{"slug": "nebula", "name": "Nebula", "category": "media", "category_name": "Media and creative", "description": "Subscription video streaming service from independent educational creators and video essayists.", "recommenders": 6, "commenters": 8, "warners": 0, "score": 6.141, "rising": 3.35, "first": "2026-01-03", "latest": "2026-10-27", "why": "HN commenters like Nebula for ad-free viewing without in-video sponsor segments, for early access and exclusive shows from creators they already watch on YouTube, and for escaping the YouTube algorithm.", "why_is_quote": false, "has_verdict": true, "sentiment": {"recommend": 6, "neutral": 2, "compare": 0, "warn": 0}, "spark": [0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 3, 0, 1], "listed": true, "loved": ["Creator catalog", "Exclusives, early access"], "caveat": "Habit formation", "short_quote": "If you already watch a lot of Youtube channels that are on Nebula, I'd highly recommend it.", "icon": true, "domain": null, "github_repo": "github.com/slackhq/nebula", "official_url": "https://nebula.tv", "pricing": "paid", "aliases": ["Nebula"], "verdict": [{"text": "HN commenters like Nebula for ad-free viewing without in-video sponsor segments", "cites": [{"id": 791287824, "item_id": 49455489, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49455489", "by": "ARandumGuy", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "If you already watch a lot of Youtube channels that are on Nebula, I'd highly recommend it.", "excerpt": "Seconding this. I've been subscribed to Nebula for a couple years, as I watch a lot of video essayists on Youtube and like half of them are on Nebula. In addition to ad-free viewing, you also get: * No in-video sponsor segments * Exclusive videos (including some creators and series that upload primarily to Nebula) * Early access to some videos * Uncensored videos, as Nebula does not have the automatic content or copy", "context": "subscriber for a couple years", "use_case": "ad-free video essays", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}]}, {"text": ", for early access and exclusive shows from creators they already watch on YouTube", "cites": [{"id": 791287824, "item_id": 49455489, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49455489", "by": "ARandumGuy", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "If you already watch a lot of Youtube channels that are on Nebula, I'd highly recommend it.", "excerpt": "Seconding this. I've been subscribed to Nebula for a couple years, as I watch a lot of video essayists on Youtube and like half of them are on Nebula. In addition to ad-free viewing, you also get: * No in-video sponsor segments * Exclusive videos (including some creators and series that upload primarily to Nebula) * Early access to some videos * Uncensored videos, as Nebula does not have the automatic content or copy", "context": "subscriber for a couple years", "use_case": "ad-free video essays", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}, {"id": 791217792, "item_id": 49451112, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49451112", "by": "OskarS", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Really highly recommended.", "excerpt": "It's a little beside the point of the post, but I just want to fly a flag for Nebula: I subscribed solely to get early versions of Jet Lag: The Game, but I'm finding myself watching it more and more! It has many of the channels I would go to YouTube for, but I've also discovered several really good ones that I had never heard of. And it has a similar feel to Kagi, in the sense of \"freeing\" yourself from the algorithm", "context": "subscriber", "use_case": "video streaming without algorithm", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}]}, {"text": ", and for escaping the YouTube algorithm.", "cites": [{"id": 791217792, "item_id": 49451112, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49451112", "by": "OskarS", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Really highly recommended.", "excerpt": "It's a little beside the point of the post, but I just want to fly a flag for Nebula: I subscribed solely to get early versions of Jet Lag: The Game, but I'm finding myself watching it more and more! It has many of the channels I would go to YouTube for, but I've also discovered several really good ones that I had never heard of. And it has a similar feel to Kagi, in the sense of \"freeing\" yourself from the algorithm", "context": "subscriber", "use_case": "video streaming without algorithm", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}]}, {"text": " The most common caveat is that some subscribers never get in the habit of opening it", "cites": [{"id": 791257264, "item_id": 49453579, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49453579", "by": "zeristor", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "In the end I never got in the habit of opening Nebula to watch the content.", "excerpt": "I signed up for Nebula, it is a lot more for HD quality, which I though was sneeky. In the end I