Is YouTube Premium Worth The Cost? A Comprehensive Analysis

With YouTube ramping up advertisements and cracking down on ad blockers, you might be considering subscribing to YouTube Premium. This subscription tier promises ad-free viewing, exclusive features, and access to YouTube Music. If you're questioning whether YouTube Premium is a good investment, especially with the recent price increase, you're in the right place! Let’s explore the costs, benefits, and whether it's worth your hard-earned money.

YouTube Premium Cost and What It Gets You

The individual subscription for YouTube Premium is priced at $13.99 per month when subscribed through Android or the web. However, if you subscribe via an iPhone, the cost jumps to $18.99 per month due to Apple's commission. For those who prefer annual payments, a yearly subscription is available for $139.99.

For families, the subscription costs $22.99 per month, which allows up to five devices to enjoy YouTube Premium. Students can enjoy a discounted rate of $7.99 per month. Additionally, YouTube offers a standalone Music tier priced at $10.99 per month or $109.99 yearly for individuals, with a family plan costing $16.99.

So, what do you get with a YouTube Premium subscription? Here’s a breakdown of the benefits:

• Ad-free playback
• Access to YouTube Music
• Offline video downloads
• Background play for multitasking
• Continue watching across devices
• Premium controls and features
• Picture-in-picture support
• Video queuing on mobile devices
• Better video quality with higher bitrate
• Smart downloads tailored to your viewing habits

Determining the Value of YouTube Premium

Are the benefits of YouTube Premium worth the cost? The short answer is yes. Having used YouTube Premium for almost a year, I can share insights on who might find it beneficial and who might not.

For Those Who Dislike Ads

It's no secret that many users consider YouTube Premium primarily to avoid ads. Over the past few years, YouTube has significantly increased the frequency of advertisements. If ads frustrate you, this subscription could be a game-changer.

Although the $14 monthly fee may seem steep, consider the time you’ll save by not watching ads. This time can be better spent enjoying content without interruptions.

Combining Subscriptions: YouTube Music

Recently, Spotify raised its subscription prices, leading many users to seek alternatives. If you're already a YouTube user, subscribing to YouTube Premium gives you access to YouTube Music as well. This means you can effectively eliminate the need for two separate subscriptions, saving money while enjoying both ad-free videos and music.

Google also offers a separate YouTube Music subscription for $11 a month, but spending an extra $2 for all the benefits of YouTube Premium is often recommended.

Enhanced Playback Features

Some attractive features of YouTube Premium include Background play, Continue watching, and Picture-in-picture. These features significantly enhance the viewing experience. For instance, the "Continue watching" feature allows you to resume watching a video on your PC from where you left off on your phone, making it easier for those who switch between devices.

Background play and Picture-in-picture are excellent for multitaskers. Recently, even YouTube Shorts received Picture-in-picture support, exclusively for Premium subscribers. Furthermore, Premium users can experience videos at a better bitrate, resulting in improved quality, especially in fast-paced content.

Offline Viewing and Smart Downloads

YouTube Premium lets you download videos for offline viewing. While I personally haven't used these features much, they can be incredibly useful if you enjoy watching videos on your smartphone. Smart downloads automatically add videos to your device based on your viewing habits, ensuring you always have something to watch offline.

Video Queueing and Premium Controls

Another feature is the ability to queue videos on mobile devices. This function isn’t groundbreaking, but it does enhance the user experience. The Premium Controls feature, which adds buttons for play, pause, and video quality adjustments, can feel a bit redundant as these options are typically available in the standard player.

Weighing the Pros and Cons

Your decision to purchase YouTube Premium ultimately comes down to two factors: the value of ad-free playback and the subscription cost. While the additional features are nice perks, the core value lies in the ad-free experience. For a starting price of $13.99, YouTube Premium offers a lot beyond just skipping ads, including features like Continue watching and Offline downloads.

If ads don’t bother you, you may still find the additional features like Offline downloads and Picture-in-picture beneficial. Overall, YouTube Premium is a worthwhile investment for many users, especially those who regularly watch content on the platform.