🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 19 (from laksa185)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa019.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.groovypost.com/commentary/youtube-premium-worth-cost/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.groovypost.com/commentary/youtube-premium-worth-cost/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/commentary\/youtube-premium-worth-cost\/","crawl_time":1775360239,"first_indexed_time":1719176272,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,groovypost!www,\/commentary\/youtube-premium-worth-cost\/ s443","src_root_hash":"7610853284505159819","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends","meta_descriptions":["Try hard to resist it, but YouTube Premium might be worth the cost (for some users, anyway)."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Try hard to resist it, but YouTube Premium might be worth the cost (for some users, anyway).\nI love YouTube. While I’m trying to cut back on the amount of Google services I subscribe to, I don’t think YouTube is one that I can ditch. The problem with YouTube is the variety is hard to replace. I’m not a fan of short-form videos, so\nTikTok isn’t an option\n, and alternative platforms simply don’t exist at the scale that YouTube provides.\nThe one thing I can’t stand, however, is the adverts. One-minute-long advertisements popping up at random to block my videos are far too long. That’s why, when YouTube prompted me to subscribe to a free YouTube Premium trial, I jumped at the chance. It’s otherwise quite costly ($13.99 a month for individual users), so is it worth it? Well, that really depends.\nNo ads makes YouTube viewing a lot better\nIf you watch hours of YouTube videos, you’ll know how annoying the ad breaks can be. They’re frequent, can slow down your browser, and they just get in the way. I don’t mind the support for creators, but in many respects, it isn’t them that profit—it’s Google.\nYouTube Premium doesn’t solve that problem, since you’re paying for a subscription to Google and the company still benefits. What it does solve is the ad problem, allowing you to watch your content for free, whether it’s a minute long or hours long. There are also some premium advantages to YouTube Premium, such as the ability to download videos to watch offline.\nThere are some discounts available, especially for families and students. If you’ve not had a subscription before, or you’ve allowed it to lapse for a while, you should be able to get a free month out of the company, too.\nYouTube Music Premium softens the blow\nIf you’re a YouTube Premium subscriber, you’ve got a two-for-one deal to take advantage of. A subscription also gives you access to YouTube Music Premium, a premium Spotify alternative with ad-free playback of millions of different songs. You can also download songs for offline listening. Two services rolled into one might make it easier to justify the cost of YouTube Premium.\nA Spotify subscription costs $6.99 a month for individual users—slightly under half the cost of a YouTube Premium subscription. If you cancel Spotify and stick to YouTube for both your music and video costs, you’ll be saving a bit of money in the process. If you go for a family plan (costing $22.99 a month), you’ll save even more money as a group. \nUse an adblocker instead (while you still can)\nYou don’t necessarily need YouTube Premium to block ads.\nAd-blocking extensions\nin your web browser, like uBlock Origins, can block YouTube ads. I’ll admit to the fact that I used to use such an ad-blocking extension to block ads on YouTube, but there’s a fly in the ointment to consider—Google is fighting back.\nGoogle really wants you to sign up for YouTube Premium\nAfter years of ignoring the issue, Google is actively trying to block these blockers from working. YouTube pops up with a skippable warning that prevents playback, giving you several chances to disable your ad blocker before YouTube is blocked completely (at least until you disable the blocker).\nReports online also suggest\nthat Google is also experimenting with more direct ways to deal with ad-blocking, including slowing down videos and automatically muting them. If you decide to use an ad-blocker, make sure you keep on top of the latest changes by keeping your ad-blocker (and the sources it uses) up-to-date.\nYouTube Premium is a quality-of-life improvement\nI don’t like the cost, but with stricter blocks against ad-blocking, Google is forcing users to make a choice: suffer through the ads or pay for YouTube Premium. Ultimately, YouTube Premium is a quality-of-life improvement for serious YouTube users. It sits alongside services like Twitch Turbo in that regard, which allows you to block all ads on that platform.\nIf you’re spending hours watching YouTube each day or week, YouTube Premium might be worth the cost. If you’re a very casual user, however, it really isn’t—after all, $13.99 a month would make it among the most expensive streaming services. I’ll pay for it, but if the ad-blockers win this battle, I might reconsider as there’s no contract to tie users in.\nDo you subscribe to YouTube Premium or do you prefer to take your chances with the ad-blockers? If you’ve got your own recommendations to share, drop them in the comments.","attrs_markdown":"- [Premium\\!](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/support-us\/ \"Premium Subscription\")\n- [News](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/news\/ \"Tech News\")\n- [Windows](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/tags\/windows\/ \"Microsoft Windows tips, news and reviews\")\n- [macOS](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/tags\/macos\/ \"Apple MacOS tips, news and reviews\")\n- [Smartphones](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/tags\/smartphones\/ \"iPhone and Android mobile tips, news and reviews\")\n- [Microsoft Office](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/tags\/microsoft-office\/ \"Microsoft Office how to tutorials, tips, news\")\n- [Google Apps](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/tags\/google\/ \"Google Apps and Services news, tips, and reviews\")\n- [Online Privacy](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/tags\/privacy\/ \"Online Privacy tips and tricks and news\")\n- [Forums](https:\/\/forum.groovypost.com\/ \"groovyPost Forums\")\n- [Newsletter](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/emailsub\/ \"groovyPost Newsletter\")\n- [Store](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/shop\/ \"groovyPost Store\")\n  - [Cart](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/cart\/ \"Shopping Cart\")\n- [My Account](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/my-account\/)\n- [About