🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 168 (from laksa105)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa168.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.pocket-lint.com/youtube-premium-worth-it/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.pocket-lint.com/youtube-premium-worth-it/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-premium-worth-it\/","crawl_time":1775069652,"first_indexed_time":1737979308,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,pocket-lint!www,\/youtube-premium-worth-it\/ s443","src_root_hash":"6978951516395359168","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"I used to think YouTube Premium wasn't worth it. Here's what changed my mind","meta_descriptions":["The value might be there now for YouTube Premium."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Published\nJan 27, 2025, 7:00 AM EST\nEli is a freelance journalist who lives in Detroit, MI. He got his start in journalism covering video games and sports for\nHeavy\nbefore branching out into greater esports coverage at\nDexerto\n. He also has bylines at\nSlashGear\n,\nSports Illustrated\n, and more.\nHe added technology coverage to his plate over his years of writing, and it's something he continues to cover at Pocket-lint. He's interviewed numerous game developers and covered several live events, such as the launch of Destiny 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 in Los Angeles.\nHe has written more than 5,000 articles and looks to continue adding to that number in the years to come. He has a degree in Journalism from Central Michigan University.\nSummary\nAt $14 a month, YouTube Premium is now worth it, with new features like high-quality audio and quick video skipping.\nYouTube Premium adds value beyond ad-free viewing, competing with services like Spotify with perks like high-quality audio.\nUnique market positioning as a dual music and video service sets YouTube Premium apart, offering vast content variety.\nI have a strange relationship with\nYouTube Premium\n. Thanks to a discounted price, I jumped on the bandwagon and got a lot of mileage out of the lack of ads on my viewing. When I had to start paying full price for the service, I started to question whether it was worth it.\nMy conclusion was that YouTube Premium, despite the ad-free viewing, was\nno longer worth it\n. At $14 a month, it's a steep price to pay, and I just think there are better ways to spend my money. After spending time with ads again on YouTube, I can safely say my enjoyment on the platform tanked, but I still can't bring myself to go back.\nThe big thing I wanted out of YouTube Premium was additional value on top of the ad-free viewing, and it looks like Google is\nstarting to deliver on that\n. To be fair, that value was there for a lot of people already thanks to YouTube Music being included in the subscription. The latest rounds of updates bring improvements to the music service, and it has me thinking about giving YouTube Premium another shot.\nYouTube Premium\nWhat's included?\nYouTube mostly ad-free\nPrice\n$8 a month\nLive TV\nNo\nYouTube Premium is a subscription service that offers ad-free viewing, background play, and access to YouTube Originals and downloads for offline use.\nRelated\nThought YouTube Premium was just for skipping ads? Think again\nYouTube Premium has more than a couple perks that make paying worth it.\nI'm rethinking YouTube Premium\nIt might be enough for me\nCollabstr \/ Unsplash \/ Pocket-lint\nOn January 22, YouTube Premium announced\nseveral new features\ncoming to Premium members, and I have to be honest, I'm hovering over that resubscribe button. The big changes for me include the high-quality audio and the \"jump ahead\" feature on the web browser. I loved being able to skip ahead quickly on videos on my tablet, so seeing it roll out in my web browser is huge. Nobody likes having to sit through a lengthy sponsorship from a YouTuber, and this feature effectively eliminates that.\nPerhaps a bigger change is the audio update for YouTube Music. Premium rolled out 256kbps audio for music videos, so it's a big boon to audiophiles who are looking for the best quality possible without having to buy a physical CD.\nAnother feature is the 4x speed on mobile, something that's not quite a game changer, but it's something that comes in handy for zipping through videos. The value I once thought was lacking with Premium appears to be here now. If you like listening to music and having ad-free viewing, there's not a service out there that provides better value than this.\nRelated\nYouTube is testing a weird audio feature no one asked for\nYouTube is rolling out a new feature to select creators which lets them reply to comments on their videos with their voice.\nBig props to Google\nGiving credit where it's due\nYouTube \/ Pocket-lint\nI don't like having to give credit to corporations, but this is a situation where I feel like it's necessary. I complained about YouTube Premium not having enough features to justify the cost, but that's not the case anymore.\nIn a world where Netflix continues to\njack up the price\nwhile offering the same service, it's nice to see YouTube Premium add features like this without a price increase -- although\nwe're not far removed\nfrom one. Premium used to be much cheaper, and a price like $10 is much easier to justify when it comes to just eliminating ads. If you're in it just for the ad-free viewing, it's a tough pill to swallow.\nTaking advantage of\nall the perks\nPremium has to offer is essential to getting your money's worth. This means ditching your Spotify subscription in favor of YouTube Music is worth a look. With the high-quality audio rolling out, the gap has closed significantly between the two services. The main difference is Spotify Premium costs $12, while YouTube Premium costs $14. If you don't use YouTube very much, it's not a needle mover.\nFor something I thought was losing value as the price went up, these new features are big changes that have me rethinking things. YouTube Premium promises to add more features down the line, and if those come without another price increase, I don't think they'll lose me as a customer any time soon. I've been trying to\ncut out subscription services in 2025\n, but if there's something with a lot of value that comes along, I'll break that rule.\nRelated\nYouTube has a recap feature I didn't know existed until today\nIf you're a YouTube Music subscriber, then there's a year-in review with your name on it.\nYouTube Premium hits a market nobody is going after\nA truly unique subscription service\nSomething that makes YouTube Premium so interesting is what it's targeting. We complain about the rising costs of services like Spotify, Max, Netflix, and the list goes on, but it's for good reason. Those services all provide one thing, so it's upsetting to see the price go up without getting much in return.\nIn the case of YouTube Premium, it's both a music service and a video service. Building off that, YouTube offers such a wide breadth of content that you can easily spend hundreds of hours on the platform without even scratching the surface. The same can be said of Netflix, I suppose, but how often do you truly pick something random that you have never heard of? For me, it happens a lot more often on YouTube than it does on Netflix, and that's why ad-free viewing is huge.\nWhen I can, I like to get the most value I can through bundles or discounted pricing. For example, grabbing Hulu + Live TV comes with Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu all for $83 -- the exact same cost of YouTube TV. Although YouTube Premium costs more than Spotify Premium, there's more value here. If I can find out how to get everything I want for a low price, I'm going to do that.\nWhether YouTube Premium offers that varies by person, but I'm now much closer to thinking it's the case than I was just a month ago. A lower price would be a nice bonus for me, but I realize that's not the reality we're in. Services go up in price and don't ever get cheaper. What could happen is a limited ads option at some point as we see many streamers adopting as of late. It wouldn't be the perfect solution, but it'd be a way to lower the price while still maintaining a good value. No matter the case, I can envision YouTube Premium finding its way back into my monthly expenses sooner rather than later.\nRelated\nMore people should use this lesser-known YouTube Premium feature\nYouTube Premium's most-loved feature is its ad-free videos, but there's another feature I find myself using a lot.","attrs_markdown":"Menu\n\n[![Pocket-lint logo](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/assets\/images\/pl-logo-full-colored-light.svg?v=3.6)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/)\n\nSign in now\n\nClose\n\n- Latest Submenu\n  - [News](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/news\/)\n  - [Lists](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/lists\/)\n  - [Features](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/features\/)\n  - [Editorials](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/editorials\/)\n  - [Guides](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/guides\/)\n  - [Reviews](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/reviews\/)\n  - [Comparisons](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/comparisons\/)\n  - [Buyer's Guides](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/buyers-guides\/)\n  - [Deals](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/deals\/)\n- [Devices](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/devices-segment\/)\n  Submenu\n  - [Phones](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/phones\/)\n  - [Tablets](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/tablets\/)\n  - [Laptops](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/laptops\/)\n  - [Audio\/Video](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/audio-video\/)\n- [Entertainment](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/entertainment-segment\/)\n  Submenu\n  - [Apps](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/apps\/)\n  - [TV](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/tv\/)\n  - [Movies & TV](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/movies-tv\/)\n- Automotive Submenu\n  - [Car Tech](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/cars\/)\n- More Submenu\n  - [AR & VR](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/ar-vr\/)\n  - [Cameras](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/cameras\/)\n  - [Fitness Trackers](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/fitness-trackers\/)\n  - [Gadgets](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/gadgets\/)\n  - [Games](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/games\/)\n  - [Headphones](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/headphones\/)\n  - [Smart Home](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/smart-home\/)\n  - [Smartwatches](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/smartwatches\/)\n  - [Speakers](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/speakers\/)\n- Tech Trends Submenu\n  - [🕹️ Retro Tech](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/retro-tech\/)\n  - [📈 Viral Tech](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/viral-tech\/)\n- [Reviews](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/reviews\/)\n- [Video](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/video\/)\n- - About Submenu\n    - [Our Experts](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/page\/about\/)\n    - [Our Review Methodology](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/review-methodology\/)\n    - [Join Our Team](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/work-with-us\/)\n\n- [Sign in](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-premium-worth-it\/)\n- [Newsletter](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/page\/newsletter\/)\n\nMenu\n\n[![Pocket-lint logo](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/assets\/images\/pl-logo-icon-colored-light.svg?v=3.6)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/)\n\nFollow\n\nFollowed\n\nLike\n\n[Threads](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-premium-worth-it\/#threads \"Threads\")\n\nMore Action\n\nSign in now\n\n[Your TV cheat sheet 📺](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/tv\/)\n\n[iPhone, Pixel, OnePlus and more ⬇️](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/phones\/)\n\n[Everything Kindle 📖](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/amazon-kindle\/)\n\n[Get more out of Windows 💻](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/microsoft\/)\n\nClose\n\n# I used to think YouTube Premium wasn't worth it. Here's what changed my mind\n![YouTube Premium](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2025\/01\/youtube-premium.jpg?&fit=crop&w=1600&h=900)\n\nPocket-lint \/ YouTube\n\nCredit: Pocket-lint \/ YouTube\n\n[![4](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress%2Fwp-content%2Fauthors%2F673cbf371ec25-IMG_20241016_161108.jpg?fit=crop&w=90&h=90)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/author\/eli-becht\/)\n\nBy  [Eli Becht](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/author\/eli-becht\/)\n\nPublished Jan 27, 2025, 7:00 AM EST\n\nEli is a freelance journalist who lives in Detroit, MI. He got his start in journalism covering video games and sports for [Heavy](https:\/\/heavy.com\/author\/elibecht\/) before branching out into greater esports coverage at [Dexerto](https:\/\/www.dexerto.com\/author\/elibecht\/). He also has bylines at [SlashGear](https:\/\/www.slashgear.com\/author\/elibecht\/), [Sports Illustrated](https:\/\/www.si.com\/esports\/author\/eli-becht), and more.  \n   \n He added technology coverage to his plate over his years of writing, and it's something he continues to cover at Pocket-lint. He's interviewed numerous game developers and covered several live events, such as the launch of Destiny 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 in Los Angeles.  \n   \n He has written more than 5,000 articles and looks to continue adding to that number in the years to come. He has a degree in Journalism from Central Michigan University.\n\n[Sign in to your Pocket-lint account]()\n\n[Add Us On](https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=pocket-lint.com \"Add Us On\")\n\nfollow\n\nFollow\n\nfollowed\n\nFollowed\n\nLike\n\nLike\n\n[Thread](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-premium-worth-it\/#threads \"Threads\")\n\nLog in\n\nHere is a fact-based summary of the story contents:\n\nTry something different:\n\nShow me the facts\n\nExplain it like I’m 5\n\nGive me a lighthearted recap\n\n### Summary\n- At \\$14 a month, YouTube Premium is now worth it, with new features like high-quality audio and quick video skipping.\n- YouTube Premium adds value beyond ad-free viewing, competing with services like Spotify with perks like high-quality audio.\n- Unique market positioning as a dual music and video service sets YouTube Premium apart, offering vast content variety.\n\nI have a strange relationship with [YouTube Premium](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-premium-perk-i-cant-live-without\/). Thanks to a discounted price, I jumped on the bandwagon and got a lot of mileage out of the lack of ads on my viewing. When I had to start paying full price for the service, I started to question whether it was worth it.\n\nMy conclusion was that YouTube Premium, despite the ad-free viewing, was [no longer worth it](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-premium-isnt-worth-it-anymore\/). At \\$14 a month, it's a steep price to pay, and I just think there are better ways to spend my money. After spending time with ads again on YouTube, I can safely say my enjoyment on the platform tanked, but I still can't bring myself to go back.\n\nThe big thing I wanted out of YouTube Premium was additional value on top of the ad-free viewing, and it looks like Google is [starting to deliver on that](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-introduces-new-premium-features\/). To be fair, that value was there for a lot of people already thanks to YouTube Music being included in the subscription. The latest rounds of updates bring improvements to the music service, and it has me thinking about giving YouTube Premium another shot.\n\n![YouTube Premium ](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/16-9-1-5.jpg?q=70&fit=contain&w=420&dpr=1)\n\n##### YouTube Premium\n**What's included?**\n\nYouTube mostly ad-free\n\n**Price**\n\n\\$8 a month\n\n**Live TV**\n\nNo\n\nYouTube Premium is a subscription service that offers ad-free viewing, background play, and access to YouTube Originals and downloads for offline use.\n\n[See at YouTube](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/premium)\n\nExpand Collapse\n\n![YouTube premium on an iphone rendering. ](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/premium.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2)\n\nRelated\n\n##### [Thought YouTube Premium was just for skipping ads? Think again](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-premium-perks-subscribers-forget-to-use\/ \"Thought YouTube Premium was just for skipping ads? Think again\")\nYouTube Premium has more than a couple perks that make paying worth it.\n\nPosts\n\n[23](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-premium-perks-subscribers-forget-to-use\/#threads \"Total Posts\")\n\nBy  [Eli Becht](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/author\/eli-becht\/ \"Posts by Eli Becht\")\n## I'm rethinking YouTube Premium\n### It might be enough for me\n![YouTube Premium on a landscape and portrait phone. ](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/youtube-premium-isnt-worth-it-anymore.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=2)\n\nCollabstr \/ Unsplash \/ Pocket-lint\n\nOn January 22, YouTube Premium announced [several new features](https:\/\/blog.youtube\/news-and-events\/new-youtube-premium-features-2025\/) coming to Premium members, and I have to be honest, I'm hovering over that resubscribe button. The big changes for me include the high-quality audio and the \"jump ahead\" feature on the web browser. I loved being able to skip ahead quickly on videos on my tablet, so seeing it roll out in my web browser is huge. Nobody likes having to sit through a lengthy sponsorship from a YouTuber, and this feature effectively eliminates that.\n\nPerhaps a bigger change is the audio update for YouTube Music. Premium rolled out 256kbps audio for music videos, so it's a big boon to audiophiles who are looking for the best quality possible without having to buy a physical CD.\n\nAnother feature is the 4x speed on mobile, something that's not quite a game changer, but it's something that comes in handy for zipping through videos. The value I once thought was lacking with Premium appears to be here now. If you like listening to music and having ad-free viewing, there's not a service out there that provides better value than this.\n\n![YouTube app on iPhone](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2024\/12\/youtube-feature-image-2.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2)\n\nRelated\n\n##### [YouTube is testing a weird audio feature no one asked for](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-new-voice-reply-feature\/ \"YouTube is testing a weird audio feature no one asked for\")\nYouTube is rolling out a new feature to select creators which lets them reply to comments on their videos with their voice.\n\nPosts\n\nBy  [Craig Donaldson](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/author\/craig-donaldson\/ \"Posts by Craig Donaldson\")\n## Big props to Google\n### Giving credit where it's due\n![Someone using YouTube Music. ](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5-youtube-premium-perks-1.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=2)\n\nYouTube \/ Pocket-lint\n\nI don't like having to give credit to corporations, but this is a situation where I feel like it's necessary. I complained about YouTube Premium not having enough features to justify the cost, but that's not the case anymore.\n\nIn a world where Netflix continues to [jack up the price](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/netflix-subscription-price-hike\/) while offering the same service, it's nice to see YouTube Premium add features like this without a price increase -- although [we're not far removed](https:\/\/www.androidpolice.com\/youtube-latest-price-increase-even-affects-grandfathered-plans\/) from one. Premium used to be much cheaper, and a price like \\$10 is much easier to justify when it comes to just eliminating ads. If you're in it just for the ad-free viewing, it's a tough pill to swallow.\n\nTaking advantage of [all the perks](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-premium-perks-subscribers-forget-to-use\/) Premium has to offer is essential to getting your money's worth. This means ditching your Spotify subscription in favor of YouTube Music is worth a look. With the high-quality audio rolling out, the gap has closed significantly between the two services. The main difference is Spotify Premium costs \\$12, while YouTube Premium costs \\$14. If you don't use YouTube very much, it's not a needle mover.\n\nFor something I thought was losing value as the price went up, these new features are big changes that have me rethinking things. YouTube Premium promises to add more features down the line, and if those come without another price increase, I don't think they'll lose me as a customer any time soon. I've been trying to [cut out subscription services in 2025](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/unsubscribing-streaming-services-2025\/), but if there's something with a lot of value that comes along, I'll break that rule.\n\n![YouTube Music Recap 2024 header](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2024\/12\/youtube-music-recap-2024-header.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2)\n\nRelated\n\n##### [YouTube has a recap feature I didn't know existed until today](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/how-to-access-youtube-music-recap\/ \"YouTube has a recap feature I didn't know existed until today\")\nIf you're a YouTube Music subscriber, then there's a year-in review with your name on it.\n\nPosts\n\nBy  [John Kanellakos](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/author\/john-kanellakos\/ \"Posts by John Kanellakos\")\n## YouTube Premium hits a market nobody is going after\n### A truly unique subscription service\n![YouTube Premium subscription](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2024\/11\/shout-tv-21.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=2)\n\nSomething that makes YouTube Premium so interesting is what it's targeting. We complain about the rising costs of services like Spotify, Max, Netflix, and the list goes on, but it's for good reason. Those services all provide one thing, so it's upsetting to see the price go up without getting much in return.\n\nIn the case of YouTube Premium, it's both a music service and a video service. Building off that, YouTube offers such a wide breadth of content that you can easily spend hundreds of hours on the platform without even scratching the surface. The same can be said of Netflix, I suppose, but how often do you truly pick something random that you have never heard of? For me, it happens a lot more often on YouTube than it does on Netflix, and that's why ad-free viewing is huge.\n\nWhen I can, I like to get the most value I can through bundles or discounted pricing. For example, grabbing Hulu + Live TV comes with Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu all for \\$83 -- the exact same cost of YouTube TV. Although YouTube Premium costs more than Spotify Premium, there's more value here. If I can find out how to get everything I want for a low price, I'm going to do that.\n\nWhether YouTube Premium offers that varies by person, but I'm now much closer to thinking it's the case than I was just a month ago. A lower price would be a nice bonus for me, but I realize that's not the reality we're in. Services go up in price and don't ever get cheaper. What could happen is a limited ads option at some point as we see many streamers adopting as of late. It wouldn't be the perfect solution, but it'd be a way to lower the price while still maintaining a good value. No matter the case, I can envision YouTube Premium finding its way back into my monthly expenses sooner rather than later.\n\n![YouTube Premium on a landscape and portrait phone. ](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/youtube-premium-isnt-worth-it-anymore.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2)\n\nRelated\n\n##### [More people should use this lesser-known YouTube Premium feature](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/how-to-download-videos-on-youtube-premium\/ \"More people should use this lesser-known YouTube Premium feature\")\nYouTube Premium's most-loved feature is its ad-free videos, but there's another feature I find myself using a lot.\n\nPosts\n\nBy  [Chris Hachey](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/author\/chris-hachey\/ \"Posts by Chris Hachey\")\n\n- [Apps](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/apps\/ \"Apps\")\n\nFollow\n\nFollowed\n\nLike\n\nShare\n\n[Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pocket-lint.com%2Fyoutube-premium-worth-it%2F%2F&src=sdkpreparse)   [X](https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=I%20used%20to%20think%20YouTube%20Premium%20wasn%27t%20worth%20it.%20Here%27s%20what%20changed%20my%20mind&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pocket-lint.com%2Fyoutube-premium-worth-it%2F)   [WhatsApp](https:\/\/web.whatsapp.com\/send?text=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pocket-lint.com%2Fyoutube-premium-worth-it%2F)   [Threads](https:\/\/www.threads.net\/intent\/post?text=I%20used%20to%20think%20YouTube%20Premium%20wasn%27t%20worth%20it.%20Here%27s%20what%20changed%20my%20mind%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pocket-lint.com%2Fyoutube-premium-worth-it%2F)   [Bluesky](https:\/\/bsky.app\/intent\/compose?text=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pocket-lint.com%2Fyoutube-premium-worth-it%2F)   [LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pocket-lint.com%2Fyoutube-premium-worth-it%2F&title=I%20used%20to%20think%20YouTube%20Premium%20wasn%27t%20worth%20it.%20Here%27s%20what%20changed%20my%20mind&source=www.pocket-lint.com&summary=The%20value%20might%20be%20there%20now%20for%20YouTube%20Premium.)   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Here's what changed my mind&Body=Check%20this%20out%21%0Ahttps:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-premium-worth-it\/>)\n\nClose\n\n- ### Reviews\n- ### Editorials\n\n[![Aurzen Zip Projector unfolded in front of plants.](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2026\/03\/aurzen-zip-projector-58.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=200&h=140&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/aurzen-zip-tri-fold-portable-mini-projector-review\/)\n\n##### [This powerful folding projector is small enough to fit in my pocket](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/aurzen-zip-tri-fold-portable-mini-projector-review\/ \"This powerful folding projector is small enough to fit in my pocket\")\n\n[![Nothing Phone (4a) Pro beauty 1](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2026\/03\/nothing-phone-4a-pro-beauty-1.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=200&h=140&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/nothing-phone-4a-pro-review\/)\n\n##### [With the Phone 4a Pro, Nothing has finally found its mid-range mojo](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/nothing-phone-4a-pro-review\/ \"With the Phone 4a Pro, Nothing has finally found its mid-range mojo\")\n\n[![Sony LinkBuds Clip being worn by reviewer](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2026\/03\/sony-linkbuds-clip-hero.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=200&h=140&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/review-sony-linkbuds-clip-smart-sound-great-crazy-comfortable\/)\n\n##### [I'm never taking these ultra-comfortable \\$230 earbuds off](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/review-sony-linkbuds-clip-smart-sound-great-crazy-comfortable\/ \"I'm never taking these ultra-comfortable $230 earbuds off\")\n\n[![Asus ProArt PX13 beauty 1](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2026\/03\/asus-proart-px13-beauty-1.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=200&h=140&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/asus-proart-px13-review\/)\n\n##### [This ASUS ProArt laptop makes both the creator and the gamer inside of me happy](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/asus-proart-px13-review\/ \"This ASUS ProArt laptop makes both the creator and the gamer inside of me happy\")\n\n[![Asus ProArt GoPro Edition.](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2026\/03\/asus-proart-gopro-review-hero.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=200&h=140&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/asus-proart-gopro-edition-px13-review\/)\n\n##### [This \\$3,000 PC might be the MacBook replacement I've been waiting for](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/asus-proart-gopro-edition-px13-review\/ \"This $3,000 PC might be the MacBook replacement I've been waiting for\")\n\n[![MacBook Air with M5 floating on a white table side view](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2026\/03\/macbook-air-with-m5-floating-on-a-white-table-side-view.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=200&h=140&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/apple-m5-macbook-air-review\/)\n\n##### [The newest MacBook Air is everything I want in a laptop - almost](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/apple-m5-macbook-air-review\/ \"The newest MacBook Air is everything I want in a laptop - almost\")\n\n[See More](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/reviews\/)\n\n[![An 8K-ready HDMI 2.1 cable.](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2025\/12\/hdmi-tricks-hero.