Worth it? · YouTube Premium

Is YouTube Premium worth paying for? An honest framework

YouTube Premium costs ₹149 a month in India for one person, ₹299 for a family of up to six in one household, and ₹89 for verified students. There is also Premium Lite at ₹89, which removes ads from most non-music videos. Whether any of these is worth it comes down to three habits: how much YouTube you watch, whether you play music or podcasts with the screen off, and whether you can share a plan with people you live with. This page lays out the costs, a quick test to apply to your own use, and clear cases for paying, downgrading to Lite or Music Premium, or skipping it entirely.

Individual: ₹149/month
Family (6 people): ₹299/month
Premium Lite: ₹89/month

Join a group and split the cost Get the app

Youtube Premium plans on Subspace right now

Live Youtube Premium listings on Subspace
Plan	Price	Members	Per member
Monthly Plan	₹297	3	₹99

Source: Subspace marketplace (updates hourly)

Monthly Plan: what each person pays per month

Per-member share = plan price ÷ group size, as listed on Subspace.

Monthly Plan: what each person pays per month
Paying alone	₹297
Shared by 3	₹99

Join an existing group or start your own on the Youtube Premium groups page.

What you pay and what you get

Full Premium removes ads across YouTube, YouTube Kids and YouTube Music, and adds downloads and background play. Lite covers most non-music videos only: music, Shorts and some search and browse placements still carry ads.

YouTube Premium plans in India
Plan	Price	Who it covers	Notes
Premium Individual	₹149/month	1 person	Free trial for eligible new members
Premium prepaid	₹159 (1 month), ₹459 (3 months), ₹1,490 (12 months)	1 person	No auto-renew
Premium Two-person	₹219/month	You + 1 household member aged 13+
Premium Family	₹299/month	You + up to 5 household members aged 13+
Premium Student	₹89/month	1 verified student	Annual verification
Premium Lite	₹89/month	1 person	Most non-music videos only; not Shorts
YouTube Music Premium	₹119/month	1 person	Music app only, no ad-free videos

Source: youtube.com/premium and youtube.com/musicpremium (India) · as of 2026-10-12

A quick test: three questions

Answer these honestly about the last month.

Did you watch YouTube on most days? Long videos, tutorials, podcasts, cricket highlights.
Did you want to keep listening with the screen off? Music, podcasts, lectures or talk shows during a commute or workout.
Do you live with someone else who uses YouTube? A partner, flatmate, parent or sibling aged 13 or above.

Three yeses: Family or Two-person Premium is good value. Two yeses: Individual Premium will feel worth it. One yes, and it’s question 1: try Lite. One yes, and it’s question 2: Music Premium is enough. No yeses: skip it.

Sharing changes the maths most. Split six ways, Family costs each person about a third of the Individual price.

YouTube Premium, monthly cost per person

Shared plans divided by the maximum members; prepaid yearly ÷ 12. Official India prices as of 12 Oct 2026.

YouTube Premium, monthly cost per person
Individual	₹149
Prepaid 12 months	₹124
Two-person ÷ 2	₹110
Student	₹89
Lite	₹89
Family ÷ 6	₹50

When Lite or Music Premium is the smarter buy

Premium Lite suits people who watch creators, tutorials and long-form videos but don’t use YouTube for music. Since early 2026 it includes downloads and background play on most non-music videos in India. It does not cover music videos, songs or Shorts.

YouTube Music Premium at ₹119 suits people who mainly listen. It gives ad-free, offline, screen-off music in the YouTube Music app, but regular YouTube videos still show ads. If you also watch YouTube most days, full Premium costs only a little more and covers both.

Who should skip YouTube Premium

Occasional viewers who open YouTube a few times a week. Ads are an annoyance, but not one worth paying for every month.
People who already pay for Spotify or Apple Music and rarely watch long videos. You’d be paying twice for music.
Mostly-Shorts viewers considering Lite: Lite doesn’t remove ads on Shorts.
Anyone tempted by a cheap “Premium” APK. Modded apps break YouTube’s terms and can carry malware; they aren’t a real saving.

If you’re unsure, take the free trial on a monthly plan (for eligible new members) and note whether you miss it when it ends.

Cheaper ways to get it

Students: ₹89/month after verification.
Households: Family covers six people for ₹299; everyone must live at the same address and be 13 or older.
No auto-renew: the 12-month prepaid plan at ₹1,490 is cheaper than 12 monthly payments.
Split with others: Subspace’s YouTube Premium groups let members share what a plan costs. The live table above shows today’s per-member prices.

More detail: YouTube Premium price, family plan and how to cancel.

Frequently asked questions

Is YouTube Premium worth it in India?

Yes if you watch YouTube most days and listen with the screen off, or if you can share a Family plan (₹299/month for six people in one household). For occasional viewers, it usually isn’t.

Is YouTube Premium Lite worth it?

For people who watch creators and long videos but not music, yes. At ₹89/month it removes ads from most non-music videos and adds downloads and background play for them. It doesn’t cover music, Shorts or YouTube Music.

Does YouTube Premium include YouTube Music?

Yes. Full YouTube Premium includes ad-free YouTube Music with downloads and background play. Premium Lite does not.

Does YouTube Premium remove ads on YouTube Kids?

Yes. YouTube lists ad-free YouTube Kids as part of full Premium.

Is there a free trial of YouTube Premium?

Eligible new members get a free trial on monthly plans. Prepaid plans don’t come with a trial.

Can I cancel YouTube Premium anytime?

Yes. Cancel from the Purchases and memberships page; you keep benefits until the end of the billing period and can rejoin later.

Ready? Join a group and split the cost

YouTube Premium costs ₹149/month in India and Lite ₹89. A clear test for who should pay, who should pick Lite or Music, and who should skip.