Us](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/about\/ \"Learn about groovyPost,com\")\n  - [Writing Staff](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/staff\/ \"groovyPost Writing Team\")\n  - [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/contact\/ \"groovyPost Contact Information\")\n  - [Tools & Services We Recommend](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/tools-services-we-recommend\/)\n  - [Editorial Policies](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/editorial-policies\/ \"groovyPost Editorial Policies\")\n  - [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/privacy-policy\/ \"groovyPost Privacy Policy\")\n  - [Terms of Service](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/terms\/ \"groovyPost TOS\")\n- [Search](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/search\/ \"Search groovyPost\")\n\n[![groovyPost](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/groovy-logo.png)](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/)\n\n## groovyPost\n\n- [Search](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/search\/ \"Search our Article Archive\")\n- [News](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/news\/ \"Tech News\")\n- [Windows](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/tags\/windows\/ \"Microsoft Windows tips, news and reviews\")\n- [macOS](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/tags\/macos\/ \"Apple macOS tips, news and reviews\")\n- [Smartphones](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/tags\/smartphones\/ \"iPhone and Android mobile tips, news and reviews\")\n- [Microsoft Office](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/tags\/microsoft-office\/ \"Microsoft Office tips, news and reviews\")\n- [Google Apps](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/tags\/google\/ \"Google apps and services tips, news and reviews\")\n- [Online Privacy](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/tags\/privacy\/ \"Online Privacy tips, news and reviews\")\n- [Newsletter](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/emailsub\/ \"Join our free Tech Newsletter\")\n- [Premium\\!](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/support-us\/ \"Premium Subscription\")\n- [My Account](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/my-account\/)\n\n[Commentary](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/commentary\/)\n\n# Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends\n![](data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI1MCIgaGVpZ2h0PSI1MCIgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDUwIDUwIj48cmVjdCB3aWR0aD0iMTAwJSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxMDAlIiBmaWxsPSIjMDAwMDAwIi8+PC9zdmc+)\n\n![](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/b9dd6644e385457565d56efc8c4caaad.jpg?ver=1768523098)\n\nBy [Ben Stockton](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/howto\/author\/bengroovypost-com\/ \"Posts by Ben Stockton\")\n\nPublished\n\nJune 23, 2024\n\n![Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends - featured](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/youtube-featured.jpg)\n\nTry hard to resist it, but YouTube Premium might be worth the cost (for some users, anyway).\n\nI love YouTube. While I’m trying to cut back on the amount of Google services I subscribe to, I don’t think YouTube is one that I can ditch. The problem with YouTube is the variety is hard to replace. I’m not a fan of short-form videos, so [TikTok isn’t an option](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/explainer\/what-is-tiktok-and-how-do-you-use-it\/), and alternative platforms simply don’t exist at the scale that YouTube provides.\n\nThe one thing I can’t stand, however, is the adverts. One-minute-long advertisements popping up at random to block my videos are far too long. That’s why, when YouTube prompted me to subscribe to a free YouTube Premium trial, I jumped at the chance. It’s otherwise quite costly (\\$13.99 a month for individual users), so is it worth it? Well, that really depends.\n\n## **No ads makes YouTube viewing a lot better**\nIf you watch hours of YouTube videos, you’ll know how annoying the ad breaks can be. They’re frequent, can slow down your browser, and they just get in the way. I don’t mind the support for creators, but in many respects, it isn’t them that profit—it’s Google.\n\n![A YouTube video with a playing ad](data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI3MDIiIGhlaWdodD0iNDA2IiB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNzAyIDQwNiI+PHJlY3Qgd2lkdGg9IjEwMCUiIGhlaWdodD0iMTAwJSIgZmlsbD0iIzAwMDAwMCIvPjwvc3ZnPg==)![A YouTube video with a playing ad](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/youtube-ad-example.png)\n\nYouTube Premium doesn’t solve that problem, since you’re paying for a subscription to Google and the company still benefits. What it does solve is the ad problem, allowing you to watch your content for free, whether it’s a minute long or hours long. There are also some premium advantages to YouTube Premium, such as the ability to download videos to watch offline.\n\nThere are some discounts available, especially for families and students. If you’ve not had a subscription before, or you’ve allowed it to lapse for a while, you should be able to get a free month out of the company, too.\n\n## **YouTube Music Premium softens the blow**\nIf you’re a YouTube Premium subscriber, you’ve got a two-for-one deal to take advantage of. A subscription also gives you access to YouTube Music Premium, a premium Spotify alternative with ad-free playback of millions of different songs. You can also download songs for offline listening. Two services rolled into one might make it easier to justify the cost of YouTube Premium.\n\n![Playback of music on YouTube Music](data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI3MDIiIGhlaWdodD0iMzMzIiB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNzAyIDMzMyI+PHJlY3Qgd2lkdGg9IjEwMCUiIGhlaWdodD0iMTAwJSIgZmlsbD0iIzAwMDAwMCIvPjwvc3ZnPg==) ![Playback of music on YouTube Music](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/youtube-music-example.png)\n\nA Spotify subscription costs \\$6.99 a month for individual users—slightly under half the cost of a YouTube Premium subscription. If you cancel Spotify and stick to YouTube for both your music and video costs, you’ll be saving a bit of money in the process. If you go for a family plan (costing \\$22.99 a month), you’ll save even more money as a group.