Self-Hosted YouTube Alternatives
Self-hosted YouTube means one of three things: a platform to host your own videos, a private front end for watching YouTube, or a way to archive videos you want to keep. For your own video platform, PeerTube. For watching YouTube privately, Invidious. For archiving channels, Tube Archivist.
Updated 2026-06-03 · by Jonathan Caruso
Top pick
PeerTube
If the goal is your own YouTube, PeerTube is the answer: a federated, self-hosted video platform where you upload, organize, and share your own videos, and instances can federate so your content reaches a wider audience.
The options
PeerTube
AGPL, freeA federated, self-hosted video platform to host and share your own videos.
Visit PeerTube site- Runs on
- Docker, moderate; storage scales with your videos.
- Pick it if
- You want to host your own videos on your own YouTube-like platform.
Invidious
AGPL, freeA private, lightweight front end for watching YouTube without ads or tracking.
Visit Invidious site- Runs on
- Docker, light.
- Pick it if
- You want to watch YouTube privately, not host your own videos.
Tube Archivist
GPL, freeA tool to download, index, and watch YouTube videos and channels you want to keep.
Visit Tube Archivist site- Runs on
- Docker, plus storage for downloads.
- Pick it if
- You want to archive channels and videos locally.
How to choose
Self-hosted YouTube means three different things, so start with your goal. If you want your own video platform to publish to, like a personal or community YouTube, PeerTube is the answer, and it federates with other instances. If you just want to watch YouTube privately without ads and tracking, Invidious is a lightweight front end that proxies YouTube.
If you want to keep specific channels and videos forever, Tube Archivist downloads, indexes, and serves them so they survive deletions. Many people run more than one: Invidious to watch privately, Tube Archivist to keep what matters, and PeerTube only if they actually publish video.
The verdict
Pick by what self-hosted YouTube means for you. To publish your own videos, run PeerTube, a federated video platform. To watch YouTube privately without ads or tracking, run Invidious. To archive channels and videos you want to keep, run Tube Archivist. They solve different problems, and running more than one is common.
FAQ
What is the best self-hosted YouTube alternative?
It depends on the goal. PeerTube to host your own videos, Invidious to watch YouTube privately, and Tube Archivist to download and archive channels you want to keep.
Can I host my own videos like YouTube?
Yes. PeerTube is a federated, self-hosted video platform: you upload, organize, and share your own videos, and instances can federate so videos reach a wider audience.
How do I watch YouTube without ads or tracking?
Invidious is a self-hosted front end that proxies YouTube, so you watch without ads, tracking, or an account. Tube Archivist instead downloads videos so you have local copies.