Yattee is a privacy-oriented video player for iOS, tvOS and macOS that streams from alternative YouTube frontends and other sources.
The tool addresses privacy concerns with video streaming by allowing users to watch content without relying on YouTube's official application or servers. It works by connecting to privacy-focused backends like Invidious and Piped, which provide access to video content while minimizing data collection. The player includes a native SwiftUI interface with customization options, support for player queues and history, custom playback controls, and integration with SponsorBlock to skip sponsor segments. It handles multiple playback modes including fullscreen, Picture in Picture, and background audio, with support for 4K video.
Yattee suits developers and users who prioritize privacy and want to avoid YouTube's tracking infrastructure while maintaining a native app experience across Apple platforms. The project is particularly valuable for those who prefer self-hosted solutions, as a new version pairs with Yattee Server, a self-hosted backend powered by yt-dlp that supports over 1000 video sites beyond YouTube alone. This approach offers significantly broader content support than the original version's reliance on YouTube-specific frontends.
Development on the project is active and forward-looking, with a major version rewrite underway that introduces a refreshed user experience and expanded backend capabilities. The maintainers are actively soliciting early feedback through a public beta program, indicating engagement with the user community during active development. Documentation infrastructure has been established to support the new version, suggesting a commitment to maintainability and user guidance as the project evolves.