\n\n## **Use an adblocker instead (while you still can)**\nYou don’t necessarily need YouTube Premium to block ads. [Ad-blocking extensions](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/howto\/block-ads-in-google-chrome\/) in your web browser, like uBlock Origins, can block YouTube ads. I’ll admit to the fact that I used to use such an ad-blocking extension to block ads on YouTube, but there’s a fly in the ointment to consider—Google is fighting back.\n\n![Google really wants you to sign up for YouTube Premium](data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI3MDAiIGhlaWdodD0iNDYwIiB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNzAwIDQ2MCI+PHJlY3Qgd2lkdGg9IjEwMCUiIGhlaWdodD0iMTAwJSIgZmlsbD0iIzAwMDAwMCIvPjwvc3ZnPg==)\n\n![Google really wants you to sign up for YouTube Premium](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/youtube-premium-sign-up.png)\n\nGoogle really wants you to sign up for YouTube Premium\n\nAfter years of ignoring the issue, Google is actively trying to block these blockers from working. YouTube pops up with a skippable warning that prevents playback, giving you several chances to disable your ad blocker before YouTube is blocked completely (at least until you disable the blocker).\n\n[Reports online also suggest](https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/tech\/youtube-down-not-working-ad-blocker-b2552387.html) that Google is also experimenting with more direct ways to deal with ad-blocking, including slowing down videos and automatically muting them. If you decide to use an ad-blocker, make sure you keep on top of the latest changes by keeping your ad-blocker (and the sources it uses) up-to-date.\n\n## **YouTube Premium is a quality-of-life improvement**\nI don’t like the cost, but with stricter blocks against ad-blocking, Google is forcing users to make a choice: suffer through the ads or pay for YouTube Premium. Ultimately, YouTube Premium is a quality-of-life improvement for serious YouTube users. It sits alongside services like Twitch Turbo in that regard, which allows you to block all ads on that platform.\n\nIf you’re spending hours watching YouTube each day or week, YouTube Premium might be worth the cost. If you’re a very casual user, however, it really isn’t—after all, \\$13.99 a month would make it among the most expensive streaming services. I’ll pay for it, but if the ad-blockers win this battle, I might reconsider as there’s no contract to tie users in.\n\nDo you subscribe to YouTube Premium or do you prefer to take your chances with the ad-blockers? If you’ve got your own recommendations to share, drop them in the comments.\n\n1 Comment\n\n#### 1 Comment\n1. Lanki\n   \n   June 27, 2024 at 8:08 am\n   \n   I am wondering where you can get Spotify for \\$6.99. Currently is \\$11.99 with one month free.\n   \n   [Reply](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/commentary\/youtube-premium-worth-cost\/#comment-1294117)\n### Leave a Reply [Cancel reply](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/commentary\/youtube-premium-worth-cost\/#respond)\n\n![](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/groovy-logo.png)\n\nRelated Items:[Hero](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/tags\/hero\/), [Youtube](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/tags\/youtube\/)\n\n#### Recommended for you\n- [![Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends - featured](data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSIzMDAiIGhlaWdodD0iMTgwIiB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMzAwIDE4MCI+PHJlY3Qgd2lkdGg9IjEwMCUiIGhlaWdodD0iMTAwJSIgZmlsbD0iIzAwMDAwMCIvPjwvc3ZnPg==)![Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends - featured](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/youtube-featured-300x180.jpg) ![Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends - featured](data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI4MCIgaGVpZ2h0PSI4MCIgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDgwIDgwIj48cmVjdCB3aWR0aD0iMTAwJSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxMDAlIiBmaWxsPSIjMDAwMDAwIi8+PC9zdmc+)![Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends - featured](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/youtube-featured-80x80.jpg)](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/howto\/ways-download-audio-youtube\/ \"5 Ways I Download Audio From YouTube\")\n  [5 Ways I Download Audio From YouTube](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/howto\/ways-download-audio-youtube\/)\n- [![Remove YouTube Subscribers - featured](data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSIzMDAiIGhlaWdodD0iMTgwIiB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMzAwIDE4MCI+PHJlY3Qgd2lkdGg9IjEwMCUiIGhlaWdodD0iMTAwJSIgZmlsbD0iIzAwMDAwMCIvPjwvc3ZnPg==)![Remove YouTube Subscribers - featured](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Remove-YouTube-Subscribers-featured-300x180.jpg) ![Remove YouTube Subscribers - featured](data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI4MCIgaGVpZ2h0PSI4MCIgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDgwIDgwIj48cmVjdCB3aWR0aD0iMTAwJSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxMDAlIiBmaWxsPSIjMDAwMDAwIi8+PC9zdmc+)![Remove YouTube Subscribers - featured](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Remove-YouTube-Subscribers-featured-80x80.jpg)](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/howto\/find-edit-youtube-comments\/ \"Where’s my Comment? Find and Edit Your YouTube Comments the Easy Way\")\n  [Where’s my Comment? Find and Edit Your YouTube Comments the Easy Way](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/howto\/find-edit-youtube-comments\/)\n- [![](data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSIzMDAiIGhlaWdodD0iMTgwIiB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMzAwIDE4MCI+PHJlY3Qgd2lkdGg9IjEwMCUiIGhlaWdodD0iMTAwJSIgZmlsbD0iIzAwMDAwMCIvPjwvc3ZnPg==)![](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/streaming-tv-sling-hulu-youtube-tv-popcorn-featured-300x180.jpg) ![](data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI4MCIgaGVpZ2h0PSI4MCIgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDgwIDgwIj48cmVjdCB3aWR0aD0iMTAwJSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxMDAlIiBmaWxsPSIjMDAwMDAwIi8+PC9zdmc+)![](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/streaming-tv-sling-hulu-youtube-tv-popcorn-featured-80x80.jpg)](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/howto\/starting-youtube-channel-advice-success\/ \"Thinking About Starting a YouTube Channel? Here’s My Story and Advice for Success\")\n  [Thinking About Starting a YouTube Channel? Here’s My Story and Advice for Success](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/howto\/starting-youtube-channel-advice-success\/)\n\n## Post navigation\n[Say Goodbye to Sidebar Clutter: How to Make YouTube Always Open in Theater Mode](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/howto\/say-goodbye-sidebar-clutter-youtube-always-theater-mode\/)\n\n[How to Create a Playlist on YouTube](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/howto\/manage-youtube-playlists\/)\n\n- [Premium\\!](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/support-us\/ \"Premium Subscription\")\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/contact\/ \"How to contact the team at groovyPost\")\n- [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/privacy-policy\/ \"groovyPost Privacy Policy\")\n- [Terms of Service](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/terms\/ \"groovyPost Terms of Service\")\n\nCopyright © 2007-2025 groovyPost™ LLC \\| All Rights Reserved\n\nTo Top","attrs_readable_markdown":"![Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends - featured](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/youtube-featured.jpg)\n\nTry hard to resist it, but YouTube Premium might be worth the cost (for some users, anyway).