YouTube, the world’s largest video-sharing platform, delivers an endless stream of content from tutorials to entertainment, name it. But those constant ads can sour the experience.
For everyday YouTube users fed up with these interruptions, YouTube Premium offers a fix: ad-free viewing, exclusive features, and a music streaming service that rivals Spotify or Apple Music.
If you’re considering the switch, this article breaks down the costs, features and workarounds, including how YouTube Music fits in, even in regions like Uganda where access is limited.
What is YouTube Premium?
Launched in 2018 (originally as YouTube Red in 2015), YouTube Premium is a paid subscription service designed to enhance the YouTube user experience, with ad-free viewing, exclusive features and access to YouTube Music Premium.
In February 2024, YouTube reported over 100 million Premium subscribers. Yes, people are actually switching to YouTube Premium, likely due to the increasing number of ads per video on the free version.
How Much Does YouTube Premium Cost?
As of 2025, here are the monthly YouTube Premium prices in several regions:
YouTube Premium Pricing in Uganda
Individual Plan: $3.99/month
Family Plan: $7.49/month
Student Plan: $2.35/month
YouTube Premium Pricing in the US
Individual Plan: $13.99/month
Family Plan: $22.99/month
Student Plan: $7.99/month
YouTube Premium Pricing in the UK
Individual Plan: £12.99/month
Family Plan: £19.99/month
Student Plan: £7.99/month
Check your region’s YouTube Premium price here.
Note: Prices vary by location and payment method. Using VPNs, some users pay less by setting their account location to countries with cheaper rates.
What Do You Get with YouTube Premium?
YouTube Premium stands out for two key reasons: a no-ads experience and access to exclusive features not available on the free version.
No Ads, No Interruptions
You can watch any video on YouTube, YouTube Kids, or YouTube Music, without pre-roll, mid-roll, or banner ads. With YouTube Premium, it’s all a clean experience across all devices.
While some users rely on ad blockers or opt for YouTube Premium Lite (which offers only ad-free playback), the full Premium plan adds much more.
YouTube Premium Exclusive Features
YouTube Premium unlocks tools and perks that many users find genuinely useful.
#1. Background Play
This feature lets you keep playing YouTube videos, shorts or music in the background while using other apps, even when your phone, tablet, or iPad screen is locked. It’s useful for multitasking, especially when listening to long videos like podcasts, tutorials, or interviews. You can even hide the minimised player from the screen.
On both YouTube and the YouTube Music App, this feature also supports locked screen controls, just like Spotify or Apple Music.
#2. Offline Downloads
While this feature is available to non-premium users as well, YouTube Premium subscribers can download videos in the highest resolution, without being limited to medium or low quality.
#3. YouTube Music Premium
Included with YouTube Premium, this service offers ad-free music streaming, offline downloads, and background play in the YouTube Music app.
Think of it as YouTube’s answer to Spotify or Apple Music, but with one key advantage: You can switch between audio-only and video without restarting the song or leaving the app. You can also find songs simply by typing a line or two of the lyrics.
YouTube Music Premium includes all distributed music content, singles, EPs, albums, covers, and live performances. A contributor at 9to5Google described it as the largest music collection on the internet. In our opinion, it’s just a streaming platform that needs a better structure.
Not to get confused, it’s the same YouTube Music app but with Premium features unlocked, limited regions.
#4. Premium Controls
Available in the additional settings when playing a video, Premium Controls give you a cleaner panel for play, pause, and skipping 10 seconds forward or back. This is specifically useful when watching long explainer videos, saving you the time spent dragging the video slider to rewind or skip.
The panel also includes a Stable Volume feature, and like on the free version, it lets you adjust playback speed and video quality, with the added benefit of an enhanced 1080p option.
#5. Enhanced Video Quality for 1080 Videos
Most noticeable on desktop and TV, there’s a difference between standard 1080p HD and the enhanced bitrate 1080p Premium HD. But this alone isn’t a strong reason to subscribe to YouTube Premium, since most videos don’t even support the enhanced option.
#6. Experimental Features:
Premium subscribers get early access to new features, like AI-powered video Q&A tools and smart downloads that automatically save recommended Shorts and videos to your device.
Is YouTube Premium Worth It?
The answer depends on how you use YouTube.
If you are a heavy YouTube user, hate Ads, enjoy music and are already subscribed to Spotify or Apple Music, YouTube Premium is worth it.
Let’s assume you’re open to switching to YouTube Music, which offers a similar experience to other music streaming services. Some users report better audio quality on YouTube Music compared to Spotify or Apple Music.
If this sounds like you, cancelling your current music plan for YouTube Premium gives you both music streaming and ad-free video in one subscription. Plus, you get YouTube-exclusive features.
Alternatively, you could keep both, let’s say, Spotify for music and YouTube Premium for an ad-free experience and exclusive features.
But if you mainly watch non-music content like tutorials, vlogs, or explainer videos and don’t care about podcasts or music streaming, YouTube Premium might not be worth it.
In this case, YouTube Premium Lite, though limited to some countries, could work. It offers an ad-free experience without the extra features or access to YouTube Music Premium.
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