YouBoost not working or slow: causes and alternatives

YouBoost (ЮБуст) is one of the most popular YouTube accelerator extensions in Russia. Here's how such extensions work, why they break and what you can do.

How YouTube accelerators work

Almost all of them do the same thing: the extension enables a browser proxy and sends only YouTube addresses through it — the site, the googlevideo.com video stream and thumbnails. Everything else goes direct. So they speed up YouTube only, and only in that browser.

Why an accelerator stops working

• Overloaded or blocked server. Free accelerators serve huge audiences; servers struggle and their addresses get blocked.
• Another extension controls the proxy. Only one extension can control the browser proxy. Disable other VPN extensions in chrome://extensions.
• Free-tier limits. Free plans usually cap video quality and show their own ads. For YouBoost, according to the extension itself, the free mode goes up to 1080p with ad inserts; 4K and no ads are paid.
• Google captcha. Many users behind one server trigger "unusual traffic". Switching server helps.

Checklist

1. Toggle the extension off and on, reload the YouTube tab.
2. Disable other VPN or proxy extensions.
3. Update the extension (developer mode → Update in chrome://extensions).
4. Try incognito with the extension allowed to rule out conflicts.
5. Check "Stats for nerds": under 1000 Kbps means the accelerator's server is overloaded.

Alternatives

• Surok Accelerator for YouTube — our extension built exactly for this: one button, automatic server, encrypted connection, in-video ads removed, other sites go direct, 3 days free without sign-up. Get it from the Chrome Web Store; see the launch post.
• Another extension — make sure the connection to its server is encrypted (HTTPS proxy), not plain text.
• Surok VPN extension — Chrome, Yandex Browser, Edge and Firefox, encrypted connection, local sites go direct, free mode without sign-up. Get it from the Chrome Web Store; more in VPN in the browser.
• A system-wide VPN for phone and TV — Surok apps on the download page.

See also YouTube without ads and why YouTube is slow.