this post was submitted on 18 Sep 2025
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App: https://grayjay.app/. Have any of you used this app? What do you think of it? Is it a good alternative to YouTube and such?

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[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It's not an alternative to YouTube. Its just a YouTube player (among many other platforms).

On the one hand, it's really great, and feature rich, and extremely important in the vein of improving competition in the space. On the other hand, YT is constantly pulling new tricks to break it (and similar apps), to the extent that it's almost completely useless.

The devs are careful to point out that it's Alpha software, however it's been Alpha software for a long while now, which doesn't fill me with confidence.

[–] wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I've been using GJ as my primary way of watching YT since launch, daily, and I can only remember one instance where YT broke and they hadn't released a plugin update yet. I'd hardly call nearly 2y of use with 1 issue instance "completely useless".

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

That's because I wasn't talking about your personal experience, believe it or not.

[–] wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

Yet you make it sound like it's global, believe it or not.

[–] Sophocles 6 points 1 month ago

I've used most yt frontends (freetube, invidious, newpipe, etc.) and Grayjay is probably the one that breaks the least for me. Google is constantly trying to break all of them, so they are all on and off, but Grayjay seems to be on top of fixing breakages very quickly. It's not perfect, but it is definitely worth the privacy pros.

[–] tensor_nightly69@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

Grayjay is awesome - highly recommended!

[–] CrayonDevourer@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

Louis Rossman is a huge backer of Grayjay, and I would trust that man with my life. He's a huge proponent of right to repair, he regularly stands up for the rights of people regarding fair use, etc.

Grayjay itself is an awesome app, and I do use it, but since they're always playing that cat and mouse game, I find it always needing to update in order to keep the video sites I use functional. Seriously support it if you don't already.

[–] sic_semper_tyrannis@lemmy.today 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I think the UI of NewPipe is nicer but Grayjay works with various other platforms. Follow the creator, not the platform as they say. It's the only open source Rumble app which is the main reason I use it.

[–] FutileRecipe@lemmy.world 0 points 1 month ago

It's the only open source Rumble app...

It's Source Available, not Open Source.

[–] loam@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It's really cool. The amount of control via settings is overwhelming. The official Youtube source plug-in has settings for sponsorblock and dearrow hidden in there, which are excellent mods.

I wouldn't risk trying the paid-content sources. I had Spotify working ad-free without a login I'm the early days, but it requires logging in now, and Spotify are banning accounts that do.

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 2 points 1 month ago

Unfortunately there's still no way to filter vertical videos or podcasts.

[–] Retro_unlimited@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

I enjoy grayjay, I went to pay for it today and they doubled the price! Really made me sad, because I can no longer contribute to it. (Went from $10, to $19 wtf) sadly, thats just out of budget now for me and now they get nothing.

I also checked all over their website and nothing about payment.