YouTube Premium does not include YouTube TV
YouTube Premium and YouTube TV are two different paid services. Buying YouTube Premium does not give you access to YouTube TV, and buying YouTube TV does not give you YouTube Premium. You have to pay for each one separately if you want both.
This matters because the names are similar and both come from YouTube, so people often assume one includes the other. It does not. If you want to watch live TV channels and on-demand shows through YouTube TV, you need a YouTube TV subscription. If you want ad-free YouTube videos and offline downloads, you need a YouTube Premium subscription.
Key Takeaways
- YouTube Premium removes ads from videos and lets you read videos to watch offline, but does not include YouTube TV.
- YouTube TV is a live television service with cable channels, sports, and news — it is a completely separate subscription from YouTube Premium.
- You can buy YouTube Premium, YouTube TV, both, or neither depending on what you actually watch.
- YouTube Premium costs less than YouTube TV, so the services are aimed at different viewing habits.
What YouTube Premium gives you
YouTube Premium removes ads from all videos on the YouTube app and website. You also get the ability to read videos to your phone or tablet and watch them later without an internet connection. YouTube Premium also lets you play videos in the background while you use other apps, which is useful if you listen to music or podcasts on YouTube.
YouTube Premium does not include any live TV channels, cable programming, or YouTube TV content. It is only about the YouTube video platform itself — the videos people upload, the music videos, the tutorials, the clips. If you want to watch ESPN, CNN, HGTV, or any other cable channel, YouTube Premium will not give you that.
What YouTube TV gives you
YouTube TV is a live television service. You get access to cable channels like ESPN, CNN, HGTV, Food Network, NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, and others depending on your location. YouTube TV also includes cloud DVR storage so you can record shows and watch them later. The service includes some on-demand content from the channels it carries.
YouTube TV does not include YouTube Premium features. You will still see ads on regular YouTube videos if you have YouTube TV but not YouTube Premium. YouTube TV is for watching live television and recorded shows, not for the ad-free YouTube video experience.
The cost difference between the two services
YouTube Premium costs less per month than YouTube TV. YouTube Premium is a single-user subscription — only the account holder gets the ad-free experience and downloads. YouTube TV includes multiple user profiles on one account, so different people in your household can have their own watch history and recommendations, and up to six people can stream at the same time depending on your plan.
YouTube TV also costs more because it has to pay licensing fees to cable channels and networks. YouTube Premium only needs to pay YouTube creators a share of the subscription revenue. The price difference reflects what each service actually delivers.
Can you get a bundle that includes both?
YouTube does not offer a bundle that combines YouTube Premium and YouTube TV at a discount. You have to buy them as separate subscriptions. Some internet or phone providers bundle YouTube TV with their service, but those bundles do not include YouTube Premium either.
If you want both services, you pay for both. The total cost is higher than either one alone, but you get the full feature set of each: ad-free YouTube videos plus live television and cloud DVR.
Which service you actually need depends on what you watch
If you mostly watch YouTube videos — music, tutorials, creators, clips — and you want to remove ads and read videos, YouTube Premium is what you need. YouTube TV will not help you with that.
If you want to watch live television, cable news, sports, or shows from cable networks, you need YouTube TV. YouTube Premium will not give you any of that. If you watch both YouTube videos and live TV, you need both subscriptions.
How to check what you currently have
Open the YouTube app or go to youtube.com and tap or click your profile picture in the top right corner. Look for "Purchases and memberships" or "Memberships." This section shows what you are currently subscribed to. If you see YouTube Premium listed, you have that service. If you see YouTube TV listed, you have that service. If you see both, you are paying for both.
You can also check by looking at your Google Play billing (on Android) or your Apple ID billing (on iPhone and iPad). Both will show active subscriptions and what you are being charged each month.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I cancel YouTube TV, do I lose YouTube Premium?
No. The two subscriptions are separate, so canceling one does not affect the other. If you cancel YouTube TV, you keep YouTube Premium and all its features. If you cancel YouTube Premium, you keep YouTube TV.
Can I try YouTube TV free if I have YouTube Premium?
YouTube TV sometimes offers free trial periods, but having YouTube Premium does not automatically give you a trial or discount. Check the YouTube TV sign-up page to see if a trial is currently available in your area.
Does YouTube Premium work on YouTube TV?
No. YouTube Premium removes ads from the YouTube app and website, but YouTube TV is a separate app. If you watch YouTube TV, you see ads on YouTube TV regardless of whether you have YouTube Premium. The two services do not overlap.
What if I only want to watch live sports — do I need YouTube TV or YouTube Premium?
You need YouTube TV. YouTube Premium does not include any live television or sports. YouTube TV includes sports channels like ESPN, Fox Sports, and regional sports networks depending on your location and plan.