The YouTube Premium annual plan is a prepaid 12-month individual membership. In the US it was $159.99 for 12 months on YouTube's Premium page in October 2026, priced in US dollars. It doesn't renew on its own, can't be paused or refunded, and is only sold in Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Thailand, Turkey and the United States.
That country list is the detail that trips people up. If you're in the UK, Australia or Ireland, you won't find an annual option at all, however hard you look in the app.
Here's how the plan works, how to buy it, and what to do if you already pay monthly. Everything comes from YouTube's annual plan help article and Premium page, read in October 2026.
How the annual plan works
YouTube calls it a pre-paid, non-recurring membership. In plain English: you pay once, you get 12 months, and then it stops. There's no automatic renewal, so you won't be charged again without choosing to buy another year.
- It's for individual accounts only. There's no annual Family plan.
- You can hold up to 24 months of prepaid access at once, so you can buy two years if you want.
- When the 12 months end, your benefits end. You buy a new plan to carry on.
- It isn't refundable and it can't be paused.
- It follows YouTube's usual travel policy for paid memberships.
Annual plan versus monthly
| Annual plan | Monthly plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (US, Oct 2026) | $159.99 for 12 months | $15.99 a month |
| Renews automatically | No | Yes, until you cancel |
| Can be paused | No | Yes, unless you're billed through Apple |
| Refunds | Not available | Benefits run to the end of the billing period |
| Family option | No | Yes |
| Countries | 9 listed by YouTube | Wherever Premium is available |
On price alone, YouTube's page shows the annual plan as cheaper than 12 monthly payments. The trade-off is flexibility. If there's any chance you'll want to stop or pause halfway through, monthly is the safer choice.
How to sign up for the annual plan
- Open youtube.com/premium/annual/inapp in a phone or computer browser. YouTube points you to the browser, not the app.
- Sign in to the Google Account you want the membership on.
- Select Get annual plan.
- Enter your payment details.
- Complete your purchase.
For YouTube Music Premium on its own, the address is youtube.com/musicpremium/annual/inapp and the steps are the same. Once you've paid, sign in with that account on any device to use your benefits. To see when your plan ends, check the Purchases and memberships section of your account.
Already paying monthly? Here's the catch
You can't buy the annual plan while you have an active Premium or Music Premium membership. YouTube's route is:
- Check you live in one of the nine countries where annual plans are sold.
- Cancel your existing monthly membership first.
- Buy the annual plan once the monthly membership has ended or been cancelled.
To cancel monthly Premium on a computer, go to youtube.com/paid_memberships, click Manage membership, then Deactivate. If Apple bills you, cancel in your Apple subscriptions instead. Students should check the YouTube Premium Student plan too, since it's a monthly plan with yearly verification and no annual version.
Switching from annual to Family
You can't upgrade an annual plan to a multi-person plan mid-year. YouTube says you have to wait until your annual plan expires, then set up the YouTube Premium Family plan from there. If your household is likely to grow in the next year, factor that in before paying upfront.
Can you end an annual plan early?
Not in the usual way. Because it's prepaid, there's no cancel button that refunds you. YouTube says if you want to end access before the plan expires, you contact YouTube Support, and once access is ended you lose your benefits. Since refunds aren't available, ending early simply means losing the months you've already paid for.
What stays the same on an annual plan
Apart from how you pay, the membership is the same as monthly Premium. Once your purchase goes through, YouTube says you can use your benefits on every device where you can sign in to the Google Account you bought it with. That includes ad-free videos, background play, downloads and YouTube Music Premium.
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- Your plan's end date is shown in the Purchases and memberships section of your account.
- YouTube Music Premium has its own annual plan with its own address, so you don't need full Premium if you only want music.
- Annual plans follow the same travel policy as other paid memberships, so check before a long stay abroad.
Who should buy it
If you're in one of the nine countries, you've used Premium for a while and you know you'll keep it, the annual plan is a straightforward saving and one less monthly charge to track. I'd steer clear if you're trying Premium for the first time, if you share a household that might want Family, or if you're billed through Apple and like the option to stop at any time.
My verdict
The annual plan is good value with strict rules. Buy it in a browser, cancel any monthly membership first, and only commit if you're sure about the full year. And if you're in the UK or Australia, don't waste time hunting for it: YouTube doesn't sell it there.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the YouTube Premium annual plan?
On YouTube's Premium page in October 2026, the US annual plan was $159.99 for 12 months. Prices are set by country, so check youtube.com/premium signed in where you live.
Does the YouTube Premium annual plan renew automatically?
No. YouTube says annual plans are pre-paid and non-recurring, so your benefits end after 12 months and you have to buy another plan to continue.
Is the YouTube Premium annual plan available in the UK?
No. YouTube lists annual plans only for Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Thailand, Turkey and the United States.
Can I get a refund on a YouTube Premium annual plan?
No. YouTube says annual plans aren't refundable and can't be paused.
Can I switch from monthly to the annual plan?
Yes, if you live in a country where it's sold. Cancel your existing monthly membership first, then buy the annual plan from youtube.com/premium/annual/inapp.
Can I buy the YouTube Premium annual plan in the app?
YouTube's steps use a web browser on your phone or computer. Open youtube.com/premium/annual/inapp, sign in and select Get annual plan.