\n\nI love YouTube. While I’m trying to cut back on the amount of Google services I subscribe to, I don’t think YouTube is one that I can ditch. The problem with YouTube is the variety is hard to replace. I’m not a fan of short-form videos, so [TikTok isn’t an option](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/explainer\/what-is-tiktok-and-how-do-you-use-it\/), and alternative platforms simply don’t exist at the scale that YouTube provides.\n\nThe one thing I can’t stand, however, is the adverts. One-minute-long advertisements popping up at random to block my videos are far too long. That’s why, when YouTube prompted me to subscribe to a free YouTube Premium trial, I jumped at the chance. It’s otherwise quite costly (\\$13.99 a month for individual users), so is it worth it? Well, that really depends.\n\n## **No ads makes YouTube viewing a lot better**\nIf you watch hours of YouTube videos, you’ll know how annoying the ad breaks can be. They’re frequent, can slow down your browser, and they just get in the way. I don’t mind the support for creators, but in many respects, it isn’t them that profit—it’s Google.\n\n![A YouTube video with a playing ad](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/youtube-ad-example.png)\n\nYouTube Premium doesn’t solve that problem, since you’re paying for a subscription to Google and the company still benefits. What it does solve is the ad problem, allowing you to watch your content for free, whether it’s a minute long or hours long. There are also some premium advantages to YouTube Premium, such as the ability to download videos to watch offline.\n\nThere are some discounts available, especially for families and students. If you’ve not had a subscription before, or you’ve allowed it to lapse for a while, you should be able to get a free month out of the company, too.\n\n## **YouTube Music Premium softens the blow**\nIf you’re a YouTube Premium subscriber, you’ve got a two-for-one deal to take advantage of. A subscription also gives you access to YouTube Music Premium, a premium Spotify alternative with ad-free playback of millions of different songs. You can also download songs for offline listening. Two services rolled into one might make it easier to justify the cost of YouTube Premium.\n\n![Playback of music on YouTube Music](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/youtube-music-example.png)\n\nA Spotify subscription costs \\$6.99 a month for individual users—slightly under half the cost of a YouTube Premium subscription. If you cancel Spotify and stick to YouTube for both your music and video costs, you’ll be saving a bit of money in the process. If you go for a family plan (costing \\$22.99 a month), you’ll save even more money as a group.\n\n## **Use an adblocker instead (while you still can)**\nYou don’t necessarily need YouTube Premium to block ads. [Ad-blocking extensions](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/howto\/block-ads-in-google-chrome\/) in your web browser, like uBlock Origins, can block YouTube ads. I’ll admit to the fact that I used to use such an ad-blocking extension to block ads on YouTube, but there’s a fly in the ointment to consider—Google is fighting back.\n\n![Google really wants you to sign up for YouTube Premium](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/youtube-premium-sign-up.png)\n\nGoogle really wants you to sign up for YouTube Premium\n\nAfter years of ignoring the issue, Google is actively trying to block these blockers from working. YouTube pops up with a skippable warning that prevents playback, giving you several chances to disable your ad blocker before YouTube is blocked completely (at least until you disable the blocker).\n\n[Reports online also suggest](https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/tech\/youtube-down-not-working-ad-blocker-b2552387.html) that Google is also experimenting with more direct ways to deal with ad-blocking, including slowing down videos and automatically muting them. If you decide to use an ad-blocker, make sure you keep on top of the latest changes by keeping your ad-blocker (and the sources it uses) up-to-date.\n\n## **YouTube Premium is a quality-of-life improvement**\nI don’t like the cost, but with stricter blocks against ad-blocking, Google is forcing users to make a choice: suffer through the ads or pay for YouTube Premium. Ultimately, YouTube Premium is a quality-of-life improvement for serious YouTube users. It sits alongside services like Twitch Turbo in that regard, which allows you to block all ads on that platform.\n\nIf you’re spending hours watching YouTube each day or week, YouTube Premium might be worth the cost. If you’re a very casual user, however, it really isn’t—after all, \\$13.99 a month would make it among the most expensive streaming services. I’ll pay for it, but if the ad-blockers win this battle, I might reconsider as there’s no contract to tie users in.\n\nDo you subscribe to YouTube Premium or do you prefer to take your chances with the ad-blockers? If you’ve got your own recommendations to share, drop them in the comments.\n\n![](https:\/\/www.groovypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/groovy-logo.png)","meta_canonical":null}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

4 days ago

🤖

ROBOTS ALLOWED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	0.2 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property	Value
URL	https://www.groovypost.com/commentary/youtube-premium-worth-cost/
Last Crawled	2026-04-05 03:37:19 (4 days ago)
First Indexed	2024-06-23 20:57:52 (1 year ago)
HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends
Meta Description	Try hard to resist it, but YouTube Premium might be worth the cost (for some users, anyway).
