‘What is YouTube Premium?’: Everything you need to know about YouTube’s ad-free streaming service

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youtube app phoneShutterstock

  • YouTube has its own streaming service, YouTube Premium (formerly known as YouTube Red).
  • For $12 per month, YouTube Premium subscribers can watch videos without ads and download content for viewing offline.

If you’re hooked on YouTube, YouTube Premium is your opportunity to indulge your addiction. 

While YouTube remains free for all to post and view videos, YouTube Premium allows you to watch those videos without ads. 

But that’s just the start of the benefits of a Premium subscription.

What is YouTube Premium?

YouTube Premium does more than free you from sitting through ads that are sometimes as long as the video you want to watch. Here’s what else you get with YouTube’s streaming service: 

  • You can open another app on your mobile device and your YouTube video will continue to play in the background. 
  • You can download videos to watch offline later, which will surely make your time on the train home go by faster.
  • Watch YouTube Originals, exclusive content featuring celebrity stars available for streaming through YouTube Premium. 
  • With your subscription to YouTube Premium, you also get access to YouTube Music Premium. This may be one of the best features of the membership. YouTube Music, like Apple Music, Spotify, or Pandora, allows you to stream a wide library of music. You can create stations or explore new releases. If YouTube Music doesn’t have the song you’re searching for, the app can find that song for you from the YouTube app and send you there to play it.

3.5 premium musicLaura McCamy/Business Insider

  • If you let YouTube Music use your location data, it will play location-specific music for you (such as a workout playlist at the gym). This is either very cool or super creepy, depending on your perspective.

How to sign up for YouTube Premium

To sign up for YouTube Premium, simply click on one of the many pop-up boxes for a free trial in YouTube on your computer or your phone. 

4.5 premium sign upLaura McCamy/Business Insider

If you don’t see a pop-up, follow these steps:

  • If you’re not logged into YouTube, you’ll need to log in.
  • Click on your Profile photo.
  • From the menu that appears, choose Paid memberships. 

5 account management menu computerLaura McCamy/Business Insider

To use YouTube Music on your phone, download the app. You can click on the music icon from the YouTube app and you’re automatically signed in and ready to go. Add your music preferences to start getting custom playlists. 

You can also access YouTube Music through the browser on your computer. 

How much YouTube Premium costs 

After the free one-month trial, YouTube Premium costs $11.99 per month. For an extra $6 per month, you can add as many as five family members to your Premium subscription. 

10 family membershipLaura McCamy/Business Insider

At $17.99 per month, that’s the best deal, especially if you have a big family. Family members must be at least 13 years old to use YouTube Premium.

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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Laura McCamy)

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