YouTube has both free and paid subscription options
YouTube itself is free to watch. You can search for videos, watch them, and use the platform without paying anything. The site makes money from ads shown before, during, and alongside videos.
YouTube also offers YouTube Premium, a paid subscription that removes ads and adds features like offline viewing and background play. This costs money — the price varies by country and changes occasionally, but in the United States it is roughly $14 per month for an individual subscription. YouTube also sells family plans and student discounts at different price points.
The confusion usually comes from YouTube Music, a separate music streaming service that YouTube bundles with Premium. If you want only ad-free video watching, you pay for Premium. If you want music streaming too, that comes with it automatically.
Key Takeaways
- Watching YouTube videos is free and always has been — the site runs on advertising revenue.
- YouTube Premium removes ads from videos and costs roughly $14 monthly in the United States, though the price varies by location.
- YouTube Premium includes YouTube Music, so you get both ad-free video and music streaming in one subscription.
- Family plans and student discounts are available at lower per-person costs than individual subscriptions.
- You can cancel YouTube Premium at any time and return to the free, ad-supported version.
What YouTube Premium actually includes
When you pay for YouTube Premium, you get ad-free video playback across all devices. No ads before videos start, no ads interrupting longer videos, and no banner ads on the page itself. This applies to the main YouTube site, the YouTube app on phones and tablets, and YouTube on smart TVs.
Premium also lets you play videos in the background on mobile devices — normally, closing the YouTube app or turning off your phone stops the video. With Premium, it keeps playing. You can also read videos to watch later without an internet connection, though downloads expire after 30 days.
YouTube Premium includes YouTube Music at no extra cost. This is a separate music streaming service similar to Spotify or Apple Music. You get ad-free music, offline downloads, and background play for music as well.
How much YouTube Premium costs in different situations
Individual YouTube Premium subscriptions cost around $14 per month in the United States. The exact price depends on your country — some regions pay less, others pay more, and prices change over time as YouTube adjusts them.
YouTube offers a family plan that covers up to six people for roughly $23 per month. Each family member gets their own account with separate watch history, recommendations, and downloads. This works out to about $3.80 per person, making it cheaper than individual subscriptions if you have multiple people in your household who want Premium.
Students can get YouTube Premium for roughly $7 per month if they verify their student status through SheerID, a third-party verification service. YouTube also sometimes offers free trial periods — usually one month — though these promotions change and are not always available.
The difference between YouTube Premium and YouTube Music
YouTube Premium is the video subscription. YouTube Music is the music streaming service. When you buy YouTube Premium, YouTube Music comes with it automatically — you do not pay extra.
You can also buy YouTube Music alone without Premium. This costs less than Premium (roughly $11 per month in the United States) and gives you ad-free music streaming and offline downloads, but does not remove ads from YouTube videos. Some people choose Music-only if they primarily use YouTube for music and do not watch many videos.
YouTube Music Premium and YouTube Premium are separate products with separate prices, but Premium includes Music. If you want both ad-free video and music streaming, Premium is the single subscription that covers both.
How to cancel YouTube Premium if you change your mind
You can cancel YouTube Premium at any time through your account settings. On a computer, go to YouTube, click your profile picture in the top right, select "Paid memberships," find YouTube Premium, and click "Manage." From there you can cancel the subscription.
On a phone or tablet, open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, go to "Paid memberships," select YouTube Premium, and choose "Cancel membership." You will be asked to confirm, and the cancellation takes effect when ready. You keep Premium access until the end of your current billing cycle — if you paid for a full month, you can use Premium through the end of that month even after you cancel.
If you subscribed through a third-party service like Google Play, Apple's App Store, or Amazon, you may need to cancel through that service instead of through YouTube directly. The process is similar: find the subscription in your account settings and cancel it there.
Why YouTube shows ads if you do not have Premium
YouTube is free because advertisers pay to show ads to viewers. When you watch a video without Premium, YouTube displays ads before the video starts, sometimes in the middle of longer videos, and as banners on the page. These ad payments are how YouTube pays creators, covers server costs, and makes money for its parent company, Google.
Creators also earn money from ads shown on their videos. The more views a video gets, the more ad revenue the creator makes. This is why many creators depend on ad revenue as their primary income from YouTube.
If you use an ad blocker, YouTube may show you a message asking you to turn it off or subscribe to Premium. Ad blockers prevent YouTube from showing ads, which means creators and YouTube earn nothing from your views. YouTube Premium is the official way to watch without ads while still supporting creators.
Free alternatives if you do not want to pay
YouTube remains free to use with ads. You can watch unlimited videos, create playlists, subscribe to channels, and use all the core features without paying. The only limitation is that ads appear during videos.
If you want to avoid ads, your options are YouTube Premium or using an ad blocker. Ad blockers are free browser extensions or apps that prevent ads from loading, but they do not support creators or YouTube financially. Some creators ask viewers to turn off ad blockers as a way to support them.
YouTube also offers YouTube TV, a separate live television streaming service that is not the same as YouTube Premium. YouTube TV costs more and includes live channels like ESPN, CNN, and local news. This is different from YouTube Premium and is only useful if you want to watch live television, not YouTube videos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I watch YouTube for free forever?
Yes. YouTube is free to use with ads. You can watch as many videos as you want without paying. YouTube Premium is optional and only removes ads and adds features like offline viewing and background play.
Does YouTube Premium work on all devices?
YouTube Premium works on computers, phones, tablets, and smart TVs. It removes ads and enables background play on all these devices. Offline downloads work on phones and tablets but not on computers or TVs.
What happens if I cancel YouTube Premium?
You lose ad-free viewing, background play, and offline downloads when ready after your billing cycle ends. You return to the free version with ads. Your watch history and subscriptions stay the same — canceling Premium does not delete your account.
Is YouTube Premium the same as YouTube Music?
No. YouTube Premium removes ads from videos and includes YouTube Music. YouTube Music is the music streaming part. You can buy YouTube Music alone for less money, but it does not remove video ads.
Can I share a YouTube Premium family plan with people outside my household?
YouTube's terms say family plans are for people living in the same household. YouTube does not actively enforce this, but technically sharing with people in different locations violates the terms of service.