# YouTube Music pricing (2026): plans, cost, and compliance

**Entry price:** $11.99/mo (Individual). Among the 8 music streaming we track it is #7 cheapest of 8; median entry $6/mo.
**Domain:** music.youtube.com
**Free tier:** Yes · 30-day free trial
**Compliance:** HIPAA Not published · SOC 2 Not published · GDPR Not published
**Integrations:** Google Home / Nest speakers, Chromecast / Google TV, Android Auto, Wear OS smartwatches, YouTube Premium (full YouTube ad-free bundle), Google Assistant, Amazon Echo (via skill), iOS / Android apps, Web browser
**Best for:** Users who want music videos alongside audio tracks; Google / Android ecosystem users; Users who want YouTube Premium ad-free bundle at slight premium; Listeners with large personal music libraries to upload; Podcast listeners who want one app for music and podcasts
**Price tracked since:** June 2026

## Plans

| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Billing | Notes | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Individual | $11.99 | — | flat | 1 account, ad-free background and offline music streaming. Raised from $10.99 to $11.99 in the April-2026 US increase. | musicbusinessworldwide.com |
| Family | $18.99 | — | flat | Up to 6 accounts in one household. Raised from $16.99 to $18.99 in the April-2026 US increase. | musicbusinessworldwide.com |

**Key features:** 300M+ track catalog (including user-uploaded content via YouTube); Official music videos and live concert footage streamed natively; YouTube Premium bundle — unlocks ad-free full YouTube alongside music; Smart downloads — auto-downloads personalized tracks for offline; Explore tab with personalized genre, mood, and activity mixes; Podcasts integrated in the same app; Lyrics display (synced scrolling); Upload personal music library (up to 100,000 tracks); Seamless handoff between YouTube and YouTube Music.

**Plan limits:** Free: ads between tracks; Free: no background playback on mobile (screen must stay on); Free: no offline downloads; Free: limited shuffle-only on some catalog areas; Paid: background play, offline, ad-free, full on-demand.

## Cheaper music streaming alternatives

- [Pandora](https://frontdeskreview.com/software/music-streaming/pandora/) — from $4.99/mo
- [TIDAL](https://frontdeskreview.com/software/music-streaming/tidal/) — from $5.49/mo
- [Apple Music](https://frontdeskreview.com/software/music-streaming/apple-music/) — from $5.99/mo
- [Amazon Music Unlimited](https://frontdeskreview.com/software/music-streaming/amazon-music-unlimited/) — from $5.99/mo
- [Deezer](https://frontdeskreview.com/software/music-streaming/deezer/) — from $5.99/mo

Sources: 1 · Last verified 2026-06-13
Provenance: Official music.youtube.com plans page returns a consent/geo redirect to WebFetch, so US 2026 prices were taken from Music Business Worldwide and Variety reporting on YouTube's April-2026 US price increase (effective for existing subscribers in the June 2026 billing cycle).
Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/software/music-streaming/youtube-music/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, YouTube Music's entry plan was $11.99/mo as of 2026-06-13 — https://frontdeskreview.com/software/music-streaming/youtube-music/
License: CC BY 4.0. Price history: https://frontdeskreview.com/data/price-history.jsonl