YouTube Premium Family costs $22.99 per month in the United States and covers up to six people
YouTube Premium Family is a shared subscription that lets up to six household members watch YouTube without ads, read videos, and use background play on their phones. Each person gets their own account and recommendations, but the subscription bill goes to whoever sets it up. The price is $22.99 per month in the US, though it varies by country — Canada charges around $17.99 CAD, and the UK charges £17.99.
The main reason to choose Family over a single Premium account is cost per person. A single YouTube Premium subscription costs $13.99 per month in the US. With six people splitting the Family plan, each person pays roughly $3.83 per month instead. If you live with family members or roommates who all watch YouTube, the Family plan usually saves money compared to everyone buying their own subscription.
YouTube Premium Family requires that all members live in the same household. YouTube checks this by looking at where devices sign in and what payment method is used. If members live in different places, YouTube may ask you to verify your address or remove people from the plan. This is different from some other family plans that allow members in different locations.
Key Takeaways
- YouTube Premium Family costs $22.99 per month in the US and covers up to six people in the same household.
- Each family member gets their own account, recommendations, and watch history — the subscription is shared, but the experience is personal.
- All members must live at the same address; YouTube verifies this through device locations and payment information.
- The Family plan saves money when split among multiple people, bringing the per-person cost to around $3.83 monthly instead of $13.99 for an individual subscription.
What's included in the Family plan
Everyone on the Family plan gets the same features as a single Premium subscriber: no ads before, during, or after videos; the ability to read videos to watch offline; background play so videos keep running when you switch apps; and YouTube Music ad-free as part of the same subscription. On phones and tablets, you can play videos with the screen locked, which saves battery and data.
The Family plan also includes YouTube Music for all six members. This means each person can stream music, create playlists, and listen offline without ads. You do not get a separate YouTube Music Family plan — it comes built into Premium Family.
Each family member's account stays separate. Your watch history, subscriptions, and recommendations do not mix with anyone else's. If you share a TV, each person can sign in with their own account and see their own recommendations. YouTube remembers which account watched what, so your kids' videos do not clutter your recommendations and vice versa.
How to set up and manage the Family plan
The person who sets up the Family plan becomes the manager and pays the monthly bill. They add family members by inviting them through the YouTube app or website. Each invited person gets a notification and can accept or decline. Once they accept, they can use all Premium features on their own account.
The manager can remove people from the plan at any time, and YouTube will stop charging for that person's spot. If someone leaves the household, the manager should remove them so the subscription does not cover someone who no longer lives there. YouTube may ask the manager to verify the household address if it suspects members are not actually living together.
If the manager wants to stop paying, they can cancel the entire Family plan. All six members lose access to Premium features. If only one or two people want to keep Premium, they would each need to buy individual subscriptions instead.
Comparing Family plan to individual Premium and other options
An individual YouTube Premium subscription costs $13.99 per month. If you live alone or want your own separate billing, this is the only option. The features are identical to what Family members get — same ad-free experience, same downloads, same background play.
YouTube Premium Lite is a cheaper option at $6.99 per month, but it removes some features. You still get no ads and background play, but you cannot read videos or use YouTube Music. This plan is for people who mainly want to skip ads and do not need offline viewing or music.
If you do not want to pay for any subscription, YouTube remains free with ads. You can watch unlimited videos, but you see ads, cannot read, and cannot play videos with the screen off on mobile devices.
| Plan | Price (US) | People covered | No ads | Downloads | Background play | YouTube Music |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube Premium Family | $22.99/month | Up to 6 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube Premium (individual) | $13.99/month | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube Premium Lite | $6.99/month | 1 | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| YouTube (free) | Free | Unlimited | No | No | No | No |
Household verification and what happens if members move
YouTube uses device locations and payment methods to confirm that Family plan members live together. If you add someone who lives far away, YouTube may flag the account and ask the manager to verify the household address. You can do this by confirming your address through the Family plan settings.
If a family member moves out, they should be removed from the plan. If they stay on the plan after moving, YouTube may eventually detect the location change and ask you to remove them or verify that they still live with you. Keeping someone on the plan who does not live in your household violates YouTube's terms of service.
When someone is removed from the Family plan, they lose Premium features when ready. If they want to keep YouTube Premium, they can buy an individual subscription. Their watch history and subscriptions stay on their account — they just lose the ad-free experience and other Premium features.
Billing and payment methods
The manager pays for the entire Family plan with one payment method — usually a credit card, debit card, or payment account linked to Google Play. YouTube charges the full $22.99 once per month on the same date each month. There is no option to split the bill among family members through YouTube itself.
If the payment method fails, YouTube will try again a few times before canceling the subscription. The manager gets email notifications if a payment fails, so they can update their payment method and keep the plan active.
The manager can change the payment method at any time through their Google Account settings. They can also pause the subscription for up to three months if they want a temporary break without losing the Family plan setup.
Regional pricing and availability
YouTube Premium Family pricing varies by country. In Canada, the plan costs around $17.99 CAD per month. In the United Kingdom, it costs £17.99. In Australia, it costs around $19.99 AUD. These prices can change, and YouTube sometimes adjusts them based on local economic conditions.
YouTube Premium Family is available in most countries where YouTube operates, but not everywhere. Some regions only offer individual Premium subscriptions. You can check if the Family plan is available in your country by going to the YouTube Premium page and looking at the plan options.
If you travel internationally, you can still use your Family plan subscription in other countries. However, all family members must still live in the same country where the plan was set up. You cannot have some members in the US and others in Canada on the same Family plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use YouTube Premium Family if I live with roommates instead of family?
Yes. YouTube Premium Family is for people who live in the same household, whether they are related or not. Roommates, partners, and friends who share an address can all be on the same plan. YouTube only requires that everyone lives at the same physical address.
What happens if I remove someone from the Family plan?
They lose access to Premium features when ready — ads return, downloads stop working, and background play turns off. Their account and watch history remain, but they would need to buy an individual Premium subscription to get those features back. You can add them again later if they move back in.
Can I switch from individual Premium to Family Premium?
Yes. You can cancel your individual Premium subscription and start a Family plan instead. Your watch history, subscriptions, and recommendations stay on your account. You will not be charged for both plans at the same time — YouTube prorates the billing if you switch mid-month.
Does YouTube Premium Family include YouTube TV?
No. YouTube Premium Family covers YouTube and YouTube Music only. YouTube TV is a separate service that costs extra and provides live television channels. You can have both subscriptions, but they are billed separately.
What if someone on my Family plan is using it from a different country?
YouTube may ask you to verify that they still live in your household. If they have moved to a different country permanently, they should be removed from the plan. They can then buy an individual Premium subscription in their new country if they want to keep using Premium features.