i always make sure to check for new versions when I notice something is going wrong. and if there's no new versions of pipepipe or freetube, I check the bugs users have reported.
9/10 someone has already reported it and they're working on it.
don't lose hope! google are weirdos. just be patient and support the devs who work very hard to fix things. 😊
i am using pipepipe right now and it works just fine. you probably need an update. if pipepipe is bugged, check the bug reports on the github. I'd bet someone has reported it already.
i have both pipepipe and newpipe installed, but I feel that pipepipe actually tends to be a bit better about actually fixing bugs (not related to youtube connection issues. things like UI issues, etc.)
if neither work well when updated, freetube has an android version you can always try.