You’ve probably seen ads for YouTube Premium recently and wondered – what exactly is it and should I get it? YouTube Premium is essentially an upgraded, ad-free version of regular YouTube with some extra perks. But is it actually worth paying for? Let’s break it down.

YouTube Premium provides an ad-free viewing experience across all of YouTube, including music. This means no pesky banner or video ads interrupting your content. Premium also includes features like being able to download videos for offline playback and background play on mobile devices so you can switch apps while a video keeps playing.

Additionally, a YouTube Premium subscription gives you access to YouTube Originals – exclusive shows and movies not available to regular users. However, YouTube announced last year that they are moving away from creating scripted YouTube Originals. While the YouTube Originals channel still exists, don’t expect a lot of splashy new releases.

Okay, but how much does this all cost? An individual plan is now $13.99 per month after Google raised the price in July 2023. A family plan for up to 5 people is $22.99 per month after seeing a price hike late last year. Students can get Premium for the discounted price of $7.99 per month with verification.

So should you get YouTube Premium? That depends on how much you use YouTube. For light users, regular ad-supported YouTube is probably sufficient. But if you spend a lot of time on YouTube, listen to music videos frequently, or want features like offline playback, the roughly $15 monthly investment could very well be worth it for an interruption-free experience. And if you can split the cost of a family plan with others, that makes Premium even more affordable.

At the end of the day, whether YouTube Premium is “worth it” comes down to your personal YouTube habits. But hopefully knowing exactly what features it includes helps make that decision easier.