never got in the habit of opening Nebula to watch the content. I pay for Premium YouTube and have noticed when there's an in video ad you can skip through to the end of the ad, YouTube have set that up. I tend to watch 2 minute of several videos on rotation, I guess I should just put the Apple TV out of reach and I can't ", "context": "", "use_case": "video streaming", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}, {"id": 780372192, "item_id": 48773262, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48773262", "by": "someonebaggy", "date": "2026-07-03", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I have a subscription because I want to support more independent platforms.", "excerpt": "Do people go looking for videos? I think I go to YouTube because it has interesting content, and the fact it's in video form isn't particularly relevant. Some content must be in video form but not all of it. I also follow several blogs, and Hacker News. I used to use Reddit when it was less enshittified, the way I use YouTube now. I don't know why I don't follow Nebula - I have a subscription because I want to suppor", "context": "", "use_case": "video streaming", "switched_from": "", "story": "PeerTube is a free, decentralized and federated video platform"}]}, {"text": ", and one notes that HD quality costs more.", "cites": [{"id": 791257264, "item_id": 49453579, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49453579", "by": "zeristor", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "In the end I never got in the habit of opening Nebula to watch the content.", "excerpt": "I signed up for Nebula, it is a lot more for HD quality, which I though was sneeky. In the end I never got in the habit of opening Nebula to watch the content. I pay for Premium YouTube and have noticed when there's an in video ad you can skip through to the end of the ad, YouTube have set that up. I tend to watch 2 minute of several videos on rotation, I guess I should just put the Apple TV out of reach and I can't ", "context": "", "use_case": "video streaming", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}]}], "praise": [{"label": "Creator catalog", "summary": "Carries many YouTube creators commenters already watch and helps them discover new ones.", "quotes": [{"id": 791287824, "item_id": 49455489, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49455489", "by": "ARandumGuy", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "If you already watch a lot of Youtube channels that are on Nebula, I'd highly recommend it.", "excerpt": "Seconding this. I've been subscribed to Nebula for a couple years, as I watch a lot of video essayists on Youtube and like half of them are on Nebula. In addition to ad-free viewing, you also get: * No in-video sponsor segments * Exclusive videos (including some creators and series that upload primarily to Nebula) * Early access to some videos * Uncensored videos, as Nebula does not have the automatic content or copy", "context": "subscriber for a couple years", "use_case": "ad-free video essays", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}, {"id": 791217792, "item_id": 49451112, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49451112", "by": "OskarS", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Really highly recommended.", "excerpt": "It's a little beside the point of the post, but I just want to fly a flag for Nebula: I subscribed solely to get early versions of Jet Lag: The Game, but I'm finding myself watching it more and more! It has many of the channels I would go to YouTube for, but I've also discovered several really good ones that I had never heard of. And it has a similar feel to Kagi, in the sense of \"freeing\" yourself from the algorithm", "context": "subscriber", "use_case": "video streaming without algorithm", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}]}, {"label": "Exclusives, early access", "summary": "Offers exclusive series and early releases, such as early versions of Jet Lag: The Game.", "quotes": [{"id": 791287824, "item_id": 49455489, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49455489", "by": "ARandumGuy", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "If you already watch a lot of Youtube channels that are on Nebula, I'd highly recommend it.", "excerpt": "Seconding this. I've been subscribed to Nebula for a couple years, as I watch a lot of video essayists on Youtube and like half of them are on Nebula. In addition to ad-free viewing, you also get: * No in-video sponsor segments * Exclusive videos (including some creators and series that upload primarily to Nebula) * Early access to some videos * Uncensored videos, as Nebula does not have the automatic content or copy", "context": "subscriber for a couple years", "use_case": "ad-free video essays", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}, {"id": 791217792, "item_id": 49451112, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49451112", "by": "OskarS", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Really highly