YouTube Music vs YouTube Premium

Who wins: YouTube Music or YouTube Premium?

YouTube Premium, because it includes all YouTube Music features plus ad-free videos, background playback, and offline downloads for the whole platform.

Based on our analysis across 5 dimensions with 20 sources, YouTube Music scores 6.2/10 overall while YouTube Premium scores 8.8/10 overall.

Should I choose YouTube Music or YouTube Premium?

Verdict: YouTube Premium, because it includes all YouTube Music features plus ad-free videos, background playback, and offline downloads for the whole platform.

YouTube Premium is the better all-around choice at $13.99/month since it includes YouTube Music plus ad-free videos, but YouTube Music at $10.99/month is sufficient if you only need music streaming.

YouTube Premium outperforms YouTube Music in nearly every scenario, offering ad-free coverage across all YouTube videos, background playback and offline downloads for the entire video library, and exclusive extras like YouTube Originals and Jump Ahead—features that YouTube Music simply does not provide. At $13.99/month, Premium costs 27% more than YouTube Music's $10.99/month, but that $3 monthly premium adds substantial value: every video becomes ad-free, you can keep playback running in the background, and you can download any video for offline viewing. For families, the gap narrows: Premium's family plan is $22.99/month versus Music's $16.99/month, a $6 difference that still buys complete ad-free YouTube access for up to six members. Unless you exclusively stream music and never watch YouTube videos, or you are on a very tight budget, YouTube Premium is the clear winner. For music-only listeners, YouTube Music delivers the same audio quality, personalized playlists, and music downloads at a lower price, making it a sensible, cost-effective alternative.

Best for YouTube Music

• Users who only want music streaming without any need for ad-free YouTube videos
• Budget-conscious listeners who want to save $3 per month or $36 per year
• People who rarely watch YouTube videos outside of music content
• Those who primarily use background playback and offline downloads for music only
• Subscribers who prefer a dedicated music app interface rather than a general video platform
• Users who already have an ad-blocker for regular YouTube or don't mind occasional ads

Best for YouTube Premium

• Viewers who want an ad-free experience across the entire YouTube library
• Users who need background playback and offline downloads for videos, not just music
• Families or households that use both music and video streaming regularly
• Power users who want exclusive extras like YouTube Originals and Jump Ahead
• People who want a single subscription covering both music and video content
• Those who value the convenience of one plan for all YouTube needs despite the higher price

When not to compare directly

Avoid a direct comparison when you do not watch standard YouTube videos or are on a strict budget; in those cases, YouTube Music alone eliminates the need for the extra $3 per month.

What are the key differences between YouTube Music and YouTube Premium?

• Pricing and Plans

  YouTube Premium costs $3 more per month ($13.99 vs $10.99) than YouTube Music, but adds ad-free video, background playback, and downloads for the entire YouTube platform, not just music.

  YouTube Music: YouTube Music's individual plan costs $10.99/month (or $109.99/year) in the US as of 2023, with a family plan at $16.99/month. It offers music streaming with no ads, background playback, and downloads, but lacks ad-free video on the main YouTube platform.

  YouTube Premium: YouTube Premium's individual plan costs $13.99/month (or $139.99/year) in the US as of 2023, with a family plan at $22.99/month. It includes all YouTube Music features plus ad-free videos, background playback, and downloads across YouTube, making it a more comprehensive subscription.

  Scores — YouTube Music: 7/10, YouTube Premium: 8/10

  Subscription cost is a decisive factor for most users, and the price gap between the two services influences which one offers better value.

  Sources: YouTube Premium与YouTube Music宣布涨价, YouTube近三年来首次在美国上调订阅价格

• Content Access

  YouTube Premium provides ad-free access to the entire YouTube video library, while YouTube Music only offers music streaming, with YouTube Premium costing $13.99 per month compared to YouTube Music's $10.99 per month.

  YouTube Music: YouTube Music is a dedicated music streaming service offering a vast catalog of official tracks, music videos, live performances, and user-generated content, with features like audio/video switching and personalized playlists. It provides access to music-specific content but does not include ad-free access to the full YouTube video library.

  YouTube Premium: YouTube Premium includes all the benefits of YouTube Music Premium, plus ad-free access to the entire YouTube video library, background playback, and offline downloads. It offers a broader content scope, covering both music and all other video content on YouTube, with a reported price increase to $13.99 per month in the US as of 2024.

  Scores — YouTube Music: 6/10, YouTube Premium: 9/10

  The type and breadth of content accessible determines if the subscription meets your entertainment needs.

  Sources: YouTube Premium与YouTube Music宣布涨价, YouTube Premium 到底是什么?值不值得入手?谷歌应用程序流媒体服务youtubepremium_网易订阅

• Ad-Free Coverage

  YouTube Premium removes ads across all YouTube videos and includes YouTube Music Premium for $13.99/month, while YouTube Music Premium only removes ads within the YouTube Music app for $10.99/month.

