I use FreeTube on my computer. I also have some YouTube channels that I download to my computer and host there to download / watch on my phone through Jellyfin (and use Patreon to give money to those channels). I I still end up on YouTube from my phone.

I still have a few issues with apps like Freetube / Grayjay though:

• It’s still YouTube. So it’s still a monopoly when it comes to many signals that indicate the platform is doing something inappropriate and it is an arms race with YouTube allowing these UIs to keep working. I suspect YouTube has enough lock in that they would invest in breaking these UIs over changing many issues users have. I think that only changes when creators cross post to other platforms and then they need to be able to make enough money for that to be worth it.
• I also, for now, still use an iPhone and most of these apps aren’t in the app store. (I have Invidious as a quick search in the browser but it frequently doesn’t work.) I’m toying with switching next time I buy and then my main focuses would probably be the camera and security.