YouTube TV and YouTube Premium are different services made for different purposes, but it is important to know about both services before buying a subscription.
YouTube TV provides live sports, entertainment, news, and channels like CBS, FOX, NBC, HGTV, TNT, and more.
On the other hand, YouTube Premium offers an ad-free streaming experience while watching your favorite YouTube channel.
So, which one is worth investing your money in? Let’s find out!
In this article, I’m going to compare YouTube TV with YouTube Premium with their features and pricing so that you can choose the best service.
YouTube TV vs YouTube Premium: A Quick Comparison
YouTube Premium offers features you won’t find on YouTube TV and vice versa, as the user preferences for both are different.
Let’s make a quick comparison between YouTube TV and YouTube Premium to see more such differences.
| It may contain some | YouTube TV | YouTube Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Ad-free Viewing | It may contain in some | ✅ |
| YouTube Music Premium | ❌ | Included in YouTube Premium Bundle |
| Live Broadcasting | Over 85 channels, Including local network | ❌ |
| Required Internet | ✅ | ✅ |
| YouTube Originals | ❌ | ✅ |
| DVR Storage | Unlimited storage. | ❌ |
| Background Playback | ❌ | ✅ |
| 4K content | Available With 4K plus add-on | ✅ |
| Best For | Live TV | Video Content |
As described in the table, YouTube TV is Live TV channel oriented supporting over 85+ channels, including local networks. Users are provided with the Unlimited DVR storage to watch their favorite shows offline.
On the other hand, YouTube Premium is an ad-free service that allows users to enjoy content ad-free. The plan includes YouTube Music Premium without costing extra bucks.
1. Device Compatibility
Device compatibility may vary depending on the service you choose. Let’s look at the devices supported by both services so that you can check if your device is compatible.
YouTube TV Device Compatibility
Here is YouTube TV’s list of device compatibility. This will give you a rough idea of the device requirements for YouTube TV.
- Google TVs
- Amazon Fire TV
- Apple TV
- Android
- PS4 and PS5
- Xbox
You can download the application for your Android device from the Play Store. For more information about device compatibility, you can refer to this link.
YouTube Premium
YouTube Premium is supported on almost every platform, such as:
- Mobile devices, including Android, iOS
- Smart TV.
- Amazon Fire TV
- Google TV
- Xbox
- Playstation 3,4, 4pro and 5
- Game Consoles.
You can download its Application for an Android device from here. You can also check the official list of supported devices on this support page.
Verdict – YouTube Premium is compatible with more platforms than YouTube TV.
2. Streaming Accesibility
YouTube TV and YouTube Premium both allow multiple devices to stream simultaneously. This feature allows a certain number of devices to watch the content simultaneously.
Let’s examine the number of devices you can use simultaneously on YouTube TV and YouTube Premium.
| Services | Simultaneous Streaming |
|---|---|
| YouTube TV | 3 devices at the same time |
| YouTube Premium | 3 to 5 max simultaneously |
Verdict: YouTube Premium allows 5 streams in its family plan, compared to YouTube TV, which offers 3 streams in all plans.
3. Unique Features
Let us now compare the way these two services operate differently in terms of their key or unique features.
YouTube TV’s Unique Features
YouTube provides some unique features, like
- Over 85 Live TV channels.
- Add-ons to add new Live TV channels in subscription
- Unlimited DVR storage
- Fast forward feature to skip the commercial
These are the features that YouTube TV provides.
YouTube Premium Unique Feature
- YouTube Comes with a free version where you can enjoy content with ads.
- Does not contain any ads
- Can play the content in the background
- YouTube Premium offers YouTube original content.
- It is supported on almost every platform
- It does not contain any ads
- You get YouTube Music Premium included in the subscription
- Offline viewing
These are the unique features that YouTube Premium provides.
Verdict – YouTube Premium offers more features than YouTube TV with its massive channel lineup, DVR storage, and more features .
4. Add-ons
Apart from the standard subscription costs paid, these services also offer a few add-ons to enhance their experience.
Here is a quick overview of the add-ons and unique features that YouTube TV and YouTube Premium offer
YouTube TV Add-ons
Let’s look at what add-ons you can add to your subscription to watch more content.
- 4K plus add-on: stream in 4K and Offline Viewing
- Sports plus add-on: 19 sports channels included.
- Entertainment Plus add-on: Includes HBO Max, Paramount with Showtime, and Starz.
- Spanish plus add-on: 25+ Spanish Networks.
These are the main add-ons which you can add to watch more channels. However, more add-ons are available in the store, which you can check out here.
YouTube Premium Add-on
YouTube Premium provides four add-ons, which you can add.
- ALLBLK: Curated collection of Black TV shows and movies
- AMC Premiere: Exclusive content from AMC networks
- Acorn TV: British and international dramas, mysteries, and comedies
- Cinemax: Hit movies, original series, and more
Adding these add-ons lets you watch more movies and shows on YouTube Premium.
YouTube TV vs YouTube Premium: Plans & Pricing
YouTube TV and Premium both have different prices, and you can choose various plans according to your taste.
Here is a detailed comparison between both plans. Which one would be easier on your pocket?
1. YouTube TV: Plans & Pricing
YouTube TV offers 3 main plans to users. All the plans offer different networks, including Spanish channels and sports.
Have a look at the pricing of each plan to get a better understanding of pricing.
| Plans | Monthly Plan | Annual plan | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Plan | $72.99/mo | N/A | Over 100+ live TV channels |
| Spanish Plan | $34.99/mo | N/A | 30+ Spanish networks |
| NFL Sunday Ticket or Standalone | $87.25/mo | N/A | Save on NFL tickets |
- Basic Plan –
YouTube’s Basic plan offers over 100 Live channels with unlimited DVR Space.
You can add up to 6 household accounts to your subscription and stream on 3 devices at the same time.
- Spanish Plan-
Spanish plan contains 30+ Spanish networks offering unlimited DVR with the feature of adding 6 household accounts and streams on 3 devices.
- NFL Sunday ticket bundled or standalone-
The NFL Sunday ticket bundled plan offers discounts on NFL discount on tickets and a monthly basic plan for YouTube TV. Users do not need to sign any 2-year contract.
Is There Any Discount On YouTube TV?
YouTube TV does not offer a discount on annual plans. However, it provides Youtube TV Promo which gives $8 off to new users on a basic plan for 4 months for new users.
On “Base Plan + NFL Sunday Tickets,” new users get $28 off for four months.
You will able to enjoy home streams and streams outside of your home.
NFL Sunday ticket offers a yearly subscription at $349/yr. You can watch Regional FOX and CBS Network.
2. YouