Joe Maring / Android Authority
Not a day goes by without YouTube urging me to subscribe to Premium. Whether barraging me with endless ads or taunting me with the lack of free downloads and background play support, Google believes it has a compelling case of pay-to-play. I’m not so sure.
Even though a Premium subscription would save me a lot of headaches and allow me access to other features, there are no plans that fit my living situation, and this is likely a problem for many others as well. Here’s how Google can fix this with a simple change.
Would you subscribe to YouTube Premium two-person plan? 751 votes Yes 78 % No 22 %
Solo makes sense for me, but Family doesn’t make sense for us
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
Many readers subscribe to YouTube Premium for the ad-free experience, YouTube Music Premium access, downloadable videos, and YouTube Music access. But YouTube’s plans assume households consist of either a single person or an expansive household — nothing in between.
Currently, there are three YouTube Premium tiers: one for students, another for individuals, and a third for households of up to six members, but none of these fit my needs. I can immediately rule out the student plan since I’m no longer eligible for the $7.99/month offer. The $13.99/month individual plan makes the most sense for me, but I don’t live alone. My partner also watches YouTube; I’m sure she’d like an ad-free experience. If I purchased two individual plans, it would cost $27.98/month, even more expensive than Netflix’s ridiculous 4K tier.
I'm no longer a student, I don't live alone, nor do I live with five other people. No Premium plan makes sense for me.
Naturally, the next best option is a Family plan, right? At $23.99/month, it’s cheaper than paying for two individual plans and allows me to gift five other family members with Premium. However, this isn’t as great a deal as it seems. YouTube is now enforcing rules against sharing benefits with family members who don’t live in the same household. Since we’re only two, what do I do with the remaining four spots? I’d absolutely enroll my parents and sisters on my account, but since they don’t live with me, how long until YouTube shuts those avenues? I’ve faced this exact issue with Netflix and won’t get burned again.
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