YouTube Premium in 2025: A Closer Look at Google’s Ad-Free Play

The Basics: What YouTube Premium Offers

At its core, YouTube Premium is a subscription-based service that provides the following main features:

Table of Contents

Ad-free viewing on all videos across YouTube
Background playback, so videos or music continue when the app is minimized
Offline downloads for watching videos without an internet connection
Access to YouTube Music Premium, a full music streaming service
Limited access to exclusive YouTube Originals

It’s priced at around $13.99 per month in the U.S., with options for Family Plans (up to 6 people for $22.99/month) and Student Discounts (about $6.99/month, depending on country and eligibility).

A Solution to YouTube’s Ad Problem

One of the most common complaints about modern YouTube is the number of ads. What once was an occasional pre-roll ad has evolved into multiple interruptions per video, with mid-roll ads, display ads, and even unskippable sequences. For creators, this is revenue. For viewers, it’s increasingly frustrating.

YouTube Premium solves this by removing all ads. This alone can significantly enhance the experience, particularly for users who consume educational content, long-form video essays, documentaries, or music playlists.

However, it’s worth noting that ad blockers (while controversial and unsupported by YouTube) still exist and are used widely on desktops. On mobile, YouTube has recently cracked down on third-party apps that mimic Premium features. This signals Google’s intent to nudge more users toward official subscriptions.

YouTube Music Premium: A Mixed Bag

One often overlooked part of the YouTube Premium package is YouTube Music Premium. It offers features such as:

Ad-free music streaming
Background play (even when the phone screen is off)
Offline downloads
Personalized playlists and recommendations

While the music library is extensive—on par with Spotify and Apple Music—the interface and user experience still lag behind competitors in some areas. For example, playlist curation is decent but not best-in-class, and social features are minimal.

That said, for users who already rely on YouTube for music videos, live performances, or niche remixes, YouTube Music offers unique access unavailable elsewhere. For those users, it may even replace Spotify.

Offline Viewing: A Niche but Valuable Feature

Offline downloads are a lifesaver in specific situations—think air travel, commuting on a subway, or limited mobile data plans. With YouTube Premium, you can download most videos (with a few exceptions) to your device at different quality levels and watch them anytime.

For students, remote workers, or people in areas with unreliable internet, this feature can make a big difference. However, it’s not a daily-use feature for everyone, and its value depends on your lifestyle.

Background Play: The Quiet MVP

Perhaps the most underrated feature of YouTube Premium is background play. On the free app, switching away from YouTube stops your video. With Premium, videos and audio keep playing while you text, check email, or lock your phone.

This effectively turns YouTube into a podcast player, music streamer, and multitasking tool. It’s especially valuable for listeners of long-form interviews, lectures, audiobooks, and meditation content.

For users who rely on YouTube for passive listening, this feature alone could justify the monthly cost.

YouTube Originals: A Shrinking Incentive

When YouTube Premium was first introduced (as YouTube Red), part of its appeal was access to exclusive Originals—shows and movies starring major YouTubers and even Hollywood talent. Early successes included Cobra Kai and Impulse.

Over time, however, Google shifted away from scripted content production, and many Originals became available to all users or were discontinued. As of 2025, YouTube Originals are no longer a major part of the platform’s identity and rarely factor into subscription decisions.

Pricing: Reasonable or Redundant?

At $13.99/month, YouTube Premium sits in the middle of the subscription spectrum. It’s more expensive than Apple Music or Spotify (around $10.99/month) but cheaper than most video streaming platforms like Netflix or Max.

However, many users feel subscription fatigue. With so many services vying for monthly payments, some hesitate to pay for something they’ve used free for years. YouTube Premium must justify its price not just in features, but in daily utility.

If you’re using YouTube multiple hours a day, skipping dozens of ads, listening to music, or relying on offline content, the value becomes clear. But if you only open the app occasionally to watch a video or two, it’s a tougher sell.

Supporting Creators, Even Without Ads

One of the lesser-known facts about YouTube Premium is that it still supports creators. When you watch a video as a Premium subscriber, a portion of your subscription fee goes to the creator, based on how much you watch their content.

This offers a more direct, consistent revenue stream to YouTubers, and it can be especially beneficial for creators whose content isn’t ad-friendly (e.g., sensitive topics, niche subjects, or demonetized videos).

So if you’re worried that skipping ads means hurting creators, YouTube Premium actually offers a more ethical alternative than ad blockers.

Final Thoughts: Should You Subscribe?

YouTube Premium is a solid, feature-rich offering. Its benefits—especially ad-free viewing, background play, and YouTube Music—cater to real user frustrations. For frequent YouTube users, the convenience and saved time may easily justify the cost.

But it’s not for everyone. If you’re a light user or prefer to use ad blockers on desktop, you may not find it necessary. And if you’re already paying for Spotify or Apple Music, YouTube Music might feel redundant.

In short:

Great for: Heavy YouTube users, music lovers, multitaskers, frequent travelers, and families.
Skip if: You use YouTube occasionally, already pay for other music services, or don’t mind ads.

Still undecided? Google usually offers a free 1-month trial, which is a great way to test if Premium fits into your lifestyle. Try it for a month, and see if going back to ads feels unbearable—that’s often the biggest sign that YouTube Premium is worth it.