recommended.", "excerpt": "It's a little beside the point of the post, but I just want to fly a flag for Nebula: I subscribed solely to get early versions of Jet Lag: The Game, but I'm finding myself watching it more and more! It has many of the channels I would go to YouTube for, but I've also discovered several really good ones that I had never heard of. And it has a similar feel to Kagi, in the sense of \"freeing\" yourself from the algorithm", "context": "subscriber", "use_case": "video streaming without algorithm", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}]}, {"label": "No ads", "summary": "Ad-free viewing with no in-video sponsor segments, at a lower price than YouTube Premium.", "quotes": [{"id": 791287824, "item_id": 49455489, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49455489", "by": "ARandumGuy", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "If you already watch a lot of Youtube channels that are on Nebula, I'd highly recommend it.", "excerpt": "Seconding this. I've been subscribed to Nebula for a couple years, as I watch a lot of video essayists on Youtube and like half of them are on Nebula. In addition to ad-free viewing, you also get: * No in-video sponsor segments * Exclusive videos (including some creators and series that upload primarily to Nebula) * Early access to some videos * Uncensored videos, as Nebula does not have the automatic content or copy", "context": "subscriber for a couple years", "use_case": "ad-free video essays", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}]}, {"label": "Escaping the algorithm", "summary": "Lets viewers watch without worrying about YouTube-style recommendation feeds.", "quotes": [{"id": 791217792, "item_id": 49451112, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49451112", "by": "OskarS", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Really highly recommended.", "excerpt": "It's a little beside the point of the post, but I just want to fly a flag for Nebula: I subscribed solely to get early versions of Jet Lag: The Game, but I'm finding myself watching it more and more! It has many of the channels I would go to YouTube for, but I've also discovered several really good ones that I had never heard of. And it has a similar feel to Kagi, in the sense of \"freeing\" yourself from the algorithm", "context": "subscriber", "use_case": "video streaming without algorithm", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}]}, {"label": "Independent platform", "summary": "Some subscribe to support independent platforms.", "quotes": [{"id": 780372192, "item_id": 48773262, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48773262", "by": "someonebaggy", "date": "2026-07-03", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I have a subscription because I want to support more independent platforms.", "excerpt": "Do people go looking for videos? I think I go to YouTube because it has interesting content, and the fact it's in video form isn't particularly relevant. Some content must be in video form but not all of it. I also follow several blogs, and Hacker News. I used to use Reddit when it was less enshittified, the way I use YouTube now. I don't know why I don't follow Nebula - I have a subscription because I want to suppor", "context": "", "use_case": "video streaming", "switched_from": "", "story": "PeerTube is a free, decentralized and federated video platform"}]}, {"label": "TV app", "summary": "Has a decent TV app, at least on Roku.", "quotes": [{"id": 791287824, "item_id": 49455489, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49455489", "by": "ARandumGuy", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "If you already watch a lot of Youtube channels that are on Nebula, I'd highly recommend it.", "excerpt": "Seconding this. I've been subscribed to Nebula for a couple years, as I watch a lot of video essayists on Youtube and like half of them are on Nebula. In addition to ad-free viewing, you also get: * No in-video sponsor segments * Exclusive videos (including some creators and series that upload primarily to Nebula) * Early access to some videos * Uncensored videos, as Nebula does not have the automatic content or copy", "context": "subscriber for a couple years", "use_case": "ad-free video essays", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}]}], "caveats": [{"label": "Habit formation", "summary": "Some subscribers rarely open it and keep defaulting to YouTube.", "quotes": [{"id": 791257264, "item_id": 49453579, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49453579", "by": "zeristor", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "In the end I never got in the habit of opening Nebula to watch the content.", "excerpt": "I signed up for Nebula, it is a lot more for HD quality, which I though was sneeky. In the end I never got in the habit of opening Nebula to watch the content. I pay for Premium YouTube and have noticed when there's an in video ad you can skip through to the end of the ad, YouTube have set that up. I tend to watch 2 minute of