You cannot transfer an active YouTube membership directly to another account

YouTube memberships are tied to the channel that created them and the Google account that paid for them. There is no built-in transfer or migration tool. If you want membership benefits on a different account, you will need to cancel the current membership and start a new one on the account where you want it.

The process takes a few minutes, but the timing matters — you will lose access to member perks the moment you cancel, even if you have paid through the end of the month. If you are switching accounts to keep watching the same creator's content, plan the switch for right after a billing cycle ends, or you may pay twice in the same month.

Key Takeaways

  • YouTube memberships cannot be moved between accounts; you must cancel one and purchase a new membership on the other account.
  • Cancelling a membership ends your perks when ready, even if you have paid time remaining in the current billing period.
  • You can have memberships to the same creator on multiple accounts at the same time if you want to keep both active.
  • Check your billing date before cancelling so you do not pay twice in one month when you switch accounts.

How to cancel a membership on your current account

Open YouTube on the account where you currently have the membership. Click your profile picture in the top right corner and select Purchases and subscriptions. You will see a list of all active memberships under the "Memberships" section.

Find the membership you want to cancel and click the three-dot menu next to it. Select Cancel membership. YouTube will show you the cancellation date — this is when your access to member perks ends. Confirm the cancellation. You will receive an email confirming the cancellation, and the membership will no longer appear in your Purchases and subscriptions list.

How to buy a membership on your new account

Sign in to the YouTube account where you want the membership. Navigate to the creator's channel whose membership you want to join. Look for the Join button, usually located near the Subscribe button on the channel header. Click it.

YouTube will show you the membership tier options and what perks come with each one. Select the tier you want and click Join. You will be asked to confirm your payment method. Complete the purchase, and the membership will be active when ready on that account. You can now see member-only content, badges, and other perks on this account.

What happens to your member perks when you switch

The moment you cancel a membership, you lose access to all member benefits on that account — member-only videos, custom badges, exclusive chat privileges, and any other perks the creator offers. You will still be able to watch public videos from that creator, but member-only content will be locked.

When you purchase a membership on your new account, those perks become available when ready. If the creator has a member-only Discord server, Patreon, or other community space, you may need to update your membership status there separately — YouTube does not automatically sync that information across platforms.

Timing your switch to avoid paying twice

YouTube memberships renew on the same day each month. If you cancel mid-cycle and then buy a new membership on another account before the renewal date passes, you could end up paying for both memberships in the same billing period.

Check your billing date by going to Purchases and subscriptions on your current account. The renewal date appears next to the membership name. If you cancel on the 10th and your renewal date is the 15th, wait until after the 15th to buy the membership on your new account. This way, you will not be charged twice.

Keeping memberships on multiple accounts

You can have active memberships to the same creator on more than one account at the same time. There is no rule against it. Some people do this if they run multiple channels or accounts for different purposes — a personal account and a work account, for example.

Each membership is billed separately, so you will be charged the full membership price for each account. If you only want the membership on one account, cancel it on the others to avoid unnecessary charges.

If you want to keep your membership but switch viewing accounts

If you want to keep paying for a membership on one account but watch member content on a different account, that is not possible. YouTube ties member perks to the account that holds the membership. You cannot share member benefits across accounts, even if they belong to the same person.

The only workaround is to have the membership active on the account you use most, or to buy separate memberships on each account you use regularly. Some creators offer alternative ways to support them — like Patreon or direct donations — that might work better if you have multiple accounts you want to support from.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I get a refund if I cancel mid-month?

No. YouTube does not issue refunds for cancelled memberships. Once you cancel, you lose access to member perks when ready, even if you have paid time left in the current billing period. This is why timing your cancellation around your renewal date matters.

Can I pause a membership instead of cancelling it?

YouTube does not have a pause feature for memberships. Your only options are to keep it active or cancel it. If you think you might want it back later, cancelling and rebuying is the only way.

What if I accidentally cancel a membership I wanted to keep?

If you cancel within a few minutes, you may be able to undo it by going back to Purchases and subscriptions and looking for an undo option. If that does not appear, you will need to buy the membership again. There is no way to restore a cancelled membership after the undo window closes.

Do I lose my member badge and history when I cancel?

Your member badge disappears from the creator's channel the moment you cancel. Your membership history remains in your account records, but it will not be visible to the creator or other viewers once it is no longer active.

Can I buy a membership as a gift for another account?

YouTube does not offer membership gifts. Each person must purchase their own membership on their own account using their own payment method.