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	Try hard to resist it, but YouTube Premium might be worth the cost (for some users, anyway). I love YouTube. While I’m trying to cut back on the amount of Google services I subscribe to, I don’t think YouTube is one that I can ditch. The problem with YouTube is the variety is hard to replace. I’m not a fan of short-form videos, so TikTok isn’t an option , and alternative platforms simply don’t exist at the scale that YouTube provides. The one thing I can’t stand, however, is the adverts. One-minute-long advertisements popping up at random to block my videos are far too long. That’s why, when YouTube prompted me to subscribe to a free YouTube Premium trial, I jumped at the chance. It’s otherwise quite costly ($13.99 a month for individual users), so is it worth it? Well, that really depends. No ads makes YouTube viewing a lot better If you watch hours of YouTube videos, you’ll know how annoying the ad breaks can be. They’re frequent, can slow down your browser, and they just get in the way. I don’t mind the support for creators, but in many respects, it isn’t them that profit—it’s Google. YouTube Premium doesn’t solve that problem, since you’re paying for a subscription to Google and the company still benefits. What it does solve is the ad problem, allowing you to watch your content for free, whether it’s a minute long or hours long. There are also some premium advantages to YouTube Premium, such as the ability to download videos to watch offline. There are some discounts available, especially for families and students. If you’ve not had a subscription before, or you’ve allowed it to lapse for a while, you should be able to get a free month out of the company, too. YouTube Music Premium softens the blow If you’re a YouTube Premium subscriber, you’ve got a two-for-one deal to take advantage of. A subscription also gives you access to YouTube Music Premium, a premium Spotify alternative with ad-free playback of millions of different songs. You can also download songs for offline listening. Two services rolled into one might make it easier to justify the cost of YouTube Premium. A Spotify subscription costs $6.99 a month for individual users—slightly under half the cost of a YouTube Premium subscription. If you cancel Spotify and stick to YouTube for both your music and video costs, you’ll be saving a bit of money in the process. If you go for a family plan (costing $22.99 a month), you’ll save even more money as a group. Use an adblocker instead (while you still can) You don’t necessarily need YouTube Premium to block ads. Ad-blocking extensions in your web browser, like uBlock Origins, can block YouTube ads. I’ll admit to the fact that I used to use such an ad-blocking extension to block ads on YouTube, but there’s a fly in the ointment to consider—Google is fighting back. Google really wants you to sign up for YouTube Premium After years of ignoring the issue, Google is actively trying to block these blockers from working. YouTube pops up with a skippable warning that prevents playback, giving you several chances to disable your ad blocker before YouTube is blocked completely (at least until you disable the blocker). Reports online also suggest that Google is also experimenting with more direct ways to deal with ad-blocking, including slowing down videos and automatically muting them. If you decide to use an ad-blocker, make sure you keep on top of the latest changes by keeping your ad-blocker (and the sources it uses) up-to-date. YouTube Premium is a quality-of-life improvement I don’t like the cost, but with stricter blocks against ad-blocking, Google is forcing users to make a choice: suffer through the ads or pay for YouTube Premium. Ultimately, YouTube Premium is a quality-of-life improvement for serious YouTube users. It sits alongside services like Twitch Turbo in that regard, which allows you to block all ads on that platform. If you’re spending hours watching YouTube each day or week, YouTube Premium might be worth the cost. If you’re a very casual user, however, it really isn’t—after all, $13.99 a month would make it among the most expensive streaming services. I’ll pay for it, but if the ad-blockers win this battle, I might reconsider as there’s no contract to tie users in. Do you subscribe to YouTube Premium or do you prefer to take your chances with the ad-blockers? If you’ve got your own recommendations to share, drop them in the comments.
