YouTube subscriptions are not free, but YouTube itself is

You can watch YouTube videos without paying anything. The free version includes ads, and you can search, comment, and create playlists at no cost. YouTube Premium is the paid subscription — it costs money and removes ads, but it is optional. Most people use YouTube free.

The confusion happens because YouTube offers multiple paid tiers. YouTube Premium is the main one. YouTube TV, YouTube Music, and YouTube Kids each have their own separate costs. If you arrived here from the YouTube TV section, that is a different service with its own subscription fee — this article covers YouTube Premium and what it includes.

Key Takeaways

  • YouTube itself is free to use with ads; YouTube Premium is the paid option that removes ads and adds offline viewing.
  • YouTube Premium costs vary by country and whether you use it on a phone, tablet, or computer — the price is higher on mobile in some regions.
  • YouTube TV, YouTube Music, and YouTube Premium are three separate subscriptions with separate costs.
  • You can cancel YouTube Premium at any time, and your access stops at the end of your current billing cycle.
  • Family plans exist for YouTube Premium and YouTube Music, allowing up to six people to share one subscription.

How much YouTube Premium costs

YouTube Premium pricing varies by country and by the device you use to sign up. In the United States, the standard price is around $13.99 per month for an individual plan when you sign up on a computer or through the YouTube app. If you sign up through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store on a phone or tablet, the price is higher — typically $15.99 per month — because Apple and Google take a cut of the subscription fee.

Other countries have different prices. The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and European countries each set their own rates. The easiest way to see the exact price for your location is to open YouTube, click your profile icon in the top right, select "Paid memberships," and look at the YouTube Premium section. It will show you the price in your currency before you commit to anything.

YouTube Premium also offers a family plan that costs more than an individual subscription but lets up to six people use it. Each family member gets their own account and their own recommendations, watch history, and playlists. The family plan is usually around $22.99 per month in the United States, though again this varies by country and signup method.

What you get with YouTube Premium

The main benefit is no ads. Videos play without interruption, and you do not see banner ads on the page. This applies to all YouTube videos, including music videos and livestreams.

YouTube Premium also includes offline viewing. You can read videos to your phone or tablet and watch them without an internet connection. Downloads expire after 30 days, and you can only read on the device where you have YouTube Premium active.

Premium members can also play videos in the background on mobile devices. Normally, if you close the YouTube app or lock your phone, the video stops. With Premium, it keeps playing. This is useful if you are listening to music or a podcast and want to use another app at the same time.

YouTube Premium also gives you access to YouTube Music Premium at no extra cost. That is the ad-free music streaming service. You can search for songs, create playlists, and listen offline. If you only want music and not the full YouTube Premium, you can subscribe to YouTube Music alone for less money.

The difference between YouTube Premium and YouTube Music

YouTube Music is a separate subscription focused on music. It costs less than YouTube Premium — around $11.99 per month in the United States — and removes ads from music videos and the YouTube Music app. It does not include offline viewing for regular YouTube videos or background play on YouTube itself.

If you subscribe to YouTube Premium, you automatically get YouTube Music Premium included. If you only care about music and not the other YouTube Premium features, YouTube Music alone is cheaper. Both have family plans available.

How to cancel YouTube Premium

You can cancel at any time. Go to YouTube, click your profile icon, select "Paid memberships," find YouTube Premium, and click "Manage." Then click "Cancel membership." Your access continues until the end of your current billing cycle — you do not lose it when ready.

If you signed up through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, you may need to cancel through that app instead. Open the app, go to your account settings, find the subscription, and cancel there. YouTube's website will tell you which method you used when you click "Manage."

Free alternatives to YouTube Premium

If you want to reduce ads without paying, you can use an ad blocker in your web browser — many people do this on desktop. On mobile, your options are more limited because browsers do not block ads in the YouTube app itself.

YouTube Music has a free tier with ads, just like YouTube does. You can listen to music on YouTube for free; the paid version removes ads and adds offline downloads. Similarly, you can watch YouTube videos free with ads forever — Premium is entirely optional.

YouTube Premium on family accounts

If you have a Google Family account set up, you can add YouTube Premium to it. The family manager pays for the subscription, and up to five other family members can use it. Each person sees their own recommendations and watch history — the subscription is shared, but your viewing experience is separate.

Family members can use YouTube Premium on any device where they are signed into their Google account. If a family member leaves the family group, they lose access to YouTube Premium at the end of the current billing cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I try YouTube Premium for free first?

YouTube occasionally offers free trial periods for YouTube Premium, usually one month. These are not always available, and they depend on your country and whether you have used a trial before. When you visit the YouTube Premium page, it will show you whether a trial is currently available in your region.

Does YouTube Premium work on all my devices?

Yes, if you are signed into the same Google account on multiple devices, YouTube Premium works on all of them. You can watch ad-free on your phone, tablet, computer, and smart TV. Offline downloads are stored per device, so a video you read on your phone does not automatically appear on your tablet.

What happens if I share my YouTube Premium account with someone outside my family?

YouTube's terms say Premium is for personal use only. Sharing with people outside your household technically violates the terms, though YouTube does not actively police this. The safest option is to use a family plan if multiple people in your home want Premium.

Is YouTube Premium the same as YouTube TV?

No. YouTube Premium removes ads from YouTube videos and adds offline viewing. YouTube TV is a live television service that streams cable channels. They are separate subscriptions with separate costs, and you can have one without the other.

Do I have to pay to upload videos to YouTube?

No. Creating a channel and uploading videos is free. YouTube Premium is only for watching, not for creating content. Some features like custom thumbnails or longer uploads require a verified account, but that is also free — it just requires a phone number.