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Is there a YouTube Premium free trial? What you need to know

Youtube video on mobile. Credits: YouTube official.
Angie Yeoh/Shutterstock

YouTube Premium doesn’t get a lot of hype, but if you’re one of millions of people who uses the standard YouTube website and/or app on a daily basis, it might be worth checking out. Launched in 2014 as Music Key (and later renamed to YouTube Red before being rebranded yet again in 2018), YouTube Premium adds a bevy of great features to the Google-owned video platform. A few noteworthy additions that your $14 monthly subscription gets you include YouTube Music, an ad-free viewing experience, offline viewing, background listening, and the ability to download videos. But as a paid service, it’s only natural that you might want to try it out first if you’re undecided about it. Read on, because we’ve got all the details about the YouTube Premium free trial right here.

Is there a YouTube Premium free trial?

An offer for a two month YouTube Premium free trial.
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Google offers a one month YouTube Premium free trial to new customers, so if you’re looking to sign up but want some hands-on time with the service before having to fork over any cash, you’re in luck. Streaming video platforms can be a little stingy when it comes to free trial offers. For example, there’s a similar 30-day Hulu free trial but no Disney Plus free trial. As a result, a one month YouTube Premium free trial is nice to see. Periodically, you could even get lucky and be selected for a two month free trial for a limited time. In any event, once the free trial is over, the service will continue on at the regular price of $14 per month.

You should also note that there is a free trial for both the family and student versions of YouTube Premium, both as one month trials. The family plan lets you add up to five family members (aged 13+) onto your plan and will resume at the usual $23 rate after the free trial ends. The student plan is for students, who must provide annual verification of their enrollment to quality for the reduced-price service (currently $8 per month). Since this free trial is always one month, even if you are being offered two months on an individual plan, you should consider doing the two month individual trial first (if available) before going ahead with this plan.

Can you get YouTube Premium for free?

Sometimes, third-party retailers or service providers (such as mobile carriers or ISPs) will offer free streaming subscriptions, even if only for a few months, when you purchase a certain item or sign up for a certain service plan. Currently, however, there are no such offers available for you to enjoy YouTube Premium for free — the one month (or two month) YouTube Premium free trial period is pretty much it, although this is a solid offer and one worth taking advantage of if you’re considering signing up but don’t want to commit to paying right away.

Are there any YouTube Premium deals?

There are no standalone discounts on YouTube Premium right now, but you can save some money by opting for the annual plan rather than choosing to pay month-to-month. If you’ve already taken advantage of the YouTube Premium free trial and have decided to sign up, this is a viable and easy way to save a little cash. YouTube Premium normally costs $14 per month. This comes to $168 per year. However, you can sign up for the annual plan for $140 upfront, which saves you $28 — not a fortune, admittedly, but it’s money in your pocket.

Alternatively, eligible students can sign up for YouTube Premium for a discounted rate of $8 per month. That comes to just $96 per year, although there’s no annual subscription option for the student plan. You’ll also have to verify your education enrollment status annually to get the discounted student rate.

Lucas Coll
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Lucas Coll has been a freelance writer for almost a decade and has penned articles on tech, video games, travel, cars, and…
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