YouTube has cemented itself as the internet‘s top video streaming platform. With over 2 billion monthly active users now, the site is synonymous with online video. Since its launch in 2014, YouTube‘s premium subscription service – YouTube Premium – has enhanced the experience for millions of YouTube devotees with extra features like ad-free viewing, background playback, and offline downloads. One of their most popular paid offerings is the YouTube Premium Family Plan.
But what exactly does this family-oriented subscription entail? What are the specifics around pricing and features for households? Is it ultimately worth paying for? In this comprehensive guide, we will analyze all available data and insights around YouTube Premium‘s Family Plan to determine its value proposition for different types of households.
A Brief YouTube History: From Humble Origins to 2 Billion Users
To understand the value of paid subscriptions like the Family Plan, it is useful to examine YouTube‘s origins and immense growth over the past 15+ years:
February 2005
- YouTube is founded by three early PayPal employees – Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim – as one of the first ever online video sharing platforms.
December 2005
- Just 10 months after launch, YouTube is already serving more than 8 million views a day.
October 2006
- Google acquires YouTube for $1.65 billion, bringing huge resources to expand the video site.
May 2010
- YouTube videos are logging over 2 billion views per day.
August 2012
- The site reaches a new milestone, exceeding over 4 billion video views per day.
March 2013
- YouTube users begin uploading over 100 hours of new video content EVERY minute.
February 2017
- YouTube reaches over 1 billion hours of video watched globally per day.
May 2019
- For the first time, YouTube has over 2 billion monthly logged in users visiting the platform.
September 2021
- YouTube surpasses over 50 million music and video premium subscribers.
June 2022
- Data shows YouTube now has 2.56 billion monthly active users with over a billion hours consumed per day.
In just over 15 years, YouTube has become the undisputed #1 streaming video site thanks to the popularity of viral videos, vloggers, music videos, and bite-sized entertainment.
With an audience this vast, subscriptions offering ad-free viewing and other benefits were bound to gain popularity as well. But it took YouTube some iteration before finding the right subscription model.
Transition From YouTube Red To Premium – What Changed?
YouTube first delved into the subscription video space in late 2014 with the launch of YouTube Red.
For $9.99/month, YouTube Red offered three major benefits:
- Ad-free video viewing
- Offline video downloads
- Access to YouTube Originals – exclusive shows and series
However, user uptake for YouTube Red was fairly weak only ever attracting fewer than 2 million subscribers.
There were a few fundamental issues with YouTube‘s first subscription play:
- It was difficult to convince users to pay for a service they already got for free, especially with no must-have exclusives.
- Too much emphasis placed on unproven YouTube Originals content instead of touting core ad-free features.
- Forced bundling of music service without sufficient library depth to replace Spotify or Apple Music.
- Relatively high $9.99 monthly cost for ad removal on a site used for viral videos and casual entertainment.
By May 2018 after years of low adoption, YouTube made a strategic change. They rebranded YouTube Red as YouTube Premium and made some key shifts:
- Dropped emphasis on Originals to highlight core features like ad-free viewing which mainstream users cared about.
- Added tiered plans including student and family offerings at cheaper bundled pricing to drive accessibility.
- Simplified messaging around gaming, vlogging, and entertainment with Premium vs. YouTube Music.
- Lowered base Individual Plan pricing from $9.99 to a more compelling $11.99 monthly.
The moves paid off vastly improving perceived value. Within 9 months of the YouTube Premium rebranding, subscriptions doubled from 1 million to over 2 million.
And by the end of 2021, total paying memberships across YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium had soared to over 50 million.
It is clear YouTube‘s subscription services have found substantive consumer demand. A key aspect is choice – offering multiple plans tailored to individual, student, and family needs.
YouTube Premium Plan Options: Individual, Student, and Family Tiers
As covered in the Premium history overview, today‘s incarnation of YouTube Premium strategically offers tiered plans to serve different subscriber categories. Let‘s analyze the pricing and benefits associated with each level:
YouTube Premium Individual Plan
The Individual Plan is the standard YouTube Premium option designed for a single account user.
