Who Is YouTube Premium For?
YouTube Premium is Google's answer to a simple problem: ads are annoying. For $14/month, you get ad-free videos, background play on mobile, and YouTube Music included.
The ideal YouTube Premium subscriber:
- Watches YouTube daily — 1+ hours per day on average
- Uses mobile primarily — Background play matters to you
- Doesn't have Spotify — YouTube Music can replace it
- Hates interruptions — Mid-roll ads genuinely bother you
If you watch YouTube twice a week on desktop with an ad blocker, this isn't for you.
Pricing Breakdown
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | What's Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | $14 | $168/yr |
|
| Family | $23 | $276/yr |
|
| Student | $8 | $96/yr |
|
Hidden Costs: None. YouTube Music Premium ($11/mo) is included.
Refund Policy: Cancel anytime. No refunds for partial months.
The Math
- 30 days × 1 hour/day = 30 hours of YouTube per month
- Average ad load: ~2-3 minutes of ads per hour
- Monthly ad time saved: ~60-90 minutes
Is 60-90 minutes of your time worth $14? That's roughly $10-14/hour to skip ads. For most people, that's a reasonable trade—if you actually watch that much.
Time vs. Money Tradeoff
| Factor | Details | |--------|---------| | Setup Time | 2 minutes (just subscribe) | | Learning Curve | None | | Time to Value | Immediate—next video is ad-free |
There's zero friction here. Subscribe, and ads disappear. The question is purely about usage volume.
Alternatives Comparison
| Product | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube Premium (This review) | — | — |
| Free + Ad Blocker | $0 | Desktop users who don't mind setup |
| YouTube Music Only | $11/mo | Music-only, no video benefits |
| Spotify + Free YouTube | $11/mo | Music priority, occasional YouTube |
| Brave Browser | $0 | Privacy-focused users, blocks ads |
The Ad Blocker Reality
Let's be honest: ad blockers work on desktop. uBlock Origin is free and blocks YouTube ads effectively. If you primarily watch on desktop, you can get 80% of the benefit for $0.
But:
- Ad blockers don't work on mobile apps
- Background play requires Premium
- You're not supporting creators (if that matters to you)
YouTube Music vs. Spotify
YouTube Music is decent but not best-in-class:
- ✅ Access to live performances, remixes, covers not on Spotify
- ✅ Music videos included
- ❌ Algorithm not as refined as Spotify's
- ❌ Interface less polished
If you already pay for Spotify ($11/mo) and love it, YouTube Premium's bundled music isn't a strong selling point.
When YouTube Premium Is NOT Worth It
❌ Skip If:
- You watch less than 5 hours/week — The math doesn't work out
- You mainly use desktop — Ad blockers are free and effective
- You already pay for Spotify — Don't pay twice for music
- You don't use mobile — Background play is the killer feature for mobile
- You can tolerate ads — Some people genuinely don't mind
The biggest trap: subscribing because you watched a lot last month, then barely using it. YouTube Premium doesn't make you watch more—it just makes existing watching more pleasant.
When YouTube Premium IS Worth It
✅ Buy If:
- You watch 1+ hours daily on mobile — Background play and ad-free is transformative
- You'd cancel Spotify for YouTube Music — Bundling saves money
- You watch educational/long-form content — 20+ minute videos with multiple ad breaks
- You use YouTube for background audio — Podcasts, music, ambiance
- Family plan math works — $23 ÷ 5 people = $4.60/person/month
The Family Plan Strategy
At $23/month for up to 5 people, the Family plan is where the math gets interesting:
| # of People | Cost Per Person | |-------------|-----------------| | 2 | $11.50/mo | | 3 | $7.67/mo | | 4 | $5.75/mo | | 5 | $4.60/mo |
If you can split with family or roommates, $4.60/month is an easy yes for most regular YouTube users.
Final Verdict
DEPENDS
YouTube Premium is worth it if you're a heavy mobile user who watches daily. The combination of ad-free viewing, background play, and YouTube Music makes sense at $14/month—or much less with a family plan.
It's not worth it for casual viewers or desktop users. Ad blockers exist, and $168/year is real money for something you might not use consistently.
Bottom Line: Track your YouTube usage for a week. If you're watching 7+ hours weekly on mobile, get it. Otherwise, save your money.
FAQ
Is YouTube Premium worth it just for YouTube Music?
Probably not. YouTube Music alone costs $11/month, while Premium costs $14/month. If you only want music, you're paying $3/month for video benefits you won't use. But if you'll use both, the bundle is good value.
Can I share YouTube Premium with family?
Yes, the Family plan ($23/month) covers up to 5 members who live at the same address. Google occasionally verifies this with location checks. It's the best value if you can genuinely share.
Does YouTube Premium include YouTube TV?
No. YouTube TV is a separate $73/month service for live TV. YouTube Premium only covers the main YouTube platform and YouTube Music.
Do creators still get paid if I use YouTube Premium?
Yes, and actually more. YouTube shares a portion of Premium revenue with creators based on watch time. Premium viewers are often more valuable to creators than ad-supported viewers.