CarTube vs TDS CarPlay
Both were free, no-jailbreak ways to get YouTube onto CarPlay. Both are now effectively retired on current iOS — here's what happened to each and what actually works today.
What is CarTube?
CarTube is a free, no-jailbreak app that sideloads via TrollStore to stream YouTube on Apple CarPlay. It's limited to iOS 8 through iOS 15.7.7 — the TrollStore exploit it depends on doesn't survive on newer iOS.
What was TDS CarPlay?
TDS CarPlay was one of the most popular no-jailbreak methods for watching YouTube and mirroring an iPhone screen to CarPlay. It worked by exploiting a CarPlay screen mirroring entitlement Apple hadn't officially restricted at the time — and it worked for most users through iOS 18.5.
What happened to it
Apple's iOS 18.6 update patched the underlying entitlement TDS relied on. As of iOS 18.6, TDS CarPlay no longer functions — and that restriction carries forward through every iOS 26 build, permanently. There's no workaround.
Version support, side by side
| iOS version | CarTube | TDS CarPlay | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS 26 | No | No — dead | CarPlay AI Box |
| iOS 18.6–18.7 | No | No — patched | CarPlay AI Box |
| iOS 18.0–18.5 | No | Worked for most users | TDS (until patched) |
| iOS 15.7.7 and below | Yes | No | CarTube |
Verdict
If you're still on iOS 15.7.7 or below, CarTube is the better pick — it's still maintained and purpose-built for YouTube. If you were relying on TDS CarPlay and you've updated past iOS 18.5, that door is closed for good. On any modern iOS version, a CarPlay AI Box is currently the only working solution.