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=200&h=140&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/hdmi-usb-c-speed-difference\/)\n\n##### [Unlike HDMI, you probably don't need the fastest USB-C cable](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/hdmi-usb-c-speed-difference\/ \"Unlike HDMI, you probably don't need the fastest USB-C cable\")\n\n[![Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater on LG C5 TV.](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2026\/02\/lg-c5-tv-pc-gaming.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=200&h=140&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/vrr-most-important-smart-tv-feature\/)\n\n##### [I wouldn't buy a TV without this feature](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/vrr-most-important-smart-tv-feature\/ \"I wouldn't buy a TV without this feature\")\n\n[![Wednesday on an OLED TV with the Govee Backlight 3 Pro.](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2025\/09\/govee-tv-backlight-3-pro-07.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=200&h=140&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/bias-lighting-on-tvs\/)\n\n##### [This cheap upgrade made my old TV feel new again](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/bias-lighting-on-tvs\/ \"This cheap upgrade made my old TV feel new again\")\n\n[![Razer's Viper V4 Pro mouse on a Gigantus V4 Pro mousepad.](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2026\/03\/razer-viper-v4-pro-mouse.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=200&h=140&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/razer-viper-v4-pro-gigantus-v2-pro\/)\n\n##### [I didn't think a new mouse or a mousepad mattered until this happened](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/razer-viper-v4-pro-gigantus-v2-pro\/ \"I didn't think a new mouse or a mousepad mattered until this happened\")\n\n[![Amazon Fire TV with voice controls.](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2025\/11\/shout-tv-22-1.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=200&h=140&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/hands-free-alexa-replaced-fire-tv-stick\/)\n\n##### [Replacing my Fire Stick with this was the best decision I made](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/hands-free-alexa-replaced-fire-tv-stick\/ \"Replacing my Fire Stick with this was the best decision I made\")\n\n[![A hand holding an iPhone 16 displaying the Monologue keyboard.](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2026\/03\/dsc03338.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=200&h=140&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/monologue-voice-typing\/)\n\n##### [I went keyboard-free for a day and learned something interesting about voice controls](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/monologue-voice-typing\/ \"I went keyboard-free for a day and learned something interesting about voice controls\")\n\n[See More](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/editorials\/)\n\nTrending Now\n\n[![A person holding a braided USB-C cable.](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2026\/03\/shout-tv-3.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=100&h=67&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/braided-usb-c-cable-better\/)\n\n##### [My USB-C cables were constantly breaking until I started doing this](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/braided-usb-c-cable-better\/ \"My USB-C cables were constantly breaking until I started doing this\")\n\n[![Couple sitting on chairs, woman holding a phone with the INIU Pocket Rocket P50 attached](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/iniu-pocket-rocket-p50-feature-image.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=100&h=67&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/iniu-pocket-rocket-p50-power-bank-spring-sale\/)\n\n##### [This tiny power bank has 45W fast charging and is built for life on the move](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/iniu-pocket-rocket-p50-power-bank-spring-sale\/ \"This tiny power bank has 45W fast charging and is built for life on the move\")\n\n[![A TV with a canoe in a pond.](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2024\/06\/led-tech-vs-mini-led-tech.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=100&h=67&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/downsides-to-hdr10-plus\/)\n\n##### [4 downsides to HDR10+ I didn't expect](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/downsides-to-hdr10-plus\/ \"4 downsides to HDR10+ I didn't expect\")\n\nThread\n\n[Sign in to your Pocket-lint account]()\n\nWe want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.\n\nBe the first to post\n\nImages\n\nAttachment(s)\n\nPlease respect our [community guidelines](https:\/\/www.valnetinc.com\/en\/terms-of-use#community-guidelines). No links, inappropriate language, or spam.\n\nYour comment has not been saved\n\n[Send confirmation email]()\n\nThis thread is open for discussion.\n\nBe the first to post your thoughts.\n\n- [Terms](https:\/\/www.valnetinc.com\/en\/terms-of-use)\n- [Privacy](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/page\/our-privacy-policy\/)\n- [Feedback](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/contact)\n\nRecommended\n\n[![a multimedia remote controlling a streaming service on a colored background](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/streaming-services-student-discounts-featured-image-1.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=266&h=300&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/streaming-services-not-worth-paying-for\/)\n\n### [I tried these 5 streaming services, and they're a total rip-off](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/streaming-services-not-worth-paying-for\/ \"I tried these 5 streaming services, and they're a total rip-off\")\n\n[![Person holding Roku remote in front of TV.](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2026\/03\/roku-live-tv-hero.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=266&h=300&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/eco-mode-not-good-tv\/)\n\n### [This smart TV setting is ruining your picture quality](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/eco-mode-not-good-tv\/ \"This smart TV setting is ruining your picture quality\")\n\n[![something-bad-Netflix](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/something-bad-netflix.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=266&h=300&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/netflix-bloody-new-series-will-have-everyone-talking-this-weekend\/)\n\n### [Netflix's bloody new thriller will have everyone talking this weekend](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/netflix-bloody-new-series-will-have-everyone-talking-this-weekend\/ \"Netflix's bloody new thriller will have everyone talking this weekend\")\n\n[![Asus ExpertBook CB54 Chromebook Plus beauty 9](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2026\/03\/asus-expertbook-cb54-chromebook-plus-beauty-9-alt.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=266&h=300&dpr=2)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/switching-to-asus-expertbook-cb54-chromebook-plus-laptop\/)\n\n### [I ditched my PC for a high-end Chromebook and was surprised by what happened](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/switching-to-asus-expertbook-cb54-chromebook-plus-laptop\/ \"I ditched my PC for a high-end Chromebook and was surprised by what happened\")\n\n[![Pocket-lint logo](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/assets\/images\/pl-logo-symbol-white.svg?v=2.4)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/)\n\n- [Join Our Team](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/work-with-us\/)\n- [Our Audience](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/page\/advertise\/)\n- [About Us](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/page\/about\/)\n- [Press & Events](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/page\/press-events\/)\n- [Media Coverage](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/page\/media\/)\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/contact\/)\n\n- Follow Us\n\n[![Valnet Logo](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/assets\/images\/valnet-logo-icon-white.svg?v=2.4)](https:\/\/www.valnetinc.com\/en\/)\n\n- [Advertising](https:\/\/www.valnetinc.com\/en\/advertising)\n- [Careers](https:\/\/www.valnetinc.com\/en\/careers)\n- [Terms](https:\/\/www.valnetinc.com\/en\/terms-of-use)\n- [Privacy](https:\/\/www.valnetinc.com\/en\/privacy-policy)\n- [Policies](https:\/\/www.valnetinc.com\/en\/editorial-integrity)\n\n[Pocket-lint](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/) is part of the [Valnet Publishing Group](https:\/\/www.valnetinc.com\/en\/)\n\nCopyright © 2026 Valnet Inc.","attrs_readable_markdown":"[![4](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress%2Fwp-content%2Fauthors%2F673cbf371ec25-IMG_20241016_161108.jpg?fit=crop&w=90&h=90)](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/author\/eli-becht\/)\n\nPublished Jan 27, 2025, 7:00 AM EST\n\nEli is a freelance journalist who lives in Detroit, MI. He got his start in journalism covering video games and sports for [Heavy](https:\/\/heavy.com\/author\/elibecht\/) before branching out into greater esports coverage at [Dexerto](https:\/\/www.dexerto.com\/author\/elibecht\/). He also has bylines at [SlashGear](https:\/\/www.slashgear.com\/author\/elibecht\/), [Sports Illustrated](https:\/\/www.si.com\/esports\/author\/eli-becht), and more.\n\nHe added technology coverage to his plate over his years of writing, and it's something he continues to cover at Pocket-lint. He's interviewed numerous game developers and covered several live events, such as the launch of Destiny 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 in Los Angeles.