YouTube has long been one of the most popular websites on the internet, letting users share their own videos as well as watch content from other creators around the globe. It's currently facing tough competition from apps like TikTok, but it remains a sought-after destination for users of all ages. Back in 2015, YouTube launched a Premium version of the service, which comes with enticing perks that may be worth your while. Additionally, it comes bundled with YouTube Music, giving subscribers more bang for their buck.
What is YouTube Premium?
YouTube Premium is the platform's paid subscription service. It's just like regular YouTube, only with extra features like no ads, offline viewing and background play.
The platform used to also provide access to original and exclusive content back in the day. However, a lot of YouTube Originals are currently available for no extra fee, so YouTube Premium is mostly about enjoying a more seamless streaming experience overall.
How much does YouTube Premium cost?
A YouTube Premium subscription costs $14.99 a month. There's also a Family Plan available at $22.99 a month for up to 6 family members (yourself included). And a Student Plan which costs $8.99 a month.
First-time users get a generous 1-month free trial. Just remember that you'll be automatically charged if you don't cancel your subscription before your trial period ends, so keep an eye on the date if you're not loving the service.
What features does YouTube Premium offer?
Historically, YouTube has been an ad-supported platform that is free to use. In order to entice people to pay a regular monthly fee, it needed to offer more than just an ad-free experience.
Fortunately, YouTube added a whole heap of features to YouTube Premium to make it a much more exciting proposition. Here's what you get for your $14.99 each month:
For some people, this is going to be the most compelling aspect of YouTube Premium. One of the most frustrating elements of the YouTube experience is clicking play on a 20-second cat video and having to sit through a non-skippable 30-second TV commercial about something you don't care about. YouTube Premium does away with the ads, giving you direct access to the best content.
There are a few exceptions, like paid channels or TV and movie purchases or rentals, but for the bulk of YouTube's billions of videos, YouTube Premium makes it an ad-free experience. Granted, if you follow a lot of vloggers you'll still be exposed to sponsored content, but at least you will no longer have to endure frustrating interruptions when you stream YouTube videos via web, mobile or TV.
Mobile users and frequent travellers will appreciate the ability to download a series of YouTube videos to watch offline. For a start, it gives you the ability to watch in situations where an internet connection is impossible (like on a plane), as well as saving your precious mobile data for more important things.
Parents will also appreciate the fact that YouTube Premium integrates with the YouTube Kids app (more on that below) which means you'll be able to fill your phone or iPad with episodes of Peppa Pig or kids' yoga classes for repeated viewing.
With its massive library of music videos, it's no surprise that YouTube is also one of the most popular music streaming platforms around. For regular users wanting to listen to music through YouTube on a mobile device, watching the video is mandatory – the screen has to remain on and you can't multitask with other apps.
YouTube Premium allows users to listen to videos in the background, either by turning off the screen or by leaving the audio running while browsing another app. This functionality, when coupled with the ad-free playback environment, can be great if you're looking to simply listen to videos while playing a game, for instance.
Speaking of music, YouTube Premium also includes a free subscription to the YouTube Music app. You'll be able to listen to millions of songs without ads, with the screen off. Users get personalised recommendations based on their history and preferences and can enjoy a powerful smart search function. You can also download music and playlists to listen offline.
As we've already alluded to, YouTube Premium works across all the YouTube apps, so parents with kids will be able to access content ad-free via those applications, as well as download clips for offline viewing.
What content is on YouTube Premium?
Let's get the basic out of the way first: everything that you can watch on YouTube you can watch on YouTube Premium. Just without ads.
When it first launched, the Premium version of YouTube used to offer users access to original and exclusive productions like standalone TV series or movies/documentaries/shows from popular YouTube creators. The company's biggest original was Karate Kid spin-off Cobra Kai, which eventually moved to Netflix. Users could also watch what felt like YouTube content with a slightly bigger budget.
You still get access to this back catalogue of content with a Premium subscription, but YouTube no longer puts emphasis on YouTube Originals as it wound up its originals content group in early 2022. Additionally, a lot of them are now available for free.
If scripted TV shows and movies are what you're after, you might be better off with a streaming service like Disney Plus, Netflix, Prime Video and so on. With YouTube Premium, you're mostly paying for the features.
Which devices does YouTube Premium support?
YouTube Premium works on a large number of YouTube-compatible devices. To put it simply, you can watch YouTube videos without ads across all devices and platforms where you can sign in with your YouTube account, including on compatible smart TVs/gaming consoles and the YouTube, YouTube Music and YouTube Kids mobile apps.
Some of the most popular YouTube-compatible devices are:
Apple and Android mobile devices
Chromecast
Android TV
Apple TV
Amazon Fire TV
Set-top boxes (Foxtel, Fetch)
PlayStation consoles (PS3, PS4, PS4 Pro, PS5)
Switch
Wii U
Xbox consoles (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One X, Xbox One S, Xbox One, Xbox 360)
Most smart TVs models
Telstra TV
Verdict: Is YouTube Premium worth it?
There's only one big question you need to ask yourself before signing up for YouTube Premium: do you watch enough YouTube to be worth it? YouTube Premium isn't cheap and if you only watch YouTube every now and then or don't find ads annoying, there's no need to invest in the Premium version of the service.
On the other hand, if YouTube is your main source of information and entertainment, the extra features (no ads, background play and offline viewing) might be worth it. Given that the platform offers a 1-month free trial, you can try it out and see how much use you get out of the subscription.
YouTube Premium frequently asked questions
Anyone can view any video that has been uploaded to YouTube without signing in or creating an account. However, you'll need a Google account if you want to upgrade to YouTube Premium.
Technically a user must be at least 13 years of age to register for a YouTube account, but as there is no age verification process it is easy to falsify the date of birth. If you're worried about your kid using YouTube, you might want to check out the YouTube Kids app.
To subscribe to YouTube Premium head to youtube.com/premium and click on the "Try it free" button. Then, all you need to do is add a payment method (credit/debit card or PayPal) and click "Buy". You won't be charged until your free month is up. If you don't have a Google account, you'll need to create one.
If you're not enjoying YouTube Premium, you can cancel your paid subscription anytime. To do so, go to youtube.com/paid_memberships. Click "Manage membership", "Deactivate", then "Continue to cancel". Select your reason for canceling and click "Next". Finally, click "Yes, cancel" and you're done.
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Alexandra Plesa writes about Internet TV for Finder. When she’s not re-watching The West Wing for the 11th time, she likes to scour streaming services for any fascinating underrated gems they have on offer. She’ll never say no to a romantic comedy and she’ll press you to watch BoJack Horseman until you finally give in
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