- If you want to watch YouTube videos without distractions, try websites like SafeShare and VideoLink. They get rid of comments, video suggestions, etc.
- You can also try Watch2Gether. It blocks all the distractions and lets you watch YouTube videos together with your family and friends.
- Another great option is to add a Minimal YouTube extension to your browser. It converts YouTube’s UI into a minimal, no-fluff UI.
1. SafeShare – Ad-Free YouTube Viewing
SafeShare offers a distraction-free YouTube-watching experience. It’s designed as a safe space for educational settings, presentations, or other such scenarios where you want to focus solely on the content.
Moreover, using SafeShare is straightforward, simply paste the video URL into the input field. A new, clean link will be generated. You can view the video by yourself or share it with others.
Although there is a premium subscription involved, the free version is pretty decent as well, allowing up to 20 SafeViews(permanent links) and 2 playlists.
Pros
- Easy to use, minimalist UI
- Create links for sharing
- Can trim videos before sharing
- Great for educational or work purposes
Cons
- Can’t paste multiple links at once
- Does not support YouTube browsing
Price : Free, subscription starts from $4.99/month.
2. Video Link – Create And Share YouTube Video Link
Video Link is an alternative to SafeShare to view YouTube videos without YouTube. Both websites are almost similar, so much so, that even their freemium offerings and premium prices are the same. So, it just comes down to picking your vice. It is completely ad-free, allowing you to focus only on the content.
Pros
- Share videos via a link or QR codes
- Trim videos before sharing
- Similar video interface and features to YouTube
Cons
- Can only create one video link at one time
- Have to depend on video URLs, can’t browse YouTube
Price : Free, subscription starts from $4.99/month.
Check out Video Link
3. Watch2Gether – Watch YouTube Videos Together
Why watch ad-free YouTube alone, when you can watch it together with friends and family? Watch2Gether is a unique platform (similar to SharePlay ) that facilitates real-time, synchronized video watching. It’s ideal for a collaborative viewing experience.
You can copy-paste video URLs or use the built-in search feature to browse YouTube. Moreover, it even lets you create playlists and put them on repeat/shuffle. Incredibly, you can chat, video or voice call with others in the room.
It also offers YouTube built-in playback features for speed, quality, and caption controls. So, you’re getting a complete package with this website. However, I feel the UI is a bit cluttered, and finding your way initially through the features might not be a cakewalk.
Pros
- Virtual rooms for synchronized viewing
- Remove ads and other distractions
- No need to sign up or set up an account
- Can chat and interact with others in the room
- Can also create a room for just yourself
Cons
- The UI can be simplified
Price : Free, subscription starts from $2.90/month.
Check out Watch2Gether
4. WatchKIN – Distraction-Free YouTube Videos
And that’s all it does, no other features or special purposes. Thanks to it, the website is simple and minimal. However, the homepage UI might look childish and distracting at first. But when the video plays, you only get a white/black background depending on the theme selected.
The platform maintains the YouTube video interface, allowing you to play around with the video speed, quality, captions, etc. So overall it’s a win-win situation.
The only complaint I have is that you can not browse videos directly from WatchKIN’s page. Copy-pasting a video URL every time can be tiresome unless you want to hear one song on a loop.
Pros
- Distraction-free YouTube viewing
- Free to use
- Easy to use, minimal UI
- Supports light and dark theme
Cons
- Can’t browse YouTube
- Have to paste each URL individually
Price : Free.
Check out WatchKIN
Bonus: Minimal YouTube – Make YouTube’s Website Minimal
If the only reason you want to watch YouTube videos without YouTube is the cluttered, distracting UI then you can use the Minimal YouTube extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Arc. So instead of struggling with third-party websites, you can minimalize your YouTube experience on YouTube.
All you have to do is download the extension and follow the instructions on the page. Once set up, your YouTube will be distraction-free, as shown in the screenshot below.
