Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? | Unbiased Review
Published Date 2022-08-08
Written by Circles.Life
Is a YouTube Premium Subscription Worth the Money?
There's no doubt that YouTube is a household name. If you're one of the billions of users that love the platform, you've probably considered a YouTube Premium account. After all, ads can get annoying, and it would be nice to download videos to watch later. But the big question is, is it really worth paying for a premium subscription?
In this guide, we'll unpack the premium features as well as whether the subscription is worth the price. Read on to decide if a Premium account is worth it for yourself.
The Cost of YouTube Premium
The cost of a YouTube Premium account is a bit pricey, even compared to other subscription content services like Netflix or Stan. Like most platforms, YouTube Premium offers a few different plans, as well as a free trial period, so you can see if you like it before committing.
The monthly plan is $14.99 for up to six family members. It's a recurring billing cycle, similar to other subscription options.
You can cancel any time. However, there are no refunds or credits for partial billing periods, so keep that in mind.
The family monthly subscription plan is $22.99 per month. It allows you to invite another five family members as long as everyone is over age 13 and has their own Google account. Family members must also reside in the same household as the plan owner.
A student plan is a great option for those enrolled in classes. It's $8.99 a month, which is more comparable to other subscription plans. Full-time students at a higher education facility can sign up for either YouTube Premium or Music Premium after verifying their student status.
Student memberships are only valid for four years and you must reverify eligibility at the end of each year. First-time users can try a one-month trial period. It's a good way to see for yourself if you think it's worth the cost.
Now let’s move on to the features:
1. Ad-Free Videos
Perhaps the most well-known benefit of a subscription to YouTube Premium is the ad-free videos. It's one of the key reasons that the service has over 50 million subscribers across the world.
There's nothing quite as frustrating as watching your favourite YouTuber or listening to a relaxing playlist only to have your video cut short by loud and arguably annoying advertisements.
We get it—it's a free service, and the company needs to pay their bills. But there are ads appearing even if the content creator hasn't monetised the channel. If this really annoys you, you’re not alone!
The platform has come a long way since the very first video, "Me at the Zoo", was uploaded in 2005. There are hundreds of millions of videos available on the platform, and pretty much everything from DIY and how-to guides to cat videos.
Many people find the ad-free experience more than worth it, especially considering it opens up the possibility of downloading YouTube videos.
2. Access Exclusive Content
Plenty of YouTube Originals are binge-worthy and worth a watch. If you want to skip the ads and watch exclusive content, a subscription plan might be a smart move.
Subscribers get access to exclusive bonus content, such as director's cuts and more, when available. They also get access to all episodes when they premiere.
It's worth noting that you can also experience ad-free videos with an ad blocker. This is a much cheaper (or even free) option that's worth considering. The downside is that you won't get access to bonus content with this method.
3. Offline Playback
Another major selling point of the subscription option is the ability to download videos onto your phone or device for later viewing. This is great for long videos or episodes that you don't have time to catch up on right now but plan to watch on the go, or during your next plane journey.
You can download a ton of content and watch it anytime, anywhere, regardless of whether you have an internet connection.
4. Background Play
Have you ever been listening to a video or playlist and gone to switch to a different app or lock your screen? Sometimes, YouTube videos make great background noise, especially if you're listening to a ten-hour rain sound video to go to sleep at night.
Unfortunately, the free version of YouTube doesn't allow you to do this. Background play is a feature reserved for subscribers. It allows you to play videos, podcasts, and music while using other apps and when you have the screen locked.
While not everyone uses this feature, it might be nice if you often use the service for background noise or music.
However, if you're looking for an alternative for music and podcasts, Spotify also allows you to do this.
5. YouTube Music Premium
YouTube's music app contains millions of songs. Subscribing means you can download the app and listen to official songs, live performances, curated playlists, and much more without interruptions. You also get personalised mixes and playlists, which are great for finding new music.
One benefit is that you can listen to music offline, allowing you to listen in your car, on your walk, and anywhere there isn't an internet connection.
While this is a big benefit, it's up to you whether the price is worth it. There are many free, ad-supported music streaming apps.
Services like Spotify, for instance, have an ad-supported version. The downside is there's no offline mode, and albums are on shuffle mode.
Are the YouTube Premium Features Worth It?
There are many features that YouTube Premium offers, such as access to YouTube's music library and millions of songs, the ability to watch ad-free videos, and the option to download videos and watch them offline. However, whether the features are worth the price is up to you. It's worth considering the alternatives and giving the free trial a shot to see if you'd like to continue a subscription plan.
No matter how you choose to watch your favourite videos, whether on the free version or as a YouTube Premium subscriber, Circles Life mobile plans have you covered. We offer affordable plans for any budget, so take a look at what we have to offer!
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Published Date 2022-08-08
Written by Circles.Life
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