- What YouTube Red included
- When did YouTube Red become YouTube Premium?
- What changed with the switch
- The original shows that came with it
- What happened to existing YouTube Red members
- YouTube Red today: what the membership is now
- Can you still sign up for YouTube Red?
- Why the name still comes up
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
YouTube Red was YouTube's paid, ad-free membership, launched in 2015. On 17 May 2018, YouTube announced that YouTube Red was becoming YouTube Premium, adding the new YouTube Music and more original shows. YouTube Red doesn't exist any more: the same membership is YouTube Premium, which was $15.99 a month in the US in October 2026.
So if you've seen YouTube Red mentioned in an old article, a forum thread or a bank statement from years ago, it's the same thing under its old name.
Here's what Red included, what changed when it became Premium, and what the membership looks like now. The history comes from YouTube's own blog post announcing the change, and today's details come from YouTube's Premium page, read in October 2026.
What YouTube Red included
In its 2018 announcement, YouTube described what Red members had been using since 2015: downloading videos for a flight, watching its original series such as Cobra Kai, and listening to ad-free music. The core of Red was the same three things people still pay for now:
- Ad-free videos across YouTube.
- Background play, so videos keep playing when you leave the app.
- Downloads, so you can watch without a connection.
When did YouTube Red become YouTube Premium?
YouTube announced the change on its official blog on 17 May 2018. The post said YouTube Red was becoming YouTube Premium, and set out what the new membership would include:
- The new YouTube Music, ad-free, with background listening and downloads.
- More, bigger original series and movies, known as YouTube Originals.
- Ad-free viewing, background play and downloads across YouTube.
What changed with the switch
| YouTube Red | YouTube Premium (2018 launch) | |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | 2015 | Announced 17 May 2018 |
| Ad-free, background play, downloads | Yes | Yes |
| Music | Ad-free music | The new YouTube Music app included |
| Original shows | Yes, such as Cobra Kai | A bigger slate of Originals |
| US launch price | Not stated in the announcement | $11.99 a month |
The announcement also introduced YouTube Music Premium on its own at $9.99 a month in the US, for people who only wanted the music side.
The original shows that came with it
Original series were a big part of the Red-to-Premium story. YouTube's announcement named Cobra Kai, the Karate Kid-inspired series, alongside the dance drama Step Up: High Water and upcoming shows such as the sci-fi thriller Impulse and Liza Koshy's Liza on Demand. It also promised new Originals from the UK, Germany, France and Mexico, covering comedy, drama, reality and action.
For Google Play Music users, YouTube said nothing was changing with Google Play Music at the time. They kept access to purchased music, uploads and playlists, and got YouTube Music Premium automatically at their current price when it launched in their country.
What happened to existing YouTube Red members
YouTube said Red and Google Play Music subscribers, including family plans, in the US, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand and Mexico would get Premium automatically at the price they were already paying. It promised plenty of notice if that price ever changed. South Korea was a special case: YouTube said it would only offer Premium there at the existing YouTube Red price.
The rename also came with a big expansion. YouTube listed new countries for Premium in 2018, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the Nordic countries. That's why many UK and Canadian users never saw the Red name at all.
YouTube Red today: what the membership is now
Red's direct descendant is YouTube Premium, and it's grown since 2018. On YouTube's Premium page in October 2026, the US price for one person was $15.99 a month, in US dollars. There are now several versions: Individual, an annual plan in some countries, Family, Student and a cheaper Premium Lite that covers most non-music videos. YouTube says more than 125 million people are Premium members.
The core features would still be familiar to a Red member: no ads, background play and downloads. Premium now adds YouTube Music Premium and extras such as picture-in-picture for music, Jump ahead and higher-bitrate 1080p video. For a plan-by-plan breakdown, see my guide to the YouTube Premium Family plan and the Student plan.
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Can you still sign up for YouTube Red?
No. There's no YouTube Red sign-up anywhere, and any site offering you a YouTube Red account or a cheap Red code isn't selling an official product. If you want the same features, the official route is youtube.com/premium, signed in to your own Google Account. Today's membership covers YouTube, YouTube Kids and YouTube Music, plus the extra features YouTube has added since 2018.
Why the name still comes up
- Older articles and tutorials written between 2015 and 2018 still use it.
- Some people remember the Red branding and search for it by habit.
- Old bank or card statements from that period show the Red name.
If you're comparing old prices you've read about, remember they're from 2018 and in US dollars. They won't tell you what you'd pay today, especially outside the US, where YouTube sets local prices.
My verdict
YouTube Red is simply YouTube Premium's old name. Nothing you could do with Red has been taken away: ad-free viewing, background play and downloads are all still there, with music and extra features added on top. If you're deciding whether to pay for it now, judge it as Premium, at today's price in your country, not by what Red used to be.
Frequently asked questions
What is YouTube Red?
YouTube Red was YouTube's paid ad-free membership, launched in 2015, with background play, downloads and original shows. It was renamed YouTube Premium in 2018.
When did YouTube Red become YouTube Premium?
YouTube announced on its official blog on 17 May 2018 that YouTube Red was becoming YouTube Premium.
Does YouTube Red still exist?
No. The same membership is now YouTube Premium. There's no separate YouTube Red sign-up.
How much was YouTube Premium when it replaced YouTube Red?
YouTube's 2018 announcement gave a US price of $11.99 a month for Premium and $9.99 a month for Music Premium on its own.
Was YouTube Red available in the UK?
YouTube's 2018 announcement listed the United Kingdom among the new countries getting YouTube Premium, so UK users went straight to Premium rather than Red.
How much is YouTube Premium now?
On YouTube's Premium page in October 2026, the US individual price was $15.99 a month. Prices differ by country.