  YouTube Music: YouTube Music Premium removes ads only within the YouTube Music app, providing an ad-free experience for music streaming but not for general YouTube videos. The service costs $10.99/month after a price increase in 2023.

  YouTube Premium: YouTube Premium removes ads across all YouTube videos and includes YouTube Music Premium, offering a comprehensive ad-free experience. It costs $13.99/month after a price increase in 2023.

  Scores — YouTube Music: 6/10, YouTube Premium: 9/10

  Interruptions from ads affect user experience; knowing which service removes ads where is key.

  Sources: YouTube Premium与YouTube Music宣布涨价, YouTube Premium 到底是什么?值不值得入手?谷歌应用程序流媒体服务youtubepremium_网易订阅

• Background Play & Offline

  YouTube Premium extends background playback and offline downloads to all YouTube videos, while YouTube Music limits these features to music content only, with YouTube Premium costing $13.99/month versus YouTube Music's $10.99/month.

  YouTube Music: YouTube Music offers background playback and offline downloads for music content, but these features are limited to its music catalog. A 2021 report noted that YouTube Music free tier gained background playback, but other features were removed, indicating a tiered approach. For offline downloads, users typically need a paid subscription, with pricing around $10.99/month as of 2023 price increases.

  YouTube Premium: YouTube Premium extends background playback and offline downloads to all YouTube videos, not just music, making it more versatile. It also includes YouTube Music Premium, so users get both services. Pricing increased to $13.99/month in the US as of 2023, with further increases planned for 2026.

  Scores — YouTube Music: 7/10, YouTube Premium: 9/10

  Mobile users often need background playback and offline downloads for convenience without ads.

  Sources: YouTube Music Free Gets Background Playback, Loses Other Features, YouTube近三年来首次在美国上调订阅价格

• Exclusive Extras

  YouTube Premium includes exclusive extras like YouTube Originals, Jump Ahead, and AI features that are not available in YouTube Music, making it the better choice for users seeking additional benefits beyond music streaming.

  YouTube Music: YouTube Music is Google's music streaming service offering a vast catalog of official tracks, music videos, live performances, and user-generated content, with features like audio/video switching, personalized playlists, and AI-powered recommendations. It does not include ad-free video viewing on the main YouTube platform or exclusive extras like Originals or Jump Ahead.

  YouTube Premium: YouTube Premium includes all YouTube Music features plus ad-free video viewing, background playback, offline downloads, and exclusive extras such as YouTube Originals, Jump Ahead (AI-powered skip), and bundled AI features. It also provides access to YouTube Music Premium, making it a more comprehensive subscription for users who want both music and video benefits.

  Scores — YouTube Music: 5/10, YouTube Premium: 9/10

  Additional benefits like Originals, AI features, and YouTube Kids ad-free can tip the decision for families or power users.

  Sources: YouTube Premium 到底是什么?值不值得入手?谷歌应用程序流媒体服务youtubepremium_网易订阅, 谷歌将在美推出YouTube Premium Lite订阅服务Google小米youtube人民币澳大利亚_新浪新闻

What are the pros and cons of YouTube Music vs YouTube Premium?

Where does this data come from?

1. View source for 2024:Music Audio Generation - MIREX Wiki
2. YouTube或将推出全新Premium订阅计划谷歌安卓iosyoutubepremium_网易订阅
3. YouTube Ads– 24HourViews
4. 谷歌将在美推出YouTube Premium Lite订阅服务Google小米youtube人民币澳大利亚_新浪新闻
5. youtube-dl/README.md at master · Lyong2024/youtube-dl · GitHub
6. YouTube Premium与YouTube Music宣布涨价
7. YouTube Viewer Suite download SourceForge.net
8. YouTube Premium Lite登陆美国 价格更低、无广告但不能背景播放 - 今日头条
9. YouTube Premium APK 1.20.50.38 Download Latest Version 2024
10. 视频无广告、定价更便宜:谷歌预告 YouTube 美区将上线“Premium Lite”订阅服务youtube谷歌it之家_新浪科技_新浪网
11. YouTube Music Free Gets Background Playback, Loses Other Features
12. 谷歌YouTube Premium服务2026年4月起上调订阅价格
13. YouTube Music 的2024 年回顾已经发布歌曲播客音乐应用程序musicyoutube_网易订阅
14. YouTube Premium 到底是什么?值不值得入手?谷歌应用程序流媒体服务youtubepremium_网易订阅
15. YouTube Music Downloader - Browse /2024.08.15 at SourceForge.net
16. YouTube近三年来首次在美国上调订阅价格
17. youtube最新版2024下载-youtube最新版2024安卓下载 - yyzplayer
18. 仅移除广告 YouTube测试Premium Lite收费计划谷歌月费liteyoutubepremium_网易订阅
19. Top 10 YouTube music videos from Brazil in 2024 Statista
20. YouTube或在多地提高Premium订阅服务价格谷歌克朗欧元youtubepremium_网易订阅

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