, or extra clutter. It is meant for people who want to read Reddit more privately, and for people who host their own copy for others to use.",
   "kind": "self_hosted",
   "setup": "advanced",
   "setupWhy": "You run it on your own server (a computer you set up and keep running), or from the command line.",
   "platforms": [
    "windows",
    "linux",
    "server"
   ],
   "license": "AGPL-3.0",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 3940,
   "forks": null,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/redlib-org/redlib",
   "website": null,
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": null,
   "project": "redlib",
   "rank": 5,
   "fit": "partial",
   "note": "Covers Reddit only; no YouTube or Discord support mentioned.",
   "why": "Does part of the job · Advanced setup",
   "score": 32.3
  }
 ],
 "source": "https://opensourceeverything.org/g/alt-frontends/",
 "group": "Private ways to use big sites",
 "replaces": [
  "Official YouTube, Reddit and Discord apps"
 ]
}