Latest Updates
Last checked: September 2026.
- June 2026 – YouTube raised US Premium prices for the first time since 2023. New subscribers saw the higher rates from April 2026; existing subscribers were moved over from their June billing date after 30 days’ notice.
Current YouTube Premium Prices (US)
| Plan | Price | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $15.99/month | 1 person |
| Individual (annual) | $159.99/year | 1 person (≈$13.33/mo, saves ~$32/year) |
| Family | $26.99/month | Up to 6 people, same household |
| Student | $8.99/month | 1 person, verified enrollment |
| Premium Lite | $8.99/month | 1 person, reduced feature set |
Prices vary enormously by country — reported rates range from under $1/month in some markets to over $21/month in Switzerland. Always check the price shown in your own account before subscribing; regional pricing, taxes, and app-store billing can all shift the final number.
What Full Premium Actually Includes
- Ad-free viewing across YouTube (with rare exceptions)
- Background play — keep audio running with the screen off or while using other apps
- Downloads for offline viewing
- YouTube Music Premium included at no extra cost
Premium Lite: What You’re Actually Giving Up
Lite exists for people who mainly want ads gone and don’t care about the music bundle. At $8.99/month — the same price as the student plan — it’s genuinely worth understanding what’s missing before choosing it over full Premium:
- No YouTube Music Premium — the biggest gap if you use YouTube for music at all.
- Most videos are ad-free, but not all — some content categories retain ads on Lite.
- Limited or no background play and offline downloads in most current descriptions of the plan, unlike full Premium.
If you already pay for Spotify or Apple Music separately and just want YouTube ad-free, Lite is the more sensible $8.99 option. If you’d use YouTube Music, full Premium at $15.99 replaces a separate music subscription entirely — making the price gap smaller than it looks once you account for what you’re not paying for elsewhere.
Student Discount: How It Actually Works
- You must be enrolled in a qualifying higher-education institution.
- Verification runs through SheerID, a third-party identity/enrollment verification service — not a coupon code.
- You re-verify annually to keep the discounted rate.
- Eligibility is capped at 4 years total, even with continuous enrollment.
Once you hit the 4-year cap or fail a re-verification, your plan converts automatically to the full individual price ($15.99/month) — it doesn’t just cancel, so if you’re no longer eligible and don’t want to keep paying, you need to actively cancel or downgrade rather than assume it lapses on its own.
Family Plan: The Real Math
At $26.99/month for up to 6 people in the same household, the per-person cost (roughly $4.50 with 6 users) undercuts even the student rate. The requirement that matters: everyone must live at the same address and have their own Google account — it’s not a way to split a subscription across separate households or friends in different cities.
Which Plan Actually Makes Sense
- 3+ people in one household — Family plan is the clear value pick.
- Currently enrolled in higher education — Student plan, full features at the lowest price, as long as you don’t mind annual re-verification.
- Mainly want ads gone, already have a music subscription — Premium Lite.
- Everyone else — Individual plan, or the annual option if you’re confident you’ll keep it for a full year.
FAQ
How much does YouTube Premium cost in the US?
$15.99/month, or $159.99/year for the annual plan, which works out to roughly $13.33/month.
What’s the difference between Premium and Premium Lite?
Primarily YouTube Music Premium, which isn’t included on Lite. Most (not all) videos are ad-free on Lite, and it generally lacks full background play and offline download support compared to full Premium.
How long can I keep the student discount?
Verification runs through SheerID and must be renewed every year. Eligibility is capped at 4 years total, after which your plan converts automatically to the full individual price.
Can I share the family plan with people outside my household?
Yes, up to 6 people, but everyone must live at the same address and have their own Google account u2014 it’s not designed for friends or family in separate households.