Pricing
- $11.99 per month
- $119.99 per year (equivalent to $9.99 monthly)
Benefits
- Ad-free video viewing
- Background and offline playback
- Free access to YouTube Music Premium
At less than $12 monthly, an Individual Plan subscriber enjoys an uninterrupted ad-free YouTube experience. They can also download videos and playlists for offline modes or minimize the app while audio continues in the background.
The free inclusion of YouTube Music Premium is a compelling bonus not offered on the legacy YouTube Red plan.
YouTube Premium Student Plan
Students represent an important demographic for YouTube, hence the creation of this discounted plan tier.
Pricing
- $6.99 per month
- Requires verification through SheerID
Benefits
- Identical to the Individual Plan features and benefits
- Over 40% discount from the regular price
YouTube wants the next generation of creators and viewers within their ecosystem. By offering high value at 42% off for students enrolled in post-secondary education, they further incentivize platform stickiness.
YouTube Premium Family Plan
Arguably the most popular of the batch, the Family Plan allows up to 5 household members to access Premium under one bill.
Pricing
- $17.99 per month
- Annual plans unavailable
Benefits
- Personalized accounts for up to 5 family members
- Management controls for kids viewing
- Ad-free video and YouTube Music Premium
- Offline and background playback
We will analyze this plan‘s full features and value proposition in the next section. But in short, it offers nice household pricing at only $4 more than the Individual plan while including Music Premium access.
Next let‘s scrutinize the Family Plan details more closely.
YouTube Premium Family Plan Details: Features, Controls, and Pricing
YouTube‘s Family Plan grants Premium features to every household member while providing management over kids viewing. Here are the key details parents and heads of households should understand before subscribing:
Personal Accounts For Up To 5 Members
The Family Plan supports up to 5 users under one billing account. Each member receives:
- Their own YouTube profile, watch history, likes, playlists, recommendations
- Ability to login and access that viewing identity from any device or app
- Full access to standard Premium features like ad-free viewing, even on connected TVs
So every member gets a tailored YouTube experience catered to personal preferences versus sharing one account.
Connected Management Controls and Limitations
While each user has custom personalization, there are still parental control levers:
- Only the plan manager can view full watch history or make account changes
- Content restrictions can be enacted on kids profiles via YouTube Kids
- Search can be disabled for selected accounts to limit exposure
- Daily time limits per profile can be configured
So with the Family Plan, personalization coexists with controls and limitations to filter content for young viewers.
Bundled Discounted Pricing
Instead of paying for 5 separate Individual plans costing nearly $60/month, the Family Plan bundles for $17.99/month.
- Each additional member above 1 is only $4 more per month
- Compared to standalone plans, members 2 through 5 are effectively over 65% off
For households with 3+ viewers, over $30 in savings per month makes joining a Family Plan very appealing.
YouTube Music Premium Included
In addition to the core video streaming benefits, the Family Plan comes with full access to YouTube Music Premium for each member.
Premium music features include:
- Ad-free listening
- Offline downloads
- Background audio playback
- Music playlists and library management
Having this full music package bundled makes the overall entertainment value of a Family Plan subscription even greater – especially for music loving households.
Purchase Process
If ready to subscribe, the Family Plan sign up and onboarding flow goes as follows:
- Navigate to YouTube site and ensure you are signed into the account that will be the main manager
- Click on account icon > YouTube Premium option
- Select "Manage family plan" which is where you choose the tier and purchase the subscription
- payment is completed and plan activated
- Send invite emails or text message invites to up to 5 family members to join your plan
- Pending accept of the invitation, new members are formally added under your Family Plan
Once the purchase is complete and members enrolled, everyone enjoys access to Premium benefits and can begin using Personalized accounts.
Cost-Benefit Analysis: Evaluating the Pros and Cons
To determine appropriate situations for a Family Plan, let‘s objectively weigh some key pros and cons:
Pros
- Pay only ~$4 more than Individual Plan to cover 5 people
- Each member gets tailored personal preferences and watch history
- Manager account controls viewing limits, filters, etc for kids
- Ad-free video and music playback without interruptions
- Download any video or playlist for offline mode viewing
- Background audio listening from YouTube Music library
Cons
- Original shows and series no longer created for Premium
- Smaller music catalog size vs leaders like Spotify
- Family managing requires slightly more initial setup and ongoing effort
- Annual discounted plans not available (monthly-only billing)
Considering all aspects, the Pros of family pricing, personalization, and access arguably provide more significant benefits for just $17.99 monthly.
