SmartTube
Open-source, ad-free third-party YouTube client for Android TV and Google TV devices.
Loved as an ad-free YouTube front-end for Android TV and Chromecast1234 that lets you customize almost everything, from grid size to hiding Shorts.567 The main caveat is that it is a side-loaded APK89 that needs an Android-based TV device, and commenters note those are getting rare.10
Why people recommend it
Ad-free viewing · 2
Removes YouTube ads, and one commenter says it also handles sponsor segments in most videos.
“I wouldn't want to watch Youtube without it.”
“I found about SmartTube and it is great, I recommend it.”
Deep customization · 3
Commenters say you can configure practically everything, including grid and thumbnail size.
“I wouldn't want to watch Youtube without it.”
“I use on my Android TV SmartTube, you can customize pretty much anything”
Show 1 more
“I found about SmartTube and it is great, I recommend it.”
Better TV interface · 2
Preferred over the stock YouTube TV app and over TizenTube, whose UX commenters call awful.
“I found about SmartTube and it is great, I recommend it.”
“I use on my Android TV SmartTube, you can customize pretty much anything”
Hides Shorts · 1
Shorts can be disabled entirely, which the stock YouTube app does not allow.
“I wouldn't want to watch Youtube without it.”
Caveats and dissent
Requires sideloading · 2
It is installed as a side-loaded APK from the GitHub repo, not from an app store.
“I wouldn't want to watch Youtube without it.”
“On Android TV, SmartTubeNext is fantastic.”
Android TV only · 2
It needs an Android TV device, and commenters note few Android-based TVs remain, so Apple TV users turn to other apps.
“And install alternative software like smarttubenext.”
“On Android TV, SmartTubeNext is fantastic.”
Often compared with
Who recommends it in their own words
Threads where it came up
- Paramount Skydance has completed its $111B merger with Warner Bros. Discovery 1 mention
- Disney+: New user agreement allows ads before movies in all subscriptions 1 mention
- 216M Spy TVs – The LG Smart TV Problem [video] 1 mention
- Play Store blocks AuroraStore, hurting GrapheneOS users 1 mention
- Google Has Removed MV2 Extensions from the Chrome Web Store, Including UBO 1 mention
- Stopping the smart TV from being used against you 1 mention
Also written as SmartTubeNext. Data: smarttube.json. Quotes are verbatim; the verdict and theme labels are written by a model from these comments, and every clause links to its sources.
All comments 11
“I wouldn't want to watch Youtube without it.”
“On Android TV, SmartTubeNext is fantastic.”
“And install alternative software like smarttubenext.”
“only for smarttube and app updates”
“using only dummy account in Android TV for Smarttube”
“watching Youtube through Smarttube with dummy account signed in”
“I watch YouTube videos on FreeTube, SmartTube, and PipePipe, from my computer, TV, and phone, respectively.”
“I use on my Android TV SmartTube, you can customize pretty much anything”
“Use it for streaming (smarttube, some apps)”
“I found about SmartTube and it is great, I recommend it.”
“On set top (Android TV sticks) I use an app called SmartTube”