What changes between the two
Use stable unless you are testing on a spare device. Beta ships experimental fixes first. Stable aims for fewer surprises during long watching sessions.
Stable 32.56
Best for the living-room Android TV or Firestick. Download it from the stable APK page.
Beta 32.68
The current test APK. Use the beta download page only when you want that channel.
Same package
You cannot keep stable and beta side by side on one device without a second box.
Stable channel
Stable 32.56 is the build most living room setups should run. It balances YouTube compatibility with playback on Nvidia Shield, Fire TV Stick 4K, and Chromecast with Google TV.
Beta channel (STN beta)
STN beta often ships first when YouTube breaks playback. The current beta is 32.68. Use it on a spare device if you want an early fix. Switch back to stable if sign-in or playback fails.
SmartTubeNext and STN
SmartTubeNext (STN) is an older name for SmartTube. STN beta, Smart Tube Next, and SmartTube beta all refer to this test channel. GitHub labels the files SmartTube Beta and SmartTube Stable. The launcher still shows SmartTube.
When to install each
Install beta
You have a spare TV or stick and you want to test a new YouTube fix.
Stay on stable
The Firestick or Android TV is the only screen in the house and you need reliable nightly viewing.