YouTube Premium’s principal shortcoming is stopping me from subscribing

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Not a day goes by with out YouTube urging me to subscribe to Premium. Whether or not barraging me with limitless advertisements or taunting me with the shortage of free downloads and background play assist, Google believes it has a compelling case of pay-to-play. I’m not so positive.

Though a Premium subscription would save me loads of complications and permit me entry to different options, there aren't any plans that match my residing scenario, and that is doubtless an issue for a lot of others as effectively. Right here’s how Google can repair this with a easy change.

Would you subscribe to YouTube Premium two-person plan? 864 votes

Solo is smart for me, however Household doesn’t make sense for us

<img class="e_3g" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="YouTube premium app on smartphone stock photo (1)" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-1.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-1-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-1-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-1-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-1-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-1-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-1-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-1-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="YouTube premium app on smartphone stock photo (1)" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-1.jpg"/> Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Many readers subscribe to YouTube Premium for the ad-free expertise, YouTube Music Premium entry, downloadable movies, and YouTube Music entry. However YouTube’s plans assume households encompass both a single individual or an expansive family — nothing in between.

At the moment, there are three YouTube Premium tiers: one for college kids, one other for people, and a 3rd for households of as much as six members, however none of those match my wants. I can instantly rule out the coed plan since I’m now not eligible for the $7.99/month provide. The $13.99/month particular person plan makes essentially the most sense for me, however I don’t dwell alone. My companion additionally watches YouTube; I’m positive she’d like an ad-free expertise. If I bought two particular person plans, it could price $27.98/month, much more costly than Netflix’s ridiculous 4K tier.

I am now not a pupil, I do not dwell alone, nor do I dwell with 5 different individuals. No Premium plan is smart for me.

Naturally, the following best choice is a Household plan, proper? At $23.99/month, it’s cheaper than paying for 2 particular person plans and permits me to reward 5 different members of the family with Premium. Nevertheless, this isn’t as nice a deal because it appears. YouTube is now implementing guidelines in opposition to sharing advantages with members of the family who don’t dwell in the identical family. Since we’re solely two, what do I do with the remaining 4 spots? I’d completely enroll my mother and father and sisters on my account, however since they don’t dwell with me, how lengthy till YouTube shuts these avenues? I’ve confronted this actual subject with Netflix and received’t get burned once more.

Not one of the three accessible tiers match my companion’s and my wants, making it tough to justify subscribing to YouTube Premium, even with its advantages. If YouTube Premium provided genuinely distinctive and transformative options, I would think about the full-fat Household plan. However in its present state, I don’t imagine paying $24 monthly is worth it. Premium wants a mid-range tier to draw customers like me.

Is Premium ‘premium’ sufficient?

<img class="e_3g" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="YouTube premium app on smartphone stock photo (4)" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-4.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-4-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-4-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-4-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-4-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-4-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-4-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-4-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="YouTube premium app on smartphone stock photo (4)" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-4.jpg"/> Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

This isn’t some far-fetched idea I’m proposing both. I’m a Spotify subscriber, and I like the service, particularly its options like Jam and Join. Nevertheless, I used to be initially drawn to Spotify due to its Duo plan. For lower than a solo YouTube Premium subscription, my companion and I can hearken to our personal music ad-free and revel in collaboration instruments.

Are you a YouTube Premium subscriber? 5047 votes

Sure, and I've been for some time

60%

Sure, however solely just lately

8%

No, however I am eager about it

11%

No, and I do not plan to subscribe

20%

For what I pay for Spotify Duo, I get greater than my cash’s price. I don’t really feel the identical if I have been to pay for YouTube Premium household for the 2 of us. I do know Spotify and YouTube Premium will not be equal companies, but it surely’s simpler to get YouTube Premium’s big-ticket options with out paying for them. You don’t must danger putting in third-party or unofficial apps to get them.

At Household plan costs, not one of the genuinely helpful Premium options actually enchantment to me.

The most recent Microsoft Edge Canary construct just lately launched background play and ad-block assist. Banana Browser has a built-in media participant that unlocks most of YouTube’s premium options, whereas Courageous affords an analogous fully-fledged expertise. YouTube Premium’s options simply aren’t unique sufficient to warrant paying over $280 yearly.

I additionally argue that the expertise of YouTube as an entire falls far under a product I’d be keen to pay for. The rise of low-quality AI slop on Trending, the proliferation of Shorts, the addition of text-posts on the platform, the app’s extreme lack of customizability, and the mediocre private suggestions I obtain received’t enhance if I all of a sudden fork out $20/month. YouTube Music, whereas an expertise I totally loved, nonetheless lags behind its opponents like Spotify and isn't price buying by itself. The truth that it’s lumped in with a premium video service doesn’t have sufficient gravity, both.

YouTube nonetheless must persuade me that Premium is price the fee. The solo and Household plans will not be tempting sufficient, however a Duo plan would go a good distance towards twisting my arm.

YouTube heard our pleas, however has it listened?

<img class="e_3g" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="youtube premium lite hands on 10" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/youtube-premium-lite-hands-on-10-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/youtube-premium-lite-hands-on-10-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/youtube-premium-lite-hands-on-10-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/youtube-premium-lite-hands-on-10-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/youtube-premium-lite-hands-on-10-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/youtube-premium-lite-hands-on-10-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/youtube-premium-lite-hands-on-10-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/youtube-premium-lite-hands-on-10-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/youtube-premium-lite-hands-on-10-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="YouTube Premium screen in the YouTube app." src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/youtube-premium-lite-hands-on-10-scaled.jpg"/> Joe Maring / Android Authority

There could be some excellent news on the horizon. YouTube has been testing a two-person Premium plan in a number of markets for a number of months now, together with France, Hong Kong, India, and Taiwan. Based mostly on the pricing construction in these markets, such a plan might price round 1.5 solo plans. That’s a price proposition I’d think about.

A two-person plan that prices ~50% greater than a solo plan might make me reevaluate my Premium pause.

There’s no proof but that the corporate is pushing this plan to all corners of the globe. If its testing information isn’t favorable, the corporate might simply toss it apart or reevaluate its construction totally. I contacted YouTube for remark concerning the pilot and its future, however didn't obtain a response earlier than publishing.

That stated, I’m rising more and more annoyed with the plans accessible to me, and I do know 1000's of customers are, too. A two-person plan would maybe give us the choice we want.