several videos on rotation, I guess I should just put the Apple TV out of reach and I can't ", "context": "", "use_case": "video streaming", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}, {"id": 780372192, "item_id": 48773262, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48773262", "by": "someonebaggy", "date": "2026-07-03", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I have a subscription because I want to support more independent platforms.", "excerpt": "Do people go looking for videos? I think I go to YouTube because it has interesting content, and the fact it's in video form isn't particularly relevant. Some content must be in video form but not all of it. I also follow several blogs, and Hacker News. I used to use Reddit when it was less enshittified, the way I use YouTube now. I don't know why I don't follow Nebula - I have a subscription because I want to suppor", "context": "", "use_case": "video streaming", "switched_from": "", "story": "PeerTube is a free, decentralized and federated video platform"}]}, {"label": "HD pricing", "summary": "One commenter found that HD quality costs noticeably more.", "quotes": [{"id": 791257264, "item_id": 49453579, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49453579", "by": "zeristor", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "In the end I never got in the habit of opening Nebula to watch the content.", "excerpt": "I signed up for Nebula, it is a lot more for HD quality, which I though was sneeky. In the end I never got in the habit of opening Nebula to watch the content. I pay for Premium YouTube and have noticed when there's an in video ad you can skip through to the end of the ad, YouTube have set that up. I tend to watch 2 minute of several videos on rotation, I guess I should just put the Apple TV out of reach and I can't ", "context": "", "use_case": "video streaming", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}]}], "who": [{"by": "ARandumGuy", "context": "subscriber for a couple years", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49455489", "date": "2026-08-26"}, {"by": "OskarS", "context": "subscriber", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49451112", "date": "2026-08-26"}], "tags": ["for video essay fans", "for avoiding algorithms", "for supporting creators", "for TV viewing"], "use_cases": ["overlay networking", "video streaming", "peer-to-peer overlay network", "ad-free video essays", "video streaming without algorithm", "personal mesh vpn"], "compared": [{"slug": "tailscale", "name": "Tailscale", "co": 4, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "youtube", "name": "YouTube", "co": 3, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "youtube-premium", "name": "YouTube Premium", "co": 2, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49450448", "title": "Nebula Sans", "mentions": 3}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50264857", "title": "Tailscale SSH: Investigation and remediation update", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49452990", "title": "Tailcat \u2013 Like netcat, but over Tailscale\u2019s data plane", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48759634", "title": "PeerTube is a free, decentralized and federated video platform", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47592462", "title": "I traced my traffic through a home Tailscale exit node", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46482222", "title": "Ask HN: Who is using Nebula (mesh VPN)?", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {}, "2025-12": {}, "2026-01": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-02": {}, "2026-03": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-04": {}, "2026-05": {}, "2026-06": {}, "2026-07": {"neutral": 1}, "2026-08": {"recommend": 3, "neutral": 1}, "2026-09": {}, "2026-10": {"recommend": 1}}, "quotes": [{"id": 804269472, "item_id": 50266842, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50266842", "by": "LeBit", "date": "2026-10-27", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I used Nebula extensively.\n\nI really liked it.", "excerpt": "I used Nebula extensively. I really liked it. I like the idea of embedding firewall rules in a certificate. But , like you observed, it does not scale as well as tailscale.", "context": "", "use_case": "overlay networking", "switched_from": "", "story": "Tailscale SSH: Investigation and remediation update"}, {"id": 791466209, "item_id": 49466638, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49466638", "by": "1vuio0pswjnm7", "date": "2026-08-27", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Nebula, another Go peer-to-peer project encourages peers to run their own rendezvous server (\"lighthouse\")", "excerpt": "Peers might not want to use third party rendezvous servers or relay servers It appears that Tailscale attempts to persuade peers not to run own \"DERP\" servers (cf. encouraging peers to run own servers) \"In general, you should not need to or want to run this code. The overwhelming majority of Tailscale users (both individuals and companies) do not.