PlayTube APK is an open-source Android client for watching YouTube with features such as background playback, picture-in-picture, comments, subtitles, video downloads and subscription management.
F-Droid lists PlayTube 1.4.3 as the suggested release, added on September 25, 2026. It is licensed under GPL-3.0-or-later.
Direct PlayTube APK download
Download PlayTube 1.4.3 APK — Direct
F-Droid reports an APK size of about 7.6 MiB.
App identity
- Package: com.arslandaim.playtube
- Version: 1.4.3
- Version code: 18
- Minimum Android: Android 7.0+
- Architectures: arm64-v8a, armeabi-v7a, x86, x86_64
- License: GPL-3.0-or-later
- Rights status: Open-source
Key features
PlayTube emphasizes a lightweight interface while retaining features many users search for in enhanced YouTube clients. Its F-Droid listing includes background play, picture-in-picture, comments, subtitles, video downloads, volume/brightness/seek gestures and subscription management.
Why this is different from a patched YouTube APK
PlayTube connects to YouTube services, but it is its own open-source application. SSM Apps therefore links directly to the published F-Droid APK instead of distributing an unverified modified copy of Google’s official YouTube package.
Compatibility and installation
Version 1.4.3 supports Android 7.0 and newer and the listed APK supports the major Android CPU families.
- Tap the direct APK button.
- Open the downloaded file.
- Approve installation from that source if Android requests it.
- Launch PlayTube after installation.
Source notes
F-Droid states that its build corresponds to the published source tarball and provides build logs and metadata for the package.
Bottom line: PlayTube is a useful open-source option for people looking for background playback, PiP and downloads in a lightweight Android video client, with a direct versioned APK instead of a temporary mirror link.
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