Markdown	- [Premium\!](https://www.groovypost.com/support-us/ "Premium Subscription") - [News](https://www.groovypost.com/news/ "Tech News") - [Windows](https://www.groovypost.com/tags/windows/ "Microsoft Windows tips, news and reviews") - [macOS](https://www.groovypost.com/tags/macos/ "Apple MacOS tips, news and reviews") - [Smartphones](https://www.groovypost.com/tags/smartphones/ "iPhone and Android mobile tips, news and reviews") - [Microsoft Office](https://www.groovypost.com/tags/microsoft-office/ "Microsoft Office how to tutorials, tips, news") - [Google Apps](https://www.groovypost.com/tags/google/ "Google Apps and Services news, tips, and reviews") - [Online Privacy](https://www.groovypost.com/tags/privacy/ "Online Privacy tips and tricks and news") - [Forums](https://forum.groovypost.com/ "groovyPost Forums") - [Newsletter](https://www.groovypost.com/emailsub/ "groovyPost Newsletter") - [Store](https://www.groovypost.com/shop/ "groovyPost Store") - [Cart](https://www.groovypost.com/cart/ "Shopping Cart") - [My Account](https://www.groovypost.com/my-account/) - [About Us](https://www.groovypost.com/about/ "Learn about groovyPost,com") - [Writing Staff](https://www.groovypost.com/staff/ "groovyPost Writing Team") - [Contact Us](https://www.groovypost.com/contact/ "groovyPost Contact Information") - [Tools & Services We Recommend](https://www.groovypost.com/tools-services-we-recommend/) - [Editorial Policies](https://www.groovypost.com/editorial-policies/ "groovyPost Editorial Policies") - [Privacy Policy](https://www.groovypost.com/privacy-policy/ "groovyPost Privacy Policy") - [Terms of Service](https://www.groovypost.com/terms/ "groovyPost TOS") - [Search](https://www.groovypost.com/search/ "Search groovyPost") [![groovyPost](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/groovy-logo.png)](https://www.groovypost.com/) ## groovyPost - [Search](https://www.groovypost.com/search/ "Search our Article Archive") - [News](https://www.groovypost.com/news/ "Tech News") - [Windows](https://www.groovypost.com/tags/windows/ "Microsoft Windows tips, news and reviews") - [macOS](https://www.groovypost.com/tags/macos/ "Apple macOS tips, news and reviews") - [Smartphones](https://www.groovypost.com/tags/smartphones/ "iPhone and Android mobile tips, news and reviews") - [Microsoft Office](https://www.groovypost.com/tags/microsoft-office/ "Microsoft Office tips, news and reviews") - [Google Apps](https://www.groovypost.com/tags/google/ "Google apps and services tips, news and reviews") - [Online Privacy](https://www.groovypost.com/tags/privacy/ "Online Privacy tips, news and reviews") - [Newsletter](https://www.groovypost.com/emailsub/ "Join our free Tech Newsletter") - [Premium\!](https://www.groovypost.com/support-us/ "Premium Subscription") - [My Account](https://www.groovypost.com/my-account/) [Commentary](https://www.groovypost.com/commentary/) # Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends ![](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI1MCIgaGVpZ2h0PSI1MCIgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDUwIDUwIj48cmVjdCB3aWR0aD0iMTAwJSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxMDAlIiBmaWxsPSIjMDAwMDAwIi8+PC9zdmc+) ![](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/b9dd6644e385457565d56efc8c4caaad.jpg?ver=1768523098) By [Ben Stockton](https://www.groovypost.com/howto/author/bengroovypost-com/ "Posts by Ben Stockton") Published June 23, 2024 ![Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends - featured](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/youtube-featured.jpg) Try hard to resist it, but YouTube Premium might be worth the cost (for some users, anyway). I love YouTube. While I’m trying to cut back on the amount of Google services I subscribe to, I don’t think YouTube is one that I can ditch. The problem with YouTube is the variety is hard to replace. I’m not a fan of short-form videos, so [TikTok isn’t an option](https://www.groovypost.com/explainer/what-is-tiktok-and-how-do-you-use-it/), and alternative platforms simply don’t exist at the scale that YouTube provides. The one thing I can’t stand, however, is the adverts. One-minute-long advertisements popping up at random to block my videos are far too long. That’s why, when YouTube prompted me to subscribe to a free YouTube Premium trial, I jumped at the chance. It’s otherwise quite costly (\$13.99 a month for individual users), so is it worth it? Well, that really depends. ## No ads makes YouTube viewing a lot better If you watch hours of YouTube videos, you’ll know how annoying the ad breaks can be. They’re frequent, can slow down your browser, and they just get in the way. I don’t mind the support for creators, but in many respects, it isn’t them that profit—it’s Google. ![A YouTube video with a playing ad](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI3MDIiIGhlaWdodD0iNDA2IiB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNzAyIDQwNiI+PHJlY3Qgd2lkdGg9IjEwMCUiIGhlaWdodD0iMTAwJSIgZmlsbD0iIzAwMDAwMCIvPjwvc3ZnPg==)![A YouTube video with a playing ad](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/youtube-ad-example.png) YouTube Premium doesn’t solve that problem, since you’re paying for a subscription to Google and the company still benefits. What it does solve is the ad problem, allowing you to watch your content for free, whether it’s a minute long or hours long. There are also some premium advantages to YouTube Premium, such as the ability to download videos to watch offline. There are some discounts available, especially for families and students. If you’ve not had a subscription before, or you’ve allowed it to lapse for a while, you should be able to get a free month out of the company, too. ## YouTube Music Premium softens the blow If you’re a YouTube Premium subscriber, you’ve got a two-for-one deal to take advantage of. A subscription also gives you access to YouTube Music Premium, a premium Spotify alternative with ad-free playback of millions of different songs. You can also download songs for offline listening. Two services rolled into one might make it easier to justify the cost of YouTube Premium. ![Playback of music on YouTube Music](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI3MDIiIGhlaWdodD0iMzMzIiB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNzAyIDMzMyI+PHJlY3Qgd2lkdGg9IjEwMCUiIGhlaWdodD0iMTAwJSIgZmlsbD0iIzAwMDAwMCIvPjwvc3ZnPg==) ![Playback of music on YouTube