\n\nHe has written more than 5,000 articles and looks to continue adding to that number in the years to come. He has a degree in Journalism from Central Michigan University.\n\n### Summary\n- At \\$14 a month, YouTube Premium is now worth it, with new features like high-quality audio and quick video skipping.\n- YouTube Premium adds value beyond ad-free viewing, competing with services like Spotify with perks like high-quality audio.\n- Unique market positioning as a dual music and video service sets YouTube Premium apart, offering vast content variety.\n\nI have a strange relationship with [YouTube Premium](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-premium-perk-i-cant-live-without\/). Thanks to a discounted price, I jumped on the bandwagon and got a lot of mileage out of the lack of ads on my viewing. When I had to start paying full price for the service, I started to question whether it was worth it.\n\nMy conclusion was that YouTube Premium, despite the ad-free viewing, was [no longer worth it](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-premium-isnt-worth-it-anymore\/). At \\$14 a month, it's a steep price to pay, and I just think there are better ways to spend my money. After spending time with ads again on YouTube, I can safely say my enjoyment on the platform tanked, but I still can't bring myself to go back.\n\nThe big thing I wanted out of YouTube Premium was additional value on top of the ad-free viewing, and it looks like Google is [starting to deliver on that](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-introduces-new-premium-features\/). To be fair, that value was there for a lot of people already thanks to YouTube Music being included in the subscription. The latest rounds of updates bring improvements to the music service, and it has me thinking about giving YouTube Premium another shot.\n\n![YouTube Premium ](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/16-9-1-5.jpg?q=70&fit=contain&w=420&dpr=1)\n\nYouTube Premium\n\n**What's included?**YouTube mostly ad-free\n\n**Price**\\$8 a month\n\n**Live TV**No\n\nYouTube Premium is a subscription service that offers ad-free viewing, background play, and access to YouTube Originals and downloads for offline use.\n\n![YouTube premium on an iphone rendering. ](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/premium.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2)\n\nRelated\n\n##### [Thought YouTube Premium was just for skipping ads? Think again](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-premium-perks-subscribers-forget-to-use\/ \"Thought YouTube Premium was just for skipping ads? Think again\")\nYouTube Premium has more than a couple perks that make paying worth it.\n## I'm rethinking YouTube Premium\n### It might be enough for me\n![YouTube Premium on a landscape and portrait phone. ](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/youtube-premium-isnt-worth-it-anymore.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=2)\n\nCollabstr \/ Unsplash \/ Pocket-lint\n\nOn January 22, YouTube Premium announced [several new features](https:\/\/blog.youtube\/news-and-events\/new-youtube-premium-features-2025\/) coming to Premium members, and I have to be honest, I'm hovering over that resubscribe button. The big changes for me include the high-quality audio and the \"jump ahead\" feature on the web browser. I loved being able to skip ahead quickly on videos on my tablet, so seeing it roll out in my web browser is huge. Nobody likes having to sit through a lengthy sponsorship from a YouTuber, and this feature effectively eliminates that.\n\nPerhaps a bigger change is the audio update for YouTube Music. Premium rolled out 256kbps audio for music videos, so it's a big boon to audiophiles who are looking for the best quality possible without having to buy a physical CD.\n\nAnother feature is the 4x speed on mobile, something that's not quite a game changer, but it's something that comes in handy for zipping through videos. The value I once thought was lacking with Premium appears to be here now. If you like listening to music and having ad-free viewing, there's not a service out there that provides better value than this.\n\n![YouTube app on iPhone](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2024\/12\/youtube-feature-image-2.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2)\n\nRelated\n\n##### [YouTube is testing a weird audio feature no one asked for](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-new-voice-reply-feature\/ \"YouTube is testing a weird audio feature no one asked for\")\nYouTube is rolling out a new feature to select creators which lets them reply to comments on their videos with their voice.\n## Big props to Google\n### Giving credit where it's due\n![Someone using YouTube Music. ](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5-youtube-premium-perks-1.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=2)\n\nYouTube \/ Pocket-lint\n\nI don't like having to give credit to corporations, but this is a situation where I feel like it's necessary. I complained about YouTube Premium not having enough features to justify the cost, but that's not the case anymore.\n\nIn a world where Netflix continues to [jack up the price](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/netflix-subscription-price-hike\/) while offering the same service, it's nice to see YouTube Premium add features like this without a price increase -- although [we're not far removed](https:\/\/www.androidpolice.com\/youtube-latest-price-increase-even-affects-grandfathered-plans\/) from one. Premium used to be much cheaper, and a price like \\$10 is much easier to justify when it comes to just eliminating ads. If you're in it just for the ad-free viewing, it's a tough pill to swallow.\n\nTaking advantage of [all the perks](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/youtube-premium-perks-subscribers-forget-to-use\/) Premium has to offer is essential to getting your money's worth. This means ditching your Spotify subscription in favor of YouTube Music is worth a look. With the high-quality audio rolling out, the gap has closed significantly between the two services. The main difference is Spotify Premium costs \\$12, while YouTube Premium costs \\$14. If you don't use YouTube very much, it's not a needle mover.\n\nFor something I thought was losing value as the price went up, these new features are big changes that have me rethinking things. YouTube Premium promises to add more features down the line, and if those come without another price increase, I don't think they'll lose me as a customer any time soon. I've been trying to [cut out subscription services in 2025](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/unsubscribing-streaming-services-2025\/), but if there's something with a lot of value that comes along, I'll break that rule.\n\n![YouTube Music Recap 2024 header](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2024\/12\/youtube-music-recap-2024-header.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2)\n\nRelated\n\n##### [YouTube has a recap feature I didn't know existed until today](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/how-to-access-youtube-music-recap\/ \"YouTube has a recap feature I didn't know existed until today\")\nIf you're a YouTube Music subscriber, then there's a year-in review with your name on it.\n## YouTube Premium hits a market nobody is going after\n### A truly unique subscription service\n![YouTube Premium subscription](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/wm\/2024\/11\/shout-tv-21.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=2)\n\nSomething that makes YouTube Premium so interesting is what it's targeting. We complain about the rising costs of services like Spotify, Max, Netflix, and the list goes on, but it's for good reason. Those services all provide one thing, so it's upsetting to see the price go up without getting much in return.\n\nIn the case of YouTube Premium, it's both a music service and a video service. Building off that, YouTube offers such a wide breadth of content that you can easily spend hundreds of hours on the platform without even scratching the surface. The same can be said of Netflix, I suppose, but how often do you truly pick something random that you have never heard of? For me, it happens a lot more often on YouTube than it does on Netflix, and that's why ad-free viewing is huge.\n\nWhen I can, I like to get the most value I can through bundles or discounted pricing. For example, grabbing Hulu + Live TV comes with Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu all for \\$83 -- the exact same cost of YouTube TV. Although YouTube Premium costs more than Spotify Premium, there's more value here. If I can find out how to get everything I want for a low price, I'm going to do that.\n\nWhether YouTube Premium offers that varies by person, but I'm now much closer to thinking it's the case than I was just a month ago. A lower price would be a nice bonus for me, but I realize that's not the reality we're in. Services go up in price and don't ever get cheaper. What could happen is a limited ads option at some point as we see many streamers adopting as of late. It wouldn't be the perfect solution, but it'd be a way to lower the price while still maintaining a good value. No matter the case, I can envision YouTube Premium finding its way back into my monthly expenses sooner rather than later.\n\n![YouTube Premium on a landscape and portrait phone. ](https:\/\/static0.pocketlintimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/youtube-premium-isnt-worth-it-anymore.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2)\n\nRelated\n\n##### [More people should use this lesser-known YouTube Premium feature](https:\/\/www.pocket-lint.com\/how-to-download-videos-on-youtube-premium\/ \"More people should use this lesser-known YouTube Premium feature\")\nYouTube Premium's most-loved feature is its ad-free videos, but there's another feature I find myself using a lot.","meta_canonical":null}

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Meta Title	I used to think YouTube Premium wasn't worth it. Here's what changed my mind