Is YouTube‘s Family Plan Worth It? Key Considerations.
So when evaluating whether the Premium Family Plan offers value and is worth paying for, what should potential subscribers consider?
If you have 3 or more regular YouTube viewers under your roof, the Family Plan delivers strong value.
For larger households, bundling 5 Premium plans for a reasonable $18/month is a bargain compared to paying for individual accounts. The flexibility around personal preferences and parental guardianship is also hugely beneficial for families.
However, if it is only 1 or 2 people in your home who watch YouTube casually, the free ad-supported route may suit just fine.
Without a critical mass of viewers who would leverage personalized accounts or kid viewing controls, $18 monthly simply for occasional ad-free viewing may be unnecessary. Stick with the free access.
For music centric households though, the inclusion of YouTube Music Premium makes the plan enticing even for 2 viewers.
Having ad-free access to 80+ million songs as well as YouTube‘s music video vault adds tremendous supplementary home entertainment value.
So in summarized guidance:
- 5 viewer household – Family Plan strongly advised
- 3-4 viewer household – Family Plan makes sense
- 2 viewer household – Optional depending on music streaming priorities
- 1 viewer household – Stick with free Individual Plan
Determine your unique situation using these recommendations.
YouTube Premium Family Plan – Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to 12 of the most common questions families have regarding the specifics of YouTube Premium‘s Family Plan subscription:
How many people can be on a YouTube Premium Family Plan?
There can be up to 5 total members on a single Family Plan. Each must reside at the same residential address.
How much does a YouTube Premium Family Plan cost?
The monthly price is $17.99. Unlike the Individual plan, there is no annual discounted Family Plan option (monthly payments only).
What features do you get with the YouTube Family Plan?
The major features include ad-free video viewing, background audio playback, downloading videos to watch offline, personalized accounts for each member, kid viewing restrictions, and access to YouTube Music Premium.
Can the primary account holder see other family members‘ watch history?
Yes, only the main Family Plan manager has ability to view the full watch history of members. Personal watch history is kept private only to that individual.
How do you set up parental controls on a Family Plan?
The manager account can restrict viewing to curated content on YouTube Kids app, disable search on accounts, and set daily time limits against individual family member profiles.
Can family members use YouTube Premium on their TV?
Yes, Premium benefits like ad-free viewing, YouTube Music access, etc. work on connected TV platforms the same as mobile or tablet with signed in accounts.
What‘s the difference between YouTube Premium vs YouTube Music Premium?
YouTube Premium gives an enhanced ad-free video playback experience. YouTube Music Premium offers similar benefits but specifically for searching, streaming, and listening to music. Family Plan includes both.
Is the YouTube Music Premium catalog better than Spotify?
No. YouTube Music has around 80 million songs compared to Spotify which now has over 82 million tracks. But YouTube Music does supplement its catalog with a deep vault of music videos.
Can family members use YouTube Premium in other countries?
Yes. As long as members travel to countries where Premium is available, they can access their personalized accounts and get ad-free playback plus offline downloads with no issues.
Can I buy a YouTube Premium Family Plan for less than $17.99?
Unfortunately, there are no discount codes or ways to get the Family Plan for cheaper than the $17.99 list price. It already represents significant savings over individual plans.
What forms of payment can I use for a Family Plan subscription?
YouTube Premium Family Plans support major credit/debit cards, PayPal, and mobile carrier billing. You can also use Google Play balance if signed up through the Android app.
I hope this comprehensive set of frequently asked questions helps explain some common Family Plan details. Please drop additional questions in comments!
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In conclusion, while YouTube Premium‘s Family Plan certainly has some limitations around content and music catalogs, the overall value proposition around customized accounts, kid controls, and discounted ad-free entertainment for 5 viewers is highly compelling.
For larger, YouTube obsessed households, the Family Plan should be a no-brainer subscription. More casual individual viewers or pairs are better suited sticking with free. Evaluate your situation using the insights provided to determine if now is the right time to upgrade to a paid Premium plan that unlocks the best of YouTube!
