As someone who grew up on the internet, I've always been an avid watcher of YouTube. Over the years, the video-sharing service has become a noteworthy platform for content creators, and it has amassed a huge library of videos covering all topics.
2022-04-11
I often forgo watching shows and movies on other apps, like Netflix or Hulu, in favor of some bite-size entertainment from popular YouTubers. But as much as I love watching the service, there is one key downside: the platform has evolved from a no-cost, commercial-free website to one full of ads.
Though YouTube's videos are still free to watch, you often have to sit through commercials before and, in some cases, during your stream. That is, unless you pay $12 a month for YouTube Premium.
Though I held off for a while, I ultimately bit the bullet and made the switch to YouTube Premium. Now, there's simply no going back. The Premium plan only comes with four primary benefits, but depending on how much you use the service, these perks can add up to an essential upgrade.
Ad-free viewing
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This is the big one. Ads on streaming services make it feel like you're just watching cable with commercials, and that's no fun. It's even worse when using YouTube to listen to a music playlist on your phone since ads distract between each song.
Premium skips the ads altogether. Since subscribing, I'm sure I've gotten back hours and hours of time that would have gone straight into commercials.
It's also worth mentioning that you aren't shorting your favorite YouTube channels by skipping ads — content creators on the platform still get revenue from Premium subscription viewers.
Background play
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Though YouTube clumps this one with ad-free viewing as a benefit, I think it's worth its own mention. Background play means that you can lock your phone or switch to another app, and your video's audio will keep playing.
This comes in handy during long drives where I need a navigation app, but still want to listen to that one album on YouTube that's no longer on Spotify. I'm looking at you "Without My Enemy What Would I Do" by Made in Heights. Other streams that are primarily audio-based, like video essays and ASMR, also make for good background play.
Downloads
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I only use this feature a handful of times a year, but it really comes in clutch when I do. YouTube Premium gives you the ability to download videos on your mobile device for viewing later when you have no internet connection. I find this especially helpful for long plane flights — I use it to save up some viewing material I want to watch.
YouTube Music Premium
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YouTube Premium also includes YouTube's music streaming service built right into its subscription. YouTube Music normally costs $10 a month, so its inclusion with YouTube Premium is a huge plus.
YouTube Music isn't the best service of its kind, but it's good enough to eliminate your Spotify or Apple Music subs if you're cutting costs.
Remember that Made in Heights album that I can no longer find on Spotify? I can listen to the whole album here, with a familiar music player interface that just makes sense. You can also download albums for offline-listening.
Is YouTube Premium worth it?
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If you're like me and you use YouTube multiple times a day, YouTube Premium is definitely a worthwhile investment.
The time I've saved on ads alone make it worth $12 a month. When you add in the fact that YouTube Premium comes with YouTube Music — which normally costs $10 a month on its own — the service becomes even more of a no-brainer.
Subscribing also supports content creators in a way that other streaming services don't. YouTube Premium views count toward a YouTuber's revenue, the same way that ad views pay them.
If you have other interested users in your household, you can also opt for a family plan. My husband and I share a family account, which means we pay $18/month for the two of us — that's $6 less per month compared to when we were subscribed individually.
Does YouTube Premium have a free trial?
Yes! If you want to see just how much you'd actually use the service, new subscribers can give YouTube Premium a free shot for a whole month. Afterward, it'll be $12 a month.
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Sarah is a Deals and Tickets Editor for Business Insider’s Reviews team. She also supports our how-to-watch and streaming coverage. She never pays full price if she can help it and is an expert at finding and vetting the best discounts.ExperienceSarah joined the Business Insider Reviews team in 2020, starting as a deals reporter covering the best deals and steals daily. She later migrated to the tech team, where she researched, tested, and reviewed a variety of devices, from gaming mice to Kindle e-readers. Now, she’s returned to her origins, serving as the deals editor to curate only the best discounts and buying advice for readers. She began her career in service journalism in 2018 at Wirecutter as a deals writer, where she absorbed the history of the most frequently discounted products. This has informed her impeccably high standards for what makes a good deal. Ever since her Wirecutter days, Sarah has been an expert deals curator for tentpole sale days like Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. Following her weekly contributions to Business Insider’s Newsletter will illuminate new ways to get the best value on products you use every day. Why you can trust SarahSarah doesn’t recommend any deal she wouldn’t pay for herself. She is skeptical about the advertising language brands use to tout their sales and utilizes all the price-checking tools to ensure they deliver savings.Expertise
Deal hunting and vetting
E-readers
Gaming accessories
Smart home devices
Concert tickets
Travel bookings
Streaming services
EducationSarah graduated from the California State University of Fullerton with a degree in Marketing. She lives in Southern California and is the proud pet parent of two German Shepherds and one chihuahua. She loves traveling to try delicious food, is skilled in crocheting and sewing, and enjoys reading horror novels (as long as they don’t keep her awake).Say hi (or send a picture of your pet) to Sarah at ssaril@jkmperu.com, or reach her on Twitter at @sarahhahr. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Business Insider here.
