YouTube Premium is worth it if you watch YouTube most days, listen to music or podcasts on it, or want videos to keep playing with your screen off. As of October 2026, YouTube's US page lists Individual at $15.99 a month. If you only want fewer ads, Premium Lite at $8.99 a month may be enough.
The honest answer depends on what annoys you most about free YouTube: the ads, the music, or the app stopping when you lock your phone. Here's what each plan includes, using YouTube's own plan page and help articles, read in October 2026. Prices are the US prices YouTube showed on that date, in US dollars.
YouTube Premium plans and prices (US, as of October 2026)
| Plan | Price on YouTube's page | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Individual monthly | $15.99 a month | One person |
| Individual annual | $159.99 for 12 months | One person paying yearly |
| Family | $26.99 a month | Up to 5 family members aged 13 and over in your household |
| Student | $8.99 a month | Eligible students, with annual verification |
| Premium Lite | $8.99 a month | Fewer ads on most videos, no music extras |
YouTube's page also shows a one-month trial for eligible new members on the main plans. Prices vary by country, so check youtube.com/premium where you live.
What you get with YouTube Premium
- Ad-free videos: stream videos without ad interruptions.
- YouTube Music Premium: ad-free music in the YouTube Music app, which YouTube says has over 100 million official songs and podcasts.
- Downloads: save videos to watch offline.
- Background play: keep listening with your screen off. It's on by default, and you can set it to work only with headphones or speakers.
- Continue watching: pick up where you left off across devices.
- Picture-in-picture for music content: a Premium-only perk for music videos; for other videos, YouTube says picture-in-picture is available to everyone on iOS and Android.
What Premium Lite leaves out
Premium Lite is the cheaper option, and YouTube is clear about the trade-offs. You won't get ads on videos like gaming and news, but ads may still appear on music content, Shorts, and when you search or browse. It includes background play and downloads for most videos.
What it doesn't include: YouTube Music Premium, continue watching, Jump ahead, queuing, or high quality audio and video. So if music is a big part of why you use YouTube, Lite isn't a fit. My guide on what YouTube Premium Lite is goes deeper.
Premium vs Premium Lite at a glance
| Feature | Premium | Premium Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Ad-free videos | All videos | Most videos, not music or Shorts |
| Background play | Yes | Most videos |
| Downloads | Yes | Most videos |
| YouTube Music Premium | Included | Not included |
| Continue watching, queuing, Jump ahead | Included | Not included |
When YouTube Premium is worth it
- You use YouTube for music and would otherwise pay for a separate music service.
- You listen to podcasts or long talks on YouTube with your phone in your pocket.
- You watch every day and the ads break your concentration.
- You can share a Family plan with people in your household.
When it probably isn't
- You mostly watch Shorts. Background play doesn't work in the Shorts player, and Lite doesn't remove Shorts ads.
- You only watch a few videos a week.
- You already pay for another music service you're happy with, and ads don't bother you much.
How to make it cheaper
- Pay annually: the US annual Individual plan is $159.99 for 12 months, against $15.99 a month on monthly billing.
- Share a Family plan with up to 5 household members aged 13 and over.
- Students can get the Student plan with annual verification.
- Try it first with the free trial, if you're eligible, and set a reminder before it ends.
My guides to the YouTube Premium Family plan and YouTube Premium Student explain both in detail, including who qualifies.
How to cancel if it isn't for you
You can cancel any time from your paid memberships page. For Premium Lite, YouTube's steps are: go to youtube.com/paid_memberships, click Manage membership, click Deactivate, click Continue, pick a reason and click Yes, cancel. If you signed up for Lite in a browser or on Google Play, the same page is where you upgrade to full Premium. My guide on cancelling YouTube Premium covers every device.
My take
If YouTube is your music app as well as your video app, Premium is good value, because you're replacing two things with one. If you only want the ads gone on long videos and don't care about music, try Premium Lite first. And if you mostly scroll Shorts, stay on free YouTube and save the subscription.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is YouTube Premium?
As of October 2026, YouTube's US page lists Individual at $15.99 a month, Family at $26.99 a month and Student at $8.99 a month. Prices vary by country.
What's the difference between YouTube Premium and Premium Lite?
Premium Lite removes ads on most videos and includes background play and downloads for most videos, but not YouTube Music Premium, and ads can still show on music, Shorts and search.
Does YouTube Premium include YouTube Music?
Yes. Premium includes ad-free music in the YouTube Music app. Premium Lite doesn't.
How many people can share YouTube Premium Family?
YouTube says you can add up to 5 family members aged 13 and over in your household.
Does YouTube Premium remove ads on Shorts?
Premium removes ads on videos. Premium Lite doesn't remove ads on Shorts, and background play isn't available in the Shorts player.