Meta Description	The value might be there now for YouTube Premium.
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Boilerpipe Text	Published Jan 27, 2025, 7:00 AM EST Eli is a freelance journalist who lives in Detroit, MI. He got his start in journalism covering video games and sports for Heavy before branching out into greater esports coverage at Dexerto . He also has bylines at SlashGear , Sports Illustrated , and more. He added technology coverage to his plate over his years of writing, and it's something he continues to cover at Pocket-lint. He's interviewed numerous game developers and covered several live events, such as the launch of Destiny 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 in Los Angeles. He has written more than 5,000 articles and looks to continue adding to that number in the years to come. He has a degree in Journalism from Central Michigan University. Summary At $14 a month, YouTube Premium is now worth it, with new features like high-quality audio and quick video skipping. YouTube Premium adds value beyond ad-free viewing, competing with services like Spotify with perks like high-quality audio. Unique market positioning as a dual music and video service sets YouTube Premium apart, offering vast content variety. I have a strange relationship with YouTube Premium . Thanks to a discounted price, I jumped on the bandwagon and got a lot of mileage out of the lack of ads on my viewing. When I had to start paying full price for the service, I started to question whether it was worth it. My conclusion was that YouTube Premium, despite the ad-free viewing, was no longer worth it . At $14 a month, it's a steep price to pay, and I just think there are better ways to spend my money. After spending time with ads again on YouTube, I can safely say my enjoyment on the platform tanked, but I still can't bring myself to go back. The big thing I wanted out of YouTube Premium was additional value on top of the ad-free viewing, and it looks like Google is starting to deliver on that . To be fair, that value was there for a lot of people already thanks to YouTube Music being included in the subscription. The latest rounds of updates bring improvements to the music service, and it has me thinking about giving YouTube Premium another shot. YouTube Premium What's included? YouTube mostly ad-free Price $8 a month Live TV No YouTube Premium is a subscription service that offers ad-free viewing, background play, and access to YouTube Originals and downloads for offline use. Related Thought YouTube Premium was just for skipping ads? Think again YouTube Premium has more than a couple perks that make paying worth it. I'm rethinking YouTube Premium It might be enough for me Collabstr / Unsplash / Pocket-lint On January 22, YouTube Premium announced several new features coming to Premium members, and I have to be honest, I'm hovering over that resubscribe button. The big changes for me include the high-quality audio and the "jump ahead" feature on the web browser. I loved being able to skip ahead quickly on videos on my tablet, so seeing it roll out in my web browser is huge. Nobody likes having to sit through a lengthy sponsorship from a YouTuber, and this feature effectively eliminates that. Perhaps a bigger change is the audio update for YouTube Music. Premium rolled out 256kbps audio for music videos, so it's a big boon to audiophiles who are looking for the best quality possible without having to buy a physical CD. Another feature is the 4x speed on mobile, something that's not quite a game changer, but it's something that comes in handy for zipping through videos. The value I once thought was lacking with Premium appears to be here now. If you like listening to music and having ad-free viewing, there's not a service out there that provides better value than this. Related YouTube is testing a weird audio feature no one asked for YouTube is rolling out a new feature to select creators which lets them reply to comments on their videos with their voice. Big props to Google Giving credit where it's due YouTube / Pocket-lint I don't like having to give credit to corporations, but this is a situation where I feel like it's necessary. I complained about YouTube Premium not having enough features to justify the cost, but that's not the case anymore. In a world where Netflix continues to jack up the price while offering the same service, it's nice to see YouTube Premium add features like this without a price increase -- although we're not far removed from one. Premium used to be much cheaper, and a price like $10 is much easier to justify when it comes to just eliminating ads. If you're in it just for the ad-free viewing, it's a tough pill to swallow. Taking advantage of all the perks Premium has to offer is essential to getting your money's worth. This means ditching your Spotify subscription in favor of YouTube Music is worth a look. With the high-quality audio rolling out, the gap has closed significantly between the two services. The main difference is Spotify Premium costs $12, while YouTube Premium costs $14. If you don't use YouTube very much, it's not a needle mover. For something I thought was losing value as the price went up, these new features are big changes that have me rethinking things. YouTube Premium promises to add more features down the line, and if those come without another price increase, I don't think they'll lose me as a customer any time soon. I've been trying to cut out subscription services in 2025 , but if there's something with a lot of value that comes along, I'll break that rule. Related YouTube has a recap feature I didn't know existed until today If you're a YouTube Music subscriber, then there's a year-in review with your name on it. YouTube Premium hits a market nobody is going after A truly unique subscription service Something that makes YouTube Premium so interesting is what it's targeting. We complain about the rising costs of services like Spotify, Max, Netflix, and the list goes on, but it's for good reason. Those services all provide one thing, so it's upsetting to see the price go up without getting much in return. In the case of YouTube Premium, it's both a music service and a video service. Building off that, YouTube offers such a wide breadth of content that you can easily spend hundreds of hours on the platform without even scratching the surface. The same can be said of Netflix, I suppose, but how often do you truly pick something random that you have never heard of? For me, it happens a lot more often on YouTube than it does on Netflix, and that's why ad-free viewing is huge. When I can, I like to get the most value I can through bundles or discounted pricing. For example, grabbing Hulu + Live TV comes with Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu all for $83 -- the exact same cost of YouTube TV. Although YouTube Premium costs more than Spotify Premium, there's more value here. If I can find out how to get everything I want for a low price, I'm going to do that. Whether YouTube Premium offers that varies by person, but I'm now much closer to thinking it's the case than I was just a month ago. A lower price would be a nice bonus for me, but I realize that's not the reality we're in. Services go up in price and don't ever get cheaper. What could happen is a limited ads option at some point as we see many streamers adopting as of late. It wouldn't be the perfect solution, but it'd be a way to lower the price while still maintaining a good value. No matter the case, I can envision YouTube Premium finding its way back into my monthly expenses sooner rather than later. Related More people should use this lesser-known YouTube Premium feature YouTube Premium's most-loved feature is its ad-free videos, but there's another feature I find myself using a lot.
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Here's what changed my mind ![YouTube Premium](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2025/01/youtube-premium.jpg?&fit=crop&w=1600&h=900) Pocket-lint / YouTube Credit: Pocket-lint / YouTube [![4](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress%2Fwp-content%2Fauthors%2F673cbf371ec25-IMG_20241016_161108.jpg?fit=crop&w=90&h=90)](https://www.pocket-lint.com/author/eli-becht/) By [Eli Becht](https://www.pocket-lint.com/author/eli-becht/) Published Jan 27, 2025, 7:00 AM EST Eli is a freelance journalist who lives in Detroit, MI. He got his start in journalism covering video games and sports for [Heavy](https://heavy.com/author/elibecht/) before branching out into greater esports coverage at [Dexerto](https://www.dexerto.com/author/elibecht/). He also has bylines at [SlashGear](https://www.slashgear.com/author/elibecht/), [Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/esports/author/eli-becht), and more. He added technology coverage to his plate over his years of writing, and it's something he continues to cover at Pocket-lint. He's interviewed numerous game developers and covered several live events, such as the launch of Destiny 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 in Los Angeles. He has written more than 5,000 articles and looks to continue adding to that number in the years to come. He has a degree in Journalism from Central Michigan University. [Sign in to your Pocket-lint account]() [Add Us On](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=pocket-lint.com "Add Us On") follow Follow followed Followed Like Like [Thread](https://www.pocket-lint.com/youtube-premium-worth-it/#threads "Threads") Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap ### Summary - At \$14 a month, YouTube Premium is now worth it, with new features like high-quality audio and quick video skipping. - YouTube Premium adds value beyond ad-free viewing, competing with services like Spotify with perks like high-quality audio. - Unique market positioning as a dual music and video service sets YouTube Premium apart, offering vast content variety. I have a strange relationship with [YouTube Premium](https://www.pocket-lint.com/youtube-premium-perk-i-cant-live-without/). Thanks