YouTube Premium pricing in 2024

YouTube Premium costs $13.99 per month for an individual subscription in the United States. YouTube also offers a YouTube Premium Family plan for $22.99 per month, which covers up to six household members. There is also a YouTube Premium Student plan for $6.99 per month if you are enrolled at an accredited college or university — YouTube will ask you to verify your student status through SheerID, a third-party verification service.

Prices vary by country. If you live outside the United States, your local currency amount will differ. YouTube also occasionally offers promotional rates for new subscribers, typically a discounted first month or three months at a lower price, though these offers change throughout the year and are not always available.

YouTube Premium is separate from YouTube TV, which is a live television streaming service. YouTube TV costs $72.99 per month and includes live channels, cloud DVR, and access to YouTube Premium as part of the bundle. This guide covers YouTube Premium only.

Key Takeaways

  • YouTube Premium costs $13.99 per month for one person and removes ads from all videos you watch.
  • The Family plan costs $22.99 per month and lets up to six people in your household use their own accounts without ads.
  • Students pay $6.99 per month and must verify enrollment through SheerID when they sign up.
  • You can cancel your subscription at any time, and your access ends at the end of your current billing cycle.
  • YouTube Premium also includes offline viewing, background play on mobile, and YouTube Music ad-free as part of the subscription.

What YouTube Premium includes

When you pay for YouTube Premium, you get ad-free viewing across all of YouTube. This means no ads before videos start, no mid-roll ads during videos, and no banner ads on the page. You also get background play on mobile devices — you can close the YouTube app or lock your phone and the video keeps playing, which is useful for music or podcasts.

Offline viewing is included too. You can read videos to your phone or tablet and watch them later without an internet connection. Downloads stay on your device for up to 30 days, and you can only watch them in the YouTube app.

YouTube Premium also includes YouTube Music ad-free. You can stream music, create playlists, and listen in the background without ads. This is bundled into the Premium subscription at no extra cost — you do not need a separate YouTube Music subscription.

How the Family plan works

The YouTube Premium Family plan covers up to six people and costs $22.99 per month. Each person gets their own YouTube account and sees their own recommendations, watch history, and subscriptions. Everyone in the family gets ad-free viewing, background play, offline downloads, and YouTube Music ad-free.

All six members must live in the same household. When you set up the Family plan, you create a family group through Google Family Link. You add each family member's Google account to the group, and they can start using YouTube Premium right away on their own devices.

If someone moves out of the household, you can remove them from the family group, and they lose access to YouTube Premium. You can change family members at any time, so if someone leaves and someone new joins, you just update the group.

Student plan requirements and verification

The YouTube Premium Student plan costs $6.99 per month and is only for people currently enrolled at an accredited college or university. When you sign up, YouTube directs you to SheerID, a verification service that checks your student status using your school email address or student ID number.

The verification process usually takes a few minutes. SheerID connects to your school's records or asks you to upload a photo of your student ID. Once you are verified, your student discount is active when ready. YouTube will re-verify your status periodically — usually once per year — to make sure you are still enrolled.

If you graduate or leave school, you lose the student discount. YouTube will notify you when your status is about to expire and give you the option to switch to the regular $13.99 monthly plan or cancel.

How to start a YouTube Premium subscription

Open YouTube on any device and look for the "YouTube Premium" button or link, usually near your profile picture in the top right corner. Click it and you will see the three plan options: individual, family, and student. Select the plan you want.

You will be asked to confirm your payment method. YouTube accepts credit cards, debit cards, and Google Play balance. Enter your payment details and confirm. Your subscription starts when ready, and YouTube sends a confirmation email to your Google account.

Your first billing date is the day you sign up. After that, YouTube charges you on the same day each month. You can see your subscription details, change your payment method, or cancel anytime in your Google Account settings under "Subscriptions and services."

Canceling YouTube Premium

You can cancel your YouTube Premium subscription at any time. Go to your Google Account settings, select "Subscriptions and services," find YouTube Premium, and click "Manage subscription." Then click "Cancel subscription." YouTube will ask you to confirm, and your cancellation is when ready.

Your access to YouTube Premium continues until the end of your current billing cycle. If you paid on the 15th of the month, you keep YouTube Premium through the 14th of the next month, even after you cancel. You will not be charged again.

If you cancel and then change your mind, you can resubscribe at any time. YouTube does not penalize you for canceling and coming back. If you are a student and your discount expires, you can switch to the regular plan or cancel without losing your watch history or subscriptions.

Comparing YouTube Premium to other options

YouTube Premium removes ads and adds offline viewing and background play. If you only want to remove ads, YouTube Premium is the main option — there is no other way to turn off ads on YouTube itself.

If you want music streaming, YouTube Music is included in YouTube Premium. A standalone YouTube Music subscription costs $11.99 per month for ad-free music, or $6.99 per month for YouTube Music with ads. If you use both YouTube and YouTube Music, Premium at $13.99 is cheaper than buying them separately.

YouTube TV is a separate service that includes live TV channels and costs $72.99 per month. It also includes YouTube Premium, so if you want both live TV and ad-free YouTube, YouTube TV bundles them together. However, if you only want ad-free YouTube, the standalone Premium subscription is less expensive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share my YouTube Premium account with someone outside my household?

The Family plan is designed for people living in the same household. YouTube does not prevent you from sharing a single account, but the terms of service say accounts are for personal use only. If you share login credentials with someone who does not live with you, you are technically violating the terms. The Family plan is the intended way to share with multiple people.

What happens to my downloads if I cancel YouTube Premium?

Downloaded videos are deleted from your device when your subscription ends. You will not be able to watch them offline anymore. Your watch history, subscriptions, and playlists stay on your account — only the offline downloads go away.

Does YouTube Premium work on all devices?

YouTube Premium works on phones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs. You can watch on any device where you are signed into your Google account. Background play and offline downloads work on mobile devices (phones and tablets) but not on computers or TVs.

Can I switch from the individual plan to the Family plan?

Yes. Go to your Google Account settings, find your YouTube Premium subscription, and click "Manage subscription." You can upgrade to the Family plan anytime. YouTube will prorate the difference if you are mid-billing cycle, so you will not overpay.

Is there a free trial for YouTube Premium?

YouTube sometimes offers promotional trials for new subscribers, usually one month free or three months at a discount. These offers are not always available and change throughout the year. When you visit the YouTube Premium sign-up page, you will see if a trial is currently offered in your country.