Affordable YouTube Premium: 5 Tips for Saving Money in 2026

YouTube Premium costs €12.99/month (Individual), €7.99/month (Student), €29.99/month (Family plan for up to 6 members), or €7.99/month (Premium Lite) in France in 2026. To save money, there are three legal options: the Student plan (-38%), the Family plan via a spliiit shared subscription spliiit ~€5 per person), and Premium Lite if you don’t need YouTube Music. Important: as of August 2025, using a VPN in Argentina or India no longer works to access international rates.

Key points to remember

• Individual: €12.99/month in France
• Students: €7.99/month with university verification
• Family: €29.99/month for 6 members (effective July 17, 2025)
• Premium Lite: €7.99/month, ad-free but without downloads or YouTube Music
• Family shared subscription via spliiit ~€5 per person per month
• The Argentina/India VPN has not been working since August 2025
• YouTube Music is included with the standard Premium plan (but not with Lite)

How much will YouTube Premium cost in France in 2026?

YouTube Premium offers four subscription plans in 2026, following the introduction of Premium Lite. The Individual plan costs €12.99/month, the Student plan costs €7.99/month (with verification), the Family plan at €29.99/month (up to 6 members, effective July 17, 2025), and Premium Lite at €7.99/month (ad-free but without downloads or YouTube Music).

• Plan|Price|Included|Members
• Individual|€12.99/month|Ad-free, downloads, YouTube Music|1
• Student|€7.99/month|Same as Individual + University Verification|1
• Family|$29.99/month|Same as Individual plan for each member|6
• Premium Lite|$7.99/month|Ad-free only (no Music, no downloads)|1

The launch of Premium Lite in France and 22 other countries has been a game-changer for those who just want to remove ads. But be aware: Lite does not include access to YouTube Music or offline downloads.

How can I legally pay less for YouTube Premium?

Three completely legal ways to lower your bill. No obscure VPNs, no unauthorized shared accounts.

1. The student plan for €7.99/month

If you're a college student, YouTube Premium for Students costs €7.99/month—that's 38% off the Individual plan. Annual verification is required through SheerID or an equivalent partner. Save €5/month for the duration of your studies (generally up to a total of 4 years).

2. Family Plan via spliiit shared subscription

The Family Plan, priced at €29.99/month, covers up to 6 members aged 13 and older. Split among 6 verified users via spliiit, that works out to about €5 per person per month, with no ads and unlimited downloads and YouTube Music included. It’s the best deal on the market in 2026.

3. Premium Lite for €7.99/month

If you just want to remove ads and aren’t interested in YouTube Music, Premium Lite at €7.99/month does the trick. It saves you €5/month compared to the Individual plan, but there are some limitations to be aware of: no offline downloads and no background playback for certain videos.

• Student Plan — €7.99/month, save €5/month
• spliiit Family Shared Subscription — ~€5 per person per month for 6 seats
• Premium Lite — €7.99/month, ad-free only
• 1-month free trial — available for new accounts
• Google AI Pro Bundle — Regular YouTube Premium Add-On Discount

Want to enjoy YouTube Premium Family without paying the full price? With a shared subscription, you can split the cost by legally sharing your family plan with up to 6 people. Find out how it works on spliiit

The VPN Trap: Why It Won't Work Anymore in 2026

For years, some people paid €2 or €3 a month for YouTube Premium by connecting to servers in Argentina, India, or Turkey via a VPN. Since YouTube updated its Terms of Service in August 2025, this workaround no longer works.

Google has stepped up its efforts to detect accounts using a VPN to access international pricing plans. Affected subscribers have had their accounts switched to the local pricing plan, or even suspended in cases of repeat violations. No new accounts can subscribe to YouTube Premium from these countries using a French credit card. For more details, see our YouTube Premium Romania report.

• VPN Argentina — blocked, Terms of Service updated August 2025
• VPN India — blocked, credit card verification
• VPN in Turkey — blocked, prices doubled locally
• Tip for foreign residents — works only for verifiable expats

The only sure way to save on YouTube Premium in 2026 is still through official channels: student plans, family plans via spliiit, or Premium Lite. For promo codes, see our YouTube Premium promo codes guide.

YouTube Premium Family: Is the €29.99 plan really worth it?

The Family plan has changed: as of July 17, 2025, it allows up to 6 members (up from 5) aged 13 and older who live at the same address. Each member gets the same benefits as the Individual plan: no ads, downloads, and YouTube Music included.

Benefits

• 6 seats (compared to 5 until July 2025)
• Each member retains their account and history
• YouTube Music included for everyone
• Offline download for each member
• Cost per person: about €5/month divided by 6

Disadvantages

• Members must normally reside at the same address (verification is required)
• No annual rate or combined student discount
• Everyone must be 13 or older

To turn this billing restriction into an opportunity, co-subscription through spliiit users who can register the same billing address. See our tutorial on how to share YouTube Premium and our comparison of sharing platforms.

