As time goes on, ads just keep finding ways to nestle deeper into our lives. So, if and when you’re able to, it’s nice to look for ways to avoid them. Streaming services are constantly jacking up their prices for the ad-free tiers in an effort to make those ad-supported plansmore valuable. It has paid off in some regards, as keeping up with all thestreaming servicesis expensive, so you have to cut costs where you can. For some, that means paying for ads – those tiers are typically cheaper on every streaming service.
I ran into a similar problem with streaming services, and it led me to make a choice. I decided thatYouTube Premiumwas what had to go, and while I really enjoyed having no ads on YouTube, it’s what made the most sense to me.
YouTube Premium
Thought YouTube Premium was just for skipping ads? Think again
YouTube Premium has more than a couple perks that make paying worth it.
YouTube Premium is nice, but it’s losing value over time
It’s tough to justify
When YouTube Premium was available for $10, it was a much easier price to pay. For the uninitiated, YouTube Premium offers ad-free viewing on YouTube along with ad-free listening on YouTube Music. It’s not a bad deal if you use YouTube a ton and don’t have a subscription to Apple Music or Spotify. The problem is, along with all streaming services really, is the constantly increasing price.
At the time of this writing, YouTube Premiumcosts $14 a month, and the cost rises to over $20 for a family plan. Getting rid of ads is nice, but is anybody actually fine with paying the price of an entire streaming service just to have ad-free watching? I got started on YouTube Premium through a free trial, and the allure of no ads eventually led me to pay for a few additional months, but I had to ask myself if the price was worth it at a certain point.
5 ways to never pay full price for YouTube Premium
I’ve found a bunch of YouTube Premium discounts and deals worth checking out now.
I do most of my YouTube viewing on my Apple TV 4K, and it wasn’t until then I realized how invasive the ads were once I dropped my subscription. I had the annoying Apple TV 4K issue of a flashing black screen any time ads popped up, but instead of resubscribing to Premium, I just watched YouTube less. For what it’s worth, I eventually found outhow to fix the issue, but it hasn’t made me watch YouTube more often.
Personally, I don’t take advantage of features like downloading videos or listening to music, so while that adds value for some people, it’s not a selling point for me. At the end of the day, I was paying $14 a month just to have no ads. It might be worth it for people who have large disposable incomes, but anybody who has to limit their spending won’t be able to find a lot of value here.
Subscription prices keep rising and rising
It’s not just YouTube Premium
YouTube Premium Lite is currently just a rumor.
This is the best YouTube TV feature you’re not using
Now that I’m knee-deep in the best sports seasons, I can’t miss a single game. So, here’s how I use YouTube TV to watch multiple games at once.
The pricing of services like YouTube Premium is becoming a big issue, and that’s the case even if you don’t take traditional streaming services like Netflix into account. YouTube Premium has competition from Apple Music and Spotify that it has to ward off. With the price increase, it’s just as expensive as those services, and while ad-free music is nice, it’s unlikely YouTube could overcome Spotify’s built-in audience. It leaves me wondering exactly who YouTube Premium is for. From where I’m standing, it seems like a service that’s focused on removing ads first and foremost, and I don’t think I can justify forking over $14 a month for that anymore.
What is the difference between YouTube TV and YouTube Premium?
YouTube’s different subscription options can be confusing, here’s how the different services shake-up.