to a discounted price, I jumped on the bandwagon and got a lot of mileage out of the lack of ads on my viewing. When I had to start paying full price for the service, I started to question whether it was worth it. My conclusion was that YouTube Premium, despite the ad-free viewing, was [no longer worth it](https://www.pocket-lint.com/youtube-premium-isnt-worth-it-anymore/). At \$14 a month, it's a steep price to pay, and I just think there are better ways to spend my money. After spending time with ads again on YouTube, I can safely say my enjoyment on the platform tanked, but I still can't bring myself to go back. The big thing I wanted out of YouTube Premium was additional value on top of the ad-free viewing, and it looks like Google is [starting to deliver on that](https://www.pocket-lint.com/youtube-introduces-new-premium-features/). To be fair, that value was there for a lot of people already thanks to YouTube Music being included in the subscription. The latest rounds of updates bring improvements to the music service, and it has me thinking about giving YouTube Premium another shot. ![YouTube Premium ](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/16-9-1-5.jpg?q=70&fit=contain&w=420&dpr=1) ##### YouTube Premium What's included? YouTube mostly ad-free Price \$8 a month Live TV No YouTube Premium is a subscription service that offers ad-free viewing, background play, and access to YouTube Originals and downloads for offline use. [See at YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/premium) Expand Collapse ![YouTube premium on an iphone rendering. ](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/premium.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2) Related ##### [Thought YouTube Premium was just for skipping ads? Think again](https://www.pocket-lint.com/youtube-premium-perks-subscribers-forget-to-use/ "Thought YouTube Premium was just for skipping ads? Think again") YouTube Premium has more than a couple perks that make paying worth it. Posts [23](https://www.pocket-lint.com/youtube-premium-perks-subscribers-forget-to-use/#threads "Total Posts") By [Eli Becht](https://www.pocket-lint.com/author/eli-becht/ "Posts by Eli Becht") ## I'm rethinking YouTube Premium ### It might be enough for me ![YouTube Premium on a landscape and portrait phone. ](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/youtube-premium-isnt-worth-it-anymore.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=2) Collabstr / Unsplash / Pocket-lint On January 22, YouTube Premium announced [several new features](https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/new-youtube-premium-features-2025/) coming to Premium members, and I have to be honest, I'm hovering over that resubscribe button. The big changes for me include the high-quality audio and the "jump ahead" feature on the web browser. I loved being able to skip ahead quickly on videos on my tablet, so seeing it roll out in my web browser is huge. Nobody likes having to sit through a lengthy sponsorship from a YouTuber, and this feature effectively eliminates that. Perhaps a bigger change is the audio update for YouTube Music. Premium rolled out 256kbps audio for music videos, so it's a big boon to audiophiles who are looking for the best quality possible without having to buy a physical CD. Another feature is the 4x speed on mobile, something that's not quite a game changer, but it's something that comes in handy for zipping through videos. The value I once thought was lacking with Premium appears to be here now. If you like listening to music and having ad-free viewing, there's not a service out there that provides better value than this. ![YouTube app on iPhone](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2024/12/youtube-feature-image-2.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2) Related ##### [YouTube is testing a weird audio feature no one asked for](https://www.pocket-lint.com/youtube-new-voice-reply-feature/ "YouTube is testing a weird audio feature no one asked for") YouTube is rolling out a new feature to select creators which lets them reply to comments on their videos with their voice. Posts By [Craig Donaldson](https://www.pocket-lint.com/author/craig-donaldson/ "Posts by Craig Donaldson") ## Big props to Google ### Giving credit where it's due ![Someone using YouTube Music. ](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/5-youtube-premium-perks-1.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=2) YouTube / Pocket-lint I don't like having to give credit to corporations, but this is a situation where I feel like it's necessary. I complained about YouTube Premium not having enough features to justify the cost, but that's not the case anymore. In a world where Netflix continues to [jack up the price](https://www.pocket-lint.com/netflix-subscription-price-hike/) while offering the same service, it's nice to see YouTube Premium add features like this without a price increase -- although [we're not far removed](https://www.androidpolice.com/youtube-latest-price-increase-even-affects-grandfathered-plans/) from one. Premium used to be much cheaper, and a price like \$10 is much easier to justify when it comes to just eliminating ads. If you're in it just for the ad-free viewing, it's a tough pill to swallow. Taking advantage of [all the perks](https://www.pocket-lint.com/youtube-premium-perks-subscribers-forget-to-use/) Premium has to offer is essential to getting your money's worth. This means ditching your Spotify subscription in favor of YouTube Music is worth a look. With the high-quality audio rolling out, the gap has closed significantly between the two services. The main difference is Spotify Premium costs \$12, while YouTube Premium costs \$14. If you don't use YouTube very much, it's not a needle mover. For something I thought was losing value as the price went up, these new features are big changes that have me rethinking things. YouTube Premium promises to add more features down the line, and if those come without another price increase, I don't think they'll lose me as a customer any time soon. I've been trying to [cut out subscription services in 2025](https://www.pocket-lint.com/unsubscribing-streaming-services-2025/), but if there's something with a lot of value that comes along, I'll break that rule. ![YouTube Music Recap 2024 header](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2024/12/youtube-music-recap-2024-header.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2) Related ##### [YouTube has a recap feature I didn't know existed until today](https://www.pocket-lint.com/how-to-access-youtube-music-recap/ "YouTube has a recap feature I didn't know existed until today") If you're a YouTube Music subscriber, then there's a year-in review with your name on it. Posts By [John Kanellakos](https://www.pocket-lint.com/author/john-kanellakos/ "Posts by John Kanellakos") ## YouTube Premium hits a market nobody is going after ### A truly unique subscription service ![YouTube Premium subscription](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2024/11/shout-tv-21.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=2) Something that makes YouTube Premium so interesting is what it's targeting. We complain about the rising costs of services like Spotify, Max, Netflix, and the list goes on, but it's for good reason. Those services all provide one thing, so it's upsetting to see the price go up without getting much in return. In the case of YouTube Premium, it's both a music service and a video service. Building off that, YouTube offers such a wide breadth of content that you can easily spend hundreds of hours on the platform without even scratching the surface. The same can be said of Netflix, I suppose, but how often do you truly pick something random that you have never heard of? For me, it happens a lot more often on YouTube than it does on Netflix, and that's why ad-free viewing is huge. When I can, I like to get the most value I can through bundles or discounted pricing. For example, grabbing Hulu + Live TV comes with Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu all for \$83 -- the exact same cost of YouTube TV. Although YouTube Premium costs more than Spotify Premium, there's more value here. If I can find out how to get everything I want for a low price, I'm going to do that. Whether YouTube Premium offers that varies by person, but I'm now much closer to thinking it's the case than I was just a month ago. A lower price would be a nice bonus for me, but I realize that's not the reality we're in. Services go up in price and don't ever get cheaper. What could happen is a limited ads option at some point as we see many streamers adopting as of late. It wouldn't be the perfect solution, but it'd be a way to lower the price while still maintaining a good value. No matter the case, I can envision YouTube Premium finding its way back into my monthly expenses sooner rather than later. ![YouTube Premium on a landscape and portrait phone. ](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/youtube-premium-isnt-worth-it-anymore.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2) Related ##### [More people should use this lesser-known YouTube Premium feature](https://www.pocket-lint.com/how-to-download-videos-on-youtube-premium/ "More people should use this lesser-known YouTube Premium feature") YouTube Premium's most-loved feature is its ad-free videos, but there's another feature I find myself using a lot. 