\" \"Running your own DERP services requires exeprtise [sic] in multi-lay", "context": "", "use_case": "peer-to-peer overlay network", "switched_from": "", "story": "Tailcat \u2013 Like netcat, but over Tailscale\u2019s data plane"}, {"id": 791287824, "item_id": 49455489, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49455489", "by": "ARandumGuy", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "If you already watch a lot of Youtube channels that are on Nebula, I'd highly recommend it.", "excerpt": "Seconding this. I've been subscribed to Nebula for a couple years, as I watch a lot of video essayists on Youtube and like half of them are on Nebula. In addition to ad-free viewing, you also get: * No in-video sponsor segments * Exclusive videos (including some creators and series that upload primarily to Nebula) * Early access to some videos * Uncensored videos, as Nebula does not have the automatic content or copy", "context": "subscriber for a couple years", "use_case": "ad-free video essays", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}, {"id": 791257264, "item_id": 49453579, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49453579", "by": "zeristor", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "In the end I never got in the habit of opening Nebula to watch the content.", "excerpt": "I signed up for Nebula, it is a lot more for HD quality, which I though was sneeky. In the end I never got in the habit of opening Nebula to watch the content. I pay for Premium YouTube and have noticed when there's an in video ad you can skip through to the end of the ad, YouTube have set that up. I tend to watch 2 minute of several videos on rotation, I guess I should just put the Apple TV out of reach and I can't ", "context": "", "use_case": "video streaming", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}, {"id": 791217792, "item_id": 49451112, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49451112", "by": "OskarS", "date": "2026-08-26", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Really highly recommended.", "excerpt": "It's a little beside the point of the post, but I just want to fly a flag for Nebula: I subscribed solely to get early versions of Jet Lag: The Game, but I'm finding myself watching it more and more! It has many of the channels I would go to YouTube for, but I've also discovered several really good ones that I had never heard of. And it has a similar feel to Kagi, in the sense of \"freeing\" yourself from the algorithm", "context": "subscriber", "use_case": "video streaming without algorithm", "switched_from": "", "story": "Nebula Sans"}, {"id": 780372192, "item_id": 48773262, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48773262", "by": "someonebaggy", "date": "2026-07-03", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I have a subscription because I want to support more independent platforms.", "excerpt": "Do people go looking for videos? I think I go to YouTube because it has interesting content, and the fact it's in video form isn't particularly relevant. Some content must be in video form but not all of it. I also follow several blogs, and Hacker News. I used to use Reddit when it was less enshittified, the way I use YouTube now. I don't know why I don't follow Nebula - I have a subscription because I want to suppor", "context": "", "use_case": "video streaming", "switched_from": "", "story": "PeerTube is a free, decentralized and federated video platform"}, {"id": 761523936, "item_id": 47595246, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47595246", "by": "dave78", "date": "2026-03-31", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I've been using it for years and it has been flawless.", "excerpt": "> I don't see mention of open source alternatives Check out Nebula (created by Slack) - https://github.com/slackhq/nebula Fundamentally very similar to Tailscale. I've been using it for years and it has been flawless. It doesn't have as many bells and whistles as Tailscale but it does what it does very well.", "context": "", "use_case": "overlay networking", "switched_from": "", "story": "I traced my traffic through a home Tailscale exit node"}, {"id": 743773312, "item_id": 46485832, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46485832", "by": "Tomte", "date": "2026-01-03", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I still like the project a lot and wish it would be more prominent.", "excerpt": "Back when I used it the mobile app on iOS was broken, but they fixed it real quick. That was encouraging. Other than that, I mostly stopped using it because it forces you to regularly rotate all certificates, and for my personal purposes it was too much of a hassle. I still like the project a lot and wish it would be more prominent. Nowadays everyone immediately seems to recommend Tailscale.", "context": "", "use_case": "personal mesh VPN", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: Who is using Nebula (mesh VPN)?"}]}