How can I legally share YouTube Premium Family?

Shared subscriptions through spliiit the same way for YouTube Premium Family as they do for Netflix or Spotify. The primary subscriber signs up for the Family plan at €29.99/month, sets the number of available spots to 5, and the platform finds 5 verified co-subscribers.

• Family Plan — 6 users, €29.99/month
• Verified followers — no coincidence, identity verification
• Automated payment — no person-to-person transfers
• Actual savings — €29.99 / 6 = ~€5 per person, or 62% off the individual price
• Security — guaranteed in case of problems; mediation available

The advantage over Premium Lite: you get to keep YouTube Music, offline downloads, and all Premium features for the same price overall. A shared subscription is also a good option if you want to split the cost with others. Our guide to canceling YouTube Premium explains the steps if you want to switch plans.

Save up to 70% on YouTube Premium with a shared subscription. spliiit verified users so they can legally share a YouTube Premium Family plan (6 members). See how it works.

Is YouTube Premium worth the price in 2026?

This question comes up a lot. To answer it, you need to compare it to what you actually do on YouTube. If you watch more than an hour of content a day, the lack of ads alone justifies the subscription. If you use YouTube Music instead of Spotify, the combo saves you the cost of a separate subscription. If you download videos to watch offline (while commuting or on a plane), that’s also an exclusive Premium benefit.

On the other hand, if you only watch YouTube occasionally and have an ad blocker installed in your browser, a subscription becomes less relevant. Note, however, that Google has improved its ad blocker detection between 2024 and 2026: most extensions are now bypassed. If you use the service regularly, the cost-benefit analysis quickly tips in favor of Premium, especially with the Family Plan.

• 1 hour of YouTube a day — Premium pays for itself in time saved (fewer ads)
• YouTube Music + separate music subscription — Premium combo replaces two subscriptions
• Transportation / Airline Downloads — Premium-exclusive feature
• Mobile background playback — available with Premium and Premium Lite

Which YouTube Premium plan should you choose based on your needs?

There's no one-size-fits-all solution. Here are some recommendations based on your profile.

• College student — Student plan for €7.99/month, with verification
• Family or group of 6 — Family via spliiit, ~€5 per person
• Solo, no YouTube Music required — Premium Lite for €7.99/month
• Solo, heavy audio user — Individual plan for €12.99/month
• Heavy Google user — Google AI Pro + YouTube Premium add-on

If you use Microsoft 365 and ChatGPT a lot at the same time, check out our guide on affordable ChatGPT and Microsoft 365 options and how to share a Microsoft 365 Family subscription. Combining YouTube, Microsoft 365, and Netflix subscriptions can drastically reduce your monthly subscription costs.

Frequently asked questions

Does YouTube Premium Family work for 6 people?

Yes, as of July 17, 2025, YouTube Premium Family allows up to 6 members aged 13 and older who live at the same address. Previously, the plan was limited to 5 people. The price remains at €29.99/month in France.

Is the YouTube Premium student plan renewed every year?

Yes, student verification must be renewed annually through SheerID. The student plan, priced at €7.99/month, is valid for a total of 4 years, which is the standard duration of a higher education program. Existing students will continue to receive the student rate as long as their annual verification is valid.

Does Premium Lite include YouTube Music?

No, the Premium Lite plan at €7.99/month only removes ads on YouTube. It does not include YouTube Music, offline downloads, or background playback for certain videos. For these features, you’ll need to upgrade to the Individual plan at €12.99/month or the Family plan.

Does a VPN in Argentina or India work with YouTube Premium?

No, since the Terms of Service were updated in August 2025, YouTube has stepped up its detection of accounts using a VPN. Affected subscribers are switched to the local French pricing plan, or even suspended in the event of a repeat offense. No reliable VPN method works in 2026.

How do I share YouTube Premium Family with people outside my household?

Officially, the Family Plan requires that members live at the same address. The spliiit co-subscription service spliiit verified users under a single plan, in compliance with the rules. Cost: approximately €5 per person per month for 6 users.

Are YouTube Premium and YouTube Music the same thing?

No. YouTube Premium includes YouTube Music, but YouTube Music can be subscribed to separately (€10.99/month). If you want both plus ad-free YouTube, the Individual Premium plan at €12.99/month remains the most comprehensive option. Premium Lite does not include YouTube Music.

How do I cancel YouTube Premium?

You can cancel your subscription at paymentsaccount.google.com or directly in YouTube > Account > Paid Subscriptions. There’s no commitment; cancellation takes effect at the end of the paid period. No phone call or proof of cancellation is required. You’ll keep Premium until the last day of your billing cycle, after which your account will automatically switch to the free, ad-supported version of YouTube. See our complete guide to canceling YouTube Premium.