Is YouTube Premium Worth Adding to Your List of Recurring Bills in 2025? 5 Pros and Cons
Written by
Peter Burns
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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These days, it seems like you need a subscription for almost everything. You have to pay a monthly fee to store your files in the cloud, read your preferred digital newspaper, play video games online, keep your internet connection safe and get access to the movies and music you’re interested in.
With all of these adding up, it may be difficult to talk yourself into signing up for another subscription, especially when you can access a free version. However, for some, YouTube Premium‘s monthly fee of $13.99 might just be worth it. Here are some pros and cons.
Pros
These are some of the convenient features you get when you subscribe to YouTube Premium.
No Ads
The biggest reason to pay extra for YouTube Premium is to get rid of ads. YouTube users who find pre-, post- and mid-roll ads annoying can now enjoy their videos without interruptions. Those who use YouTube for music may be especially interested in this feature, as there’s nothing worse than an ad interrupting your playlist when you’re on the treadmill at the gym or in the middle of mowing your lawn.
Background Play
The ability to play videos or music in the background of your phone is only available through YouTube Premium. If you’re using other apps and want to listen to ambient music or your favorite sports podcast, you can do that with this subscription. You can also download the YouTube Music app and use your premium membership to listen to ad-free music through it, as well.
Access Content Offline
If you’re using the free version of YouTube, you must use an internet connection to stream the content to your computer or smart device. This can limit when you can use the site, use up your data or make it unavailable if you’re in an area with no service.
YouTube Premium solves this problem by allowing you to download content preemptively when you have a Wi-Fi connection. You can then watch the content offline and enjoy the videos without any internet connection or data service.
Cons
Before opening up your wallet to pay for YouTube Premium, you’ll want to consider some of the drawbacks to the service. Here are the most notable downsides.
Cost
Of course, YouTube Premium is an additional monthly cost. The individual plan is $13.99 per month or $139.99 for a full year with a one-month free trial, but there are other plans you can choose from.
Students receive the best deal, paying just $7.99 per month. They’re also eligible for a three-month free trial. YouTube also offers a family plan for $22.99 per month. This plan allows you to add up to five more accounts to your membership.
Some Ads Remain
While YouTube Premium removes the pre-, post- and mid-roll ads that can interrupt your viewing experience, some ads remain. It’s common for creators to partner with brands and businesses, embedding their own promotions into their content. This isn’t something that YouTube can remove with your membership. However, you can still skip past these portions of the videos.
Should You Sign Up for YouTube Premium?
If you find it frustrating to sit through multiple ads that interrupt your viewing experience, YouTube Premium may be a great option. While $13.99 a month isn’t too expensive for regular viewers, it does add up over time. Deciding if YouTube Premium is worth it for you essentially comes down to how often you use the platform and the value you place on convenience.
Editor’s note: Prices are accurate as of Sept. 5, 2025. Prices and availability may vary by location.
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