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Readable Markdown	[![4](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress%2Fwp-content%2Fauthors%2F673cbf371ec25-IMG_20241016_161108.jpg?fit=crop&w=90&h=90)](https://www.pocket-lint.com/author/eli-becht/) Published Jan 27, 2025, 7:00 AM EST Eli is a freelance journalist who lives in Detroit, MI. He got his start in journalism covering video games and sports for [Heavy](https://heavy.com/author/elibecht/) before branching out into greater esports coverage at [Dexerto](https://www.dexerto.com/author/elibecht/). He also has bylines at [SlashGear](https://www.slashgear.com/author/elibecht/), [Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/esports/author/eli-becht), and more. He added technology coverage to his plate over his years of writing, and it's something he continues to cover at Pocket-lint. He's interviewed numerous game developers and covered several live events, such as the launch of Destiny 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 in Los Angeles. He has written more than 5,000 articles and looks to continue adding to that number in the years to come. He has a degree in Journalism from Central Michigan University. ### Summary - At \$14 a month, YouTube Premium is now worth it, with new features like high-quality audio and quick video skipping. - YouTube Premium adds value beyond ad-free viewing, competing with services like Spotify with perks like high-quality audio. - Unique market positioning as a dual music and video service sets YouTube Premium apart, offering vast content variety. I have a strange relationship with [YouTube Premium](https://www.pocket-lint.com/youtube-premium-perk-i-cant-live-without/). Thanks to a discounted price, I jumped on the bandwagon and got a lot of mileage out of the lack of ads on my viewing. When I had to start paying full price for the service, I started to question whether it was worth it. My conclusion was that YouTube Premium, despite the ad-free viewing, was [no longer worth it](https://www.pocket-lint.com/youtube-premium-isnt-worth-it-anymore/). At \$14 a month, it's a steep price to pay, and I just think there are better ways to spend my money. After spending time with ads again on YouTube, I can safely say my enjoyment on the platform tanked, but I still can't bring myself to go back. The big thing I wanted out of YouTube Premium was additional value on top of the ad-free viewing, and it looks like Google is [starting to deliver on that](https://www.pocket-lint.com/youtube-introduces-new-premium-features/). To be fair, that value was there for a lot of people already thanks to YouTube Music being included in the subscription. The latest rounds of updates bring improvements to the music service, and it has me thinking about giving YouTube Premium another shot. ![YouTube Premium ](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/16-9-1-5.jpg?q=70&fit=contain&w=420&dpr=1) YouTube Premium What's included?YouTube mostly ad-free Price\$8 a month Live TVNo YouTube Premium is a subscription service that offers ad-free viewing, background play, and access to YouTube Originals and downloads for offline use. ![YouTube premium on an iphone rendering. ](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/premium.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2) Related ##### [Thought YouTube Premium was just for skipping ads? Think again](https://www.pocket-lint.com/youtube-premium-perks-subscribers-forget-to-use/ "Thought YouTube Premium was just for skipping ads? Think again") YouTube Premium has more than a couple perks that make paying worth it. ## I'm rethinking YouTube Premium ### It might be enough for me ![YouTube Premium on a landscape and portrait phone. ](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/youtube-premium-isnt-worth-it-anymore.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=2) Collabstr / Unsplash / Pocket-lint On January 22, YouTube Premium announced [several new features](https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/new-youtube-premium-features-2025/) coming to Premium members, and I have to be honest, I'm hovering over that resubscribe button. The big changes for me include the high-quality audio and the "jump ahead" feature on the web browser. I loved being able to skip ahead quickly on videos on my tablet, so seeing it roll out in my web browser is huge. Nobody likes having to sit through a lengthy sponsorship from a YouTuber, and this feature effectively eliminates that. Perhaps a bigger change is the audio update for YouTube Music. Premium rolled out 256kbps audio for music videos, so it's a big boon to audiophiles who are looking for the best quality possible without having to buy a physical CD. Another feature is the 4x speed on mobile, something that's not quite a game changer, but it's something that comes in handy for zipping through videos. The value I once thought was lacking with Premium appears to be here now. If you like listening to music and having ad-free viewing, there's not a service out there that provides better value than this. ![YouTube app on iPhone](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2024/12/youtube-feature-image-2.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2) Related ##### [YouTube is testing a weird audio feature no one asked for](https://www.pocket-lint.com/youtube-new-voice-reply-feature/ "YouTube is testing a weird audio feature no one asked for") YouTube is rolling out a new feature to select creators which lets them reply to comments on their videos with their voice. ## Big props to Google ### Giving credit where it's due ![Someone using YouTube Music. ](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/5-youtube-premium-perks-1.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=2) YouTube / Pocket-lint I don't like having to give credit to corporations, but this is a situation where I feel like it's necessary. I complained about YouTube Premium not having enough features to justify the cost, but that's not the case anymore. In a world where Netflix continues to [jack up the price](https://www.pocket-lint.com/netflix-subscription-price-hike/) while offering the same service, it's nice to see YouTube Premium add features like this without a price increase -- although [we're not far removed](https://www.androidpolice.com/youtube-latest-price-increase-even-affects-grandfathered-plans/) from one. Premium used to be much cheaper, and a price like \$10 is much easier to justify when it comes to just eliminating ads. If you're in it just for the ad-free viewing, it's a tough pill to swallow. Taking advantage of [all the perks](https://www.pocket-lint.com/youtube-premium-perks-subscribers-forget-to-use/) Premium has to offer is essential to getting your money's worth. This means ditching your Spotify subscription in favor of YouTube Music is worth a look. With the high-quality audio rolling out, the gap has closed significantly between the two services. The main difference is Spotify Premium costs \$12, while YouTube Premium costs \$14. If you don't use YouTube very much, it's not a needle mover. For something I thought was losing value as the price went up, these new features are big changes that have me rethinking things. YouTube Premium promises to add more features down the line, and if those come without another price increase, I don't think they'll lose me as a customer any time soon. I've been trying to [cut out subscription services in 2025](https://www.pocket-lint.com/unsubscribing-streaming-services-2025/), but if there's something with a lot of value that comes along, I'll break that rule. ![YouTube Music Recap 2024 header](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2024/12/youtube-music-recap-2024-header.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2) Related ##### [YouTube has a recap feature I didn't know existed until today](https://www.pocket-lint.com/how-to-access-youtube-music-recap/ "YouTube has a recap feature I didn't know existed until today") If you're a YouTube Music subscriber, then there's a year-in review with your name on it. ## YouTube Premium hits a market nobody is going after ### A truly unique subscription service ![YouTube Premium subscription](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2024/11/shout-tv-21.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=2) Something that makes YouTube Premium so interesting is what it's targeting. We complain about the rising costs of services like Spotify, Max, Netflix, and the list goes on, but it's for good reason. Those services all provide one thing, so it's upsetting to see the price go up without getting much in return. In the case of YouTube Premium, it's both a music service and a video service. Building off that, YouTube offers such a wide breadth of content that you can easily spend hundreds of hours on the platform without even scratching the surface. The same can be said of Netflix, I suppose, but how often do you truly pick something random that you have never heard of? For me, it happens a lot more often on YouTube than it does on Netflix, and that's why ad-free viewing is huge. When I can, I like to get the most value I can through bundles or discounted pricing. For example, grabbing Hulu + Live TV comes with Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu all for \$83 -- the exact same cost of YouTube TV. Although YouTube Premium costs more than Spotify Premium, there's more value here. If I can find out how to get everything I want for a low price, I'm going to do that. Whether YouTube Premium offers that varies by person, but I'm now much closer to thinking it's the case than I was just a month ago. A lower price would be a nice bonus for me, but I realize that's not the reality we're in. Services go up in price and don't ever get cheaper. What could happen is a limited ads option at some point as we see many streamers adopting as of late. It wouldn't be the perfect solution, but it'd be a way to lower the price while still maintaining a good value. No matter the case, I can envision YouTube Premium finding its way back into my monthly expenses sooner rather than later. ![YouTube Premium on a landscape and portrait phone. ](https://static0.pocketlintimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/youtube-premium-isnt-worth-it-anymore.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=220&h=182&dpr=2) Related ##### [More people should use this lesser-known YouTube Premium feature](https://www.pocket-lint.com/how-to-download-videos-on-youtube-premium/ "More people should use this lesser-known YouTube Premium feature") YouTube Premium's most-loved feature is its ad-free videos, but there's another feature I find myself using a lot.
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