If you don't mind getting your hands a little dirty with self hosting...

I recommend using ytdl-sub with jellyfin ( or plex etc).

You download the video and person locally, so no ads, but you can also use sponsorblock.

It also has useful retention options, so I have some channels archive indefinitely and others delete week old or watched videos.

The downside is no gui, so lots of reading the docs to set up properly .

I just wished more YouTubers would jump onto peertube. Their sponsors still pay them for the views and it would just be so mich better...

I'm pretty close to avoiding Youtube altogether. This might be the thing that makes me block it.

The moment I get blocked I'm going to Freetube for my pc and Newpipe for my phone, then to import all of my user data. (hopefully Newpipe gets a pc version as well because Freetube is a bit clunky). Maybe delete my youtube account too.

Invidious, either with Pale Moon or Tor Browser. Keep uBO on, have anti-anti-AdBlock userscripts up, block as many known malicious ad or tracking domains in HOSTS. Solved.

Pound that "report issue" button & feed them garbage.

Just stop using YouTube.

Did you know the software will only display none or at most a single 4-second skipable ad if you watch less than 15 minutes of youtube a month? I hear people complain about 5-15+ minute youtube commercials and laugh because I've never dealt with that.

The secret is to literally just stop watching youtube (and television in general). The content you find on Youtube, Netflix, Hulu, etc is all going down hill quickly.

We use STube; its bloody magic.. Not sure what wizzardry goes on in the background as not only does it block youtube ads it also blocks the add that the content creators put in the middle of their vids.. No more NordVpn / Squarespace or clash of twats add...