Music](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/youtube-music-example.png) A Spotify subscription costs \$6.99 a month for individual users—slightly under half the cost of a YouTube Premium subscription. If you cancel Spotify and stick to YouTube for both your music and video costs, you’ll be saving a bit of money in the process. If you go for a family plan (costing \$22.99 a month), you’ll save even more money as a group. ## Use an adblocker instead (while you still can) You don’t necessarily need YouTube Premium to block ads. [Ad-blocking extensions](https://www.groovypost.com/howto/block-ads-in-google-chrome/) in your web browser, like uBlock Origins, can block YouTube ads. I’ll admit to the fact that I used to use such an ad-blocking extension to block ads on YouTube, but there’s a fly in the ointment to consider—Google is fighting back. ![Google really wants you to sign up for YouTube Premium](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI3MDAiIGhlaWdodD0iNDYwIiB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNzAwIDQ2MCI+PHJlY3Qgd2lkdGg9IjEwMCUiIGhlaWdodD0iMTAwJSIgZmlsbD0iIzAwMDAwMCIvPjwvc3ZnPg==) ![Google really wants you to sign up for YouTube Premium](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/youtube-premium-sign-up.png) Google really wants you to sign up for YouTube Premium After years of ignoring the issue, Google is actively trying to block these blockers from working. YouTube pops up with a skippable warning that prevents playback, giving you several chances to disable your ad blocker before YouTube is blocked completely (at least until you disable the blocker). [Reports online also suggest](https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/youtube-down-not-working-ad-blocker-b2552387.html) that Google is also experimenting with more direct ways to deal with ad-blocking, including slowing down videos and automatically muting them. If you decide to use an ad-blocker, make sure you keep on top of the latest changes by keeping your ad-blocker (and the sources it uses) up-to-date. ## YouTube Premium is a quality-of-life improvement I don’t like the cost, but with stricter blocks against ad-blocking, Google is forcing users to make a choice: suffer through the ads or pay for YouTube Premium. Ultimately, YouTube Premium is a quality-of-life improvement for serious YouTube users. It sits alongside services like Twitch Turbo in that regard, which allows you to block all ads on that platform. If you’re spending hours watching YouTube each day or week, YouTube Premium might be worth the cost. If you’re a very casual user, however, it really isn’t—after all, \$13.99 a month would make it among the most expensive streaming services. I’ll pay for it, but if the ad-blockers win this battle, I might reconsider as there’s no contract to tie users in. Do you subscribe to YouTube Premium or do you prefer to take your chances with the ad-blockers? If you’ve got your own recommendations to share, drop them in the comments. 1 Comment #### 1 Comment 1. Lanki June 27, 2024 at 8:08 am I am wondering where you can get Spotify for \$6.99. Currently is \$11.99 with one month free. [Reply](https://www.groovypost.com/commentary/youtube-premium-worth-cost/#comment-1294117) ### Leave a Reply [Cancel reply](https://www.groovypost.com/commentary/youtube-premium-worth-cost/#respond) ![](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/groovy-logo.png) Related Items:[Hero](https://www.groovypost.com/tags/hero/), [Youtube](https://www.groovypost.com/tags/youtube/) #### Recommended for you - [![Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends - featured](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSIzMDAiIGhlaWdodD0iMTgwIiB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMzAwIDE4MCI+PHJlY3Qgd2lkdGg9IjEwMCUiIGhlaWdodD0iMTAwJSIgZmlsbD0iIzAwMDAwMCIvPjwvc3ZnPg==)![Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends - featured](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/youtube-featured-300x180.jpg) ![Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends - featured](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI4MCIgaGVpZ2h0PSI4MCIgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDgwIDgwIj48cmVjdCB3aWR0aD0iMTAwJSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxMDAlIiBmaWxsPSIjMDAwMDAwIi8+PC9zdmc+)![Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends - featured](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/youtube-featured-80x80.jpg)](https://www.groovypost.com/howto/ways-download-audio-youtube/ "5 Ways I Download Audio From YouTube") [5 Ways I Download Audio From YouTube](https://www.groovypost.com/howto/ways-download-audio-youtube/) - [![Remove YouTube Subscribers - featured](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSIzMDAiIGhlaWdodD0iMTgwIiB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMzAwIDE4MCI+PHJlY3Qgd2lkdGg9IjEwMCUiIGhlaWdodD0iMTAwJSIgZmlsbD0iIzAwMDAwMCIvPjwvc3ZnPg==)![Remove YouTube Subscribers - featured](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Remove-YouTube-Subscribers-featured-300x180.jpg) ![Remove YouTube Subscribers - featured](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI4MCIgaGVpZ2h0PSI4MCIgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDgwIDgwIj48cmVjdCB3aWR0aD0iMTAwJSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxMDAlIiBmaWxsPSIjMDAwMDAwIi8+PC9zdmc+)![Remove YouTube Subscribers - featured](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Remove-YouTube-Subscribers-featured-80x80.jpg)](https://www.groovypost.com/howto/find-edit-youtube-comments/ "Where’s my Comment? Find and Edit Your YouTube Comments the Easy Way") [Where’s my Comment? Find and Edit Your YouTube Comments the Easy Way](https://www.groovypost.com/howto/find-edit-youtube-comments/) - [![](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSIzMDAiIGhlaWdodD0iMTgwIiB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMzAwIDE4MCI+PHJlY3Qgd2lkdGg9IjEwMCUiIGhlaWdodD0iMTAwJSIgZmlsbD0iIzAwMDAwMCIvPjwvc3ZnPg==)![](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/streaming-tv-sling-hulu-youtube-tv-popcorn-featured-300x180.jpg) ![](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI4MCIgaGVpZ2h0PSI4MCIgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDgwIDgwIj48cmVjdCB3aWR0aD0iMTAwJSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxMDAlIiBmaWxsPSIjMDAwMDAwIi8+PC9zdmc+)![](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/streaming-tv-sling-hulu-youtube-tv-popcorn-featured-80x80.jpg)](https://www.groovypost.com/howto/starting-youtube-channel-advice-success/ "Thinking About Starting a YouTube Channel? Here’s My Story and Advice for Success") [Thinking About Starting a YouTube Channel? Here’s My Story and Advice for Success](https://www.groovypost.com/howto/starting-youtube-channel-advice-success/) ## Post navigation [Say Goodbye to Sidebar Clutter: How to Make YouTube Always Open in Theater Mode](https://www.groovypost.com/howto/say-goodbye-sidebar-clutter-youtube-always-theater-mode/) [How to Create a Playlist on YouTube](https://www.groovypost.com/howto/manage-youtube-playlists/) - [Premium\!](https://www.groovypost.com/support-us/ "Premium Subscription") - [Contact Us](https://www.groovypost.com/contact/ "How to contact the team at groovyPost") - [Privacy Policy](https://www.groovypost.com/privacy-policy/ "groovyPost Privacy Policy") - [Terms of Service](https://www.groovypost.com/terms/ "groovyPost Terms of Service") Copyright © 2007-2025 groovyPost™ LLC \\| All Rights Reserved To Top
Readable Markdown	![Is YouTube Premium Worth the Cost? It Depends - featured](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/youtube-featured.jpg) Try hard to resist it, but YouTube Premium might be worth the cost (for some users, anyway). I love YouTube. While I’m trying to cut back on the amount of Google services I subscribe to, I don’t think YouTube is one that I can ditch. The problem with YouTube is the variety is hard to replace. I’m not a fan of short-form videos, so [TikTok isn’t an option](https://www.groovypost.com/explainer/what-is-tiktok-and-how-do-you-use-it/), and alternative platforms simply don’t exist at the scale that YouTube provides. The one thing I can’t stand, however, is the adverts. One-minute-long advertisements popping up at random to block my videos are far too long. That’s why, when YouTube prompted me to subscribe to a free YouTube Premium trial, I jumped at the chance. It’s otherwise quite costly (\$13.99 a month for individual users), so is it worth it? Well, that really depends. ## No ads makes YouTube viewing a lot better If you watch hours of YouTube videos, you’ll know how annoying the ad breaks can be. They’re frequent, can slow down your browser, and they just get in the way. I don’t mind the support for creators, but in many respects, it isn’t them that profit—it’s Google. ![A YouTube video with a playing ad](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/youtube-ad-example.png) YouTube Premium doesn’t solve that problem, since you’re paying for a subscription to Google and the company still benefits. What it does solve is the ad problem, allowing you to watch your content for free, whether it’s a minute long or hours long. There are also some premium advantages to YouTube Premium, such as the ability to download videos to watch offline. There are some discounts available, especially for families and students. If you’ve not had a subscription before, or you’ve allowed it to lapse for a while, you should be able to get a free month out of the company, too. ## YouTube Music Premium softens the blow If you’re a YouTube Premium subscriber, you’ve got a two-for-one deal to take advantage of. A subscription also gives you access to YouTube Music Premium, a premium Spotify alternative with ad-free playback of millions of different songs. You can also download songs for offline listening. Two services rolled into one might make it easier to justify the cost of YouTube Premium. ![Playback of music on YouTube Music](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/youtube-music-example.png) A Spotify subscription costs \$6.99 a month for individual users—slightly under half the cost of a YouTube Premium subscription. If you cancel Spotify and stick to YouTube for both your music and video costs, you’ll be saving a bit of money in the process. If you go for a family plan (costing \$22.99 a month), you’ll save even more money as a group. ## Use an adblocker instead (while you still can) You don’t necessarily need YouTube Premium to block ads. [Ad-blocking extensions](https://www.groovypost.com/howto/block-ads-in-google-chrome/) in your web browser, like uBlock Origins, can block YouTube ads. I’ll admit to the fact that I used to use such an ad-blocking extension to block ads on YouTube, but there’s a fly in the ointment to consider—Google is fighting back. ![Google really wants you to sign up for YouTube Premium](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/youtube-premium-sign-up.png) Google really wants you to sign up for YouTube Premium After years of ignoring the issue, Google is actively trying to block these blockers from working. YouTube pops up with a skippable warning that prevents playback, giving you several chances to disable your ad blocker before YouTube is blocked completely (at least until you disable the blocker). [Reports online also suggest](https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/youtube-down-not-working-ad-blocker-b2552387.html) that Google is also experimenting with more direct ways to deal with ad-blocking, including slowing down videos and automatically muting them. If you decide to use an ad-blocker, make sure you keep on top of the latest changes by keeping your ad-blocker (and the sources it uses) up-to-date. ## YouTube Premium is a quality-of-life improvement I don’t like the cost, but with stricter blocks against ad-blocking, Google is forcing users to make a choice: suffer through the ads or pay for YouTube Premium. Ultimately, YouTube Premium is a quality-of-life improvement for serious YouTube users. It sits alongside services like Twitch Turbo in that regard, which allows you to block all ads on that platform. If you’re spending hours watching YouTube each day or week, YouTube Premium might be worth the cost. If you’re a very casual user, however, it really isn’t—after all, \$13.99 a month would make it among the most expensive streaming services. I’ll pay for it, but if the ad-blockers win this battle, I might reconsider as there’s no contract to tie users in. Do you subscribe to YouTube Premium or do you prefer to take your chances with the ad-blockers? If you’ve got your own recommendations to share, drop them in the comments. ![](https://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/groovy-logo.png)
Shard	19 (laksa)
Root Hash	7610853284505159819
Unparsed URL	com,groovypost!www,/commentary/youtube-premium-worth-cost/ s443