- YouTube Premium plans and prices
- What do you get for the full price?
- Premium Lite: what the cheaper plan leaves out
- Is the annual plan cheaper?
- Family plan rules that affect the price
- Where can you get YouTube Premium?
- How to check the price in your country
- Is YouTube Premium worth it?
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
YouTube Premium is $15.99 a month for one person in the US, as of October 2026, on YouTube's own Premium page. A Family plan is $26.99 a month, Student is $8.99 a month, and the cheaper Premium Lite is $8.99 a month. Prices are in US dollars and differ by country, so YouTube shows your local price when you sign in where you live.
That's the short version. The longer one matters, because the plan names hide some real differences. Lite looks like a bargain until you notice what it leaves out, and the annual plan isn't on offer everywhere.
I've pulled every figure below from YouTube's own Premium page and help centre, checked in October 2026. Where YouTube doesn't publish something, I've said so rather than guess.
YouTube Premium plans and prices
These are the prices YouTube's Premium page showed in October 2026. The page I checked showed US pricing, in US dollars.
| Plan | Price (US, Oct 2026) | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Individual, monthly | $15.99 a month | One account |
| Individual, annual | $159.99 for 12 months | One account, paid upfront |
| Family | $26.99 a month | You plus up to 5 family members aged 13+ in your household |
| Student | $8.99 a month | Eligible students, verified every year |
| Premium Lite | $8.99 a month | Mostly creator videos and podcasts, not music |
Each plan showed a one-month trial for eligible new members. YouTube adds that restrictions apply, so don't assume you'll get one if you've had Premium before.
What do you get for the full price?
YouTube describes Premium as ad-free across all of YouTube, YouTube Kids and YouTube Music. It also says over 125 million people are members. Here's what's included:
- Ad-free videos on all of YouTube, not just most of it.
- Background play, so audio keeps going with your screen off or when you leave the app.
- Downloads, so you can watch on a plane or the Tube without signal.
- YouTube Music Premium, with what YouTube says is over 100 million songs and podcasts, ad-free.
- Extras like picture-in-picture for music, Jump ahead, continue watching across devices, queuing, smart downloads, enhanced bitrate 1080p video and 256kbps audio on eligible music videos.
One small inconsistency worth knowing: the Premium page says you can watch offline for up to 30 days, while YouTube's offline help article says 29 days. Either way, the app needs to reconnect about once a month to keep your downloads playable.
Premium Lite: what the cheaper plan leaves out
Premium Lite costs the same as Student, and it's the plan most people misunderstand. It removes ads, adds background play and downloads on most videos, but only on non-music content. YouTube spells out the gaps:
- Music videos, covers, concerts and dance videos can still show ads.
- Those music-focused videos won't play in the background or download.
- Shorts aren't covered.
- Ads may still appear when you search or browse.
If you mainly watch podcasts, tutorials and creator channels, Lite is a sensible saving. If music is a big part of how you use YouTube, it isn't the plan for you.
Is the annual plan cheaper?
Yes, on YouTube's page the 12-month plan works out cheaper than paying monthly for a year. But it comes with conditions most people don't see until checkout. It's prepaid and doesn't renew, it can't be paused or refunded, it's for individual accounts only, and it's only offered in a short list of countries that includes the US and Canada but not the UK or Australia. If you share a home with other users, compare it with the YouTube Premium Family plan before paying upfront, because there's no annual Family option.
Family plan rules that affect the price
The Family plan only works out cheaper if everyone qualifies. YouTube says family members must live in the same household as the family manager and have their own Google Account. Each person gets a private, personalised account, so nobody sees anyone else's history or recommendations. Only the family manager can add members.
Background play is switched on by default in YouTube, YouTube Music and YouTube Kids once you're a member. If you'd rather videos stopped when you leave the app, you can turn it off in settings without changing your plan.
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Where can you get YouTube Premium?
YouTube's availability list includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, India and many more. Premium Lite has its own, shorter list, which includes Australia, Canada and Great Britain. YouTube also notes that paid memberships may not be available in some provinces or territories, even when the country is listed.
How to check the price in your country
- Sign in to the Google Account you'd use for Premium.
- Go to youtube.com/premium in a browser.
- Scroll to the plan cards. The prices shown are the ones for where you're signed in.
- If you're a student, check the YouTube Premium Student plan rules first, because verification is yearly.
Is YouTube Premium worth it?
For many small business owners, the answer is yes, but not for the reason they expect. The ad-free part is nice. The real value is background play and downloads: listening to training videos and podcasts on a walk, or downloading a client's video before a train journey. If that's how you use YouTube, it pays for itself in time.
If you only watch the odd video and never listen with your screen off, you'll be paying for features you don't use. Try the trial if you're eligible, and set a reminder before it ends.
My verdict
Pick Lite if you watch creators and podcasts but not much music. Pick the full Individual plan if you want everything, including YouTube Music. Pick Family if two or more people in your home would pay separately anyway. And check your local price signed in, because the US figures here won't match what you pay in the UK, Canada or Australia.
Frequently asked questions
How much is YouTube Premium a month?
On YouTube's Premium page in October 2026, the US price for one person was $15.99 a month. Prices differ by country, so sign in at youtube.com/premium to see yours.
How much is YouTube Premium Family?
The Family plan was $26.99 a month in the US in October 2026. It covers you plus up to 5 family members aged 13 or over who live in your household.
What is the cheapest YouTube Premium plan?
Premium Lite and Student were both $8.99 a month in the US. Lite skips music content and Shorts, and Student needs yearly verification.
Does YouTube Premium include YouTube Music?
Yes. YouTube says Premium includes YouTube Music Premium, so you get ad-free music, background listening and downloads in the YouTube Music app too. Premium Lite doesn't cover music content.
Is there a free trial of YouTube Premium?
YouTube showed a one-month trial on its plans for eligible new members in October 2026. Restrictions apply, so people who've had Premium before may not qualify.
