Music Streaming · pricing · Updated September 2026
YouTube Music pricing (2026)
YouTube Music starts at $11.99/mo (Individual) as checked on 2026-09-05, read from YouTube Music's own pricing page; 2 plans. Best for Users who want music videos alongside audio tracks. Every figure below links to its source and the date we captured it.
At a glance
- Entry price: $11.99/mo (Individual)
- Free tier: Yes · 30-day trial
- Compliance: HIPAA — · SOC 2 — · GDPR —
- 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
As of · every figure below links to its source STALE · 2026-09-05
YouTube Music plans & pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Billing | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual STALE · 2026-09-05 | $11.99 | — | Flat monthly | 1 account, ad-free background and offline music streaming. Raised from $10.99 to $11.99 in the April-2026 US increase. | music.youtube.com |
| Family STALE · 2026-09-05 | $18.99 | — | Flat monthly | Up to 6 accounts in one household. Raised from $16.99 to $18.99 in the April-2026 US increase. | music.youtube.com |
Last verified 2026-09-05. STALE marks a plan we have not re-checked at its source in over 30 days. Every plan above is marked — we flag rather than silently retain. Official music.youtube.com plans page returns a consent/geo redirect to an automated read, 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). Cross-checked against variety.com.
Price changes
Price on record
$11.99/moFirst on record 2026-06-27
A new dated entry is stamped here each time the price moves — the record builds itself.
Tracked since June 2026. No change record has cleared two sources yet, so nothing is published on the wire.
Capabilities
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
How much does YouTube Music cost?
YouTube Music starts at $11.99/mo (Individual); it has 2 published plans. Verified 2026-09-05.
What are cheaper alternatives to YouTube Music?
Cheaper music streaming than YouTube Music (entry $11.99/mo) include Pandora at $4.99/mo, Amazon Music Unlimited at $5.99/mo, Deezer at $5.99/mo. Verified 2026-09-05.
Does YouTube Music support HIPAA?
YouTube Music's public pages do not say whether it supports HIPAA.
Does YouTube Music have a free plan?
Yes — YouTube Music publishes a free tier; it offers a 30-day free trial.
YouTube Music vs alternatives
Cheaper music streaming alternatives
- Spotify from $6.99/mo
- Apple Music from $6.99/mo
- TIDAL from $6.99/mo
- Amazon Music Unlimited from $5.99/mo
- Deezer from $5.99/mo
- Pandora from $4.99/mo
More music streaming tools
Related categories
This standing as a plaque
YouTube Music currently holds a bronze deskmark here — Rank 8 of 8 · Music Streaming. Anyone may show it. There is nothing to apply for, nothing to pay, and displaying it changes no score: the standing comes from the published algorithm, which never reads commission data. We never ask anyone to show it, and its link carries rel="nofollow".
The image is drawn from our live data, so it follows the standing rather than freezing it: if YouTube Music moves up or down a tier, the plaque on your own site says so at our next publish. Nothing is tracked beyond the ordinary web-server log that records any image request.