YouTube Premium Price in 2026: Every Plan
YouTube Premium is $15.99 a month in the US after the April 2026 increase. Family, Student, Lite and annual prices, the free trial, and what changed.
YouTube Premium costs $15.99 a month in the US, or $159.99 for 12 months. The Family plan costs $26.99 a month, and Student and Premium Lite cost $8.99 each. That's what YouTube's own pages showed on October 24, 2026, when we read them from a US connection. Every plan went up in April 2026, the first US increase since 2023.
About 90,500 people search "youtube premium price" each month. Searches for "youtube premium price increase" jumped from 720 in March 2026 to 90,500 in April.
How much is YouTube Premium in the US?
| Plan | Price now | Before April 2026 | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | $15.99 a month | $13.99 | Ad-free YouTube and YouTube Music, downloads, background play |
| Individual, 1 year | $159.99 | $139.99 | The same, paid up front for 12 months |
| Family | $26.99 a month | $22.99 | Premium for you and up to 5 family members (ages 13+) in your household |
| Student | $8.99 a month | $7.99 | Premium for eligible students, verified every year |
| Premium Lite | $8.99 a month | $7.99 | Most non-music videos ad-free, with downloads and background play |
YouTube's Premium, Family, Student and Premium Lite pages, read from a US connection on October 24, 2026; earlier prices from Ubergizmo, April 12, 2026.
New members get a "1-month trial for $0," and YouTube says it's for "eligible new members only." The annual plan carries the line "Save 15% vs. monthly plan." Twelve months at $15.99 come to $191.88, so the year saves $31.89.
YouTube Music Premium is a separate, cheaper plan. Its US page showed $11.99 a month, $18.99 for Family, $5.99 for students and $119.99 for 12 months. It's for music only.
When did YouTube Premium go up?
In April 2026, YouTube started emailing US subscribers about higher prices. Engadget reported it on April 10, 2026, and said the emails put the change in "the June 2026 billing period." New members paid the new prices right away, Ubergizmo wrote two days later. Existing members didn't pay more until their June bill.
Every plan rose. Individual went up $2, Family went up $4, and Student and Premium Lite each went up $1. Engadget noted YouTube's last increase came in 2023, and that one also added $2 to the regular plan.
Other countries followed. RouteNote reported on August 21, 2026, that prices in several countries in Europe and elsewhere were rising by roughly 10 to 15%. For many existing members, the new price starts with "their first billing date on or after September 23, 2026." In parts of Europe, Premium went from €13.99 to €15.99 a month, it said.
| Month | Searches for "youtube premium price increase" | Searches for "youtube premium family plan" |
|---|---|---|
| October 2025 | 1,000 | 27,100 |
| January 2026 | 880 | 27,100 |
| March 2026 | 720 | 33,100 |
| April 2026 | 90,500 | 33,100 |
| May 2026 | 8,100 | 49,500 |
| June 2026 | 5,400 | 90,500 |
| July 2026 | 2,400 | 110,000 |
| August 2026 | 12,100 | 90,500 |
| September 2026 | 1,900 | 60,500 |
Google Ads Keyword Planner, worldwide monthly searches, read October 24, 2026.
The first jump came with the US emails in April. Family plan searches peaked in July, a month after existing members first paid the new price. The August bump lines up with the international round.
How does YouTube tell you about a price change?
By email, at least a month ahead. "We'll notify you via email at least 30 days ahead of a price increase in your country/territory," Google's help page says. Your service keeps running unless you cancel. In some countries, you "may need to acknowledge and accept price changes to continue your membership."
Your own price lives on the Purchases and memberships page of your Google account. The price can also rise when local taxes change, Google says.
How much is YouTube Premium outside the US?
It depends on the country. On October 24, 2026, YouTube's page in Germany showed €14.99 a month for Premium, €27.99 for Family, €8.99 for Student, €7.99 for Premium Lite and €149.99 for 12 months.
For your country's price, check youtube.com/premium. What you pay today is on your Purchases and memberships page.
What's the difference between Premium and Premium Lite?
Premium Lite covers most videos and leaves out music. YouTube's page says Lite's "background play, downloads, ad-free" benefits work on "most non-music content, excluding Shorts. Ads may appear when you search or browse." It calls Lite "44% cheaper than the Premium Monthly Individual plan."
Lite reached the US on March 5, 2025, at $7.99 a month, after pilots in Thailand, Germany and Australia. Back then, YouTube pointed anyone who wanted "offline and background play" to Premium. Google's Lite help page now says it lets you watch most videos "ad-free, offline, and in the background." YouTube added both on February 24, 2026. Our Premium Lite guide covers the rest.
| Premium | Premium Lite | |
|---|---|---|
| Ad-free videos | Yes | Most non-music videos |
| Shorts | Ad-free | Not covered |
| YouTube Music | Included, ad-free | Not included |
| Downloads and background play | Yes | Most non-music videos |
| US price | $15.99 a month | $8.99 a month |
YouTube's Premium and Premium Lite pages, read October 24, 2026.
What are the rules for Family, Student and annual plans?
- Family: you plus up to 5 family members, all 13 or older and in your household. Google's help page counts that as "up to 6 people." It also lists a Two-person plan where one is offered.
- Student: for "full-time students at approved higher education institutions." It's "valid for up to 4 years," with eligibility checked every year by an outside verification service. Since August 19, 2026, YouTube has also offered eligible college students in "over 80 countries" a bundle of Premium and Google AI Pro, "in the U.S. for just $8.99 vs. $35.98/mo for both subscriptions."
- Annual: a "pre-paid, non-recurring" plan for one person. You can hold up to 24 months of prepaid access. Google says annual plans "are not refundable, cannot be paused."
- Individual: for one user. Google says individual plans "may not be used by multiple users sharing the same account."
Is there a YouTube Premium free trial?
Yes, for eligible new members. The US page offers a "1-month trial for $0" on Premium, Family, Student and Lite. "You'll be reminded 7 days before your trial ends," it says. Billing then recurs at the full price.
How do you cancel YouTube Premium?
Go to the Purchases and memberships page. "Cancel your membership by visiting the Purchases and memberships page. You can rejoin Premium or Premium Lite at any time," YouTube's page says.
Is YouTube Premium worth it?
It depends on what you'd use. A full Family plan works out to $4.50 per person a month, the cheapest way to get everything. Students pay $8.99 and still get YouTube Music. If you watch long videos and don't care about music or Shorts, Lite gets most of the ad-free viewing for $8.99.
The annual plan saves $31.89 a year. You pay it up front, and it can't be refunded. If you mostly want ad-free songs, YouTube Music Premium costs $4 less a month than full Premium.
YouTube's page says you can "Join over 125 million Premium members." When YouTube shared that number in March 2025, it described it as YouTube Music and Premium subscribers "including trials globally."
Frequently asked questions
How much is YouTube Premium a month?
$15.99 in the US, since April 2026. It was $13.99 before.
How much is YouTube Premium Family?
$26.99 a month in the US, for you and up to 5 family members in your household.
How much is YouTube Premium for students?
$8.99 a month in the US, for verified full-time students.
Did YouTube Premium go up in 2026?
Yes. US prices rose in April 2026, and existing members paid more from their June bill. Several other countries followed from September 23, 2026.
Does YouTube Premium include YouTube Music?
Yes, the full Premium plans do. Premium Lite doesn't.
Can I share my YouTube Premium account?
Not on an individual plan. Google says it's for one user, so sharing takes a Family plan.
Hclout doesn't sell YouTube services. For the money side of YouTube, see how much YouTube pays, YouTube monetization requirements and YouTube Music vs Spotify.
Sources
- YouTube, the Premium, Premium Family, Premium Student, Premium Lite and YouTube Music Premium pages, read from a US connection and from Germany on October 24, 2026
- YouTube Help, "Learn about price changes for YouTube paid products," "Join YouTube Premium," "Get a Premium Lite membership on YouTube" and "Sign up for a YouTube Premium or YouTube Music Premium annual plan," read October 24, 2026
- YouTube Blog, "Introducing Premium Lite" (March 5, 2025), "YouTube Premium Lite adds background play and downloads" (February 24, 2026) and "Back to school with YouTube Premium and Google AI Pro" (August 19, 2026), read October 24, 2026
- Engadget, "YouTube Premium's US pricing is going up" (April 10, 2026); Ubergizmo, "YouTube Premium Price Increase Hits U.S. Users In 2026" (April 12, 2026); RouteNote, "YouTube Premium Price Increase 2026" (August 21, 2026), read October 24, 2026
- A web search for YouTube Premium prices, October 24, 2026
- Google Ads Keyword Planner, worldwide, read October 24, 2026
Want the growth without the research?
Real accounts, 30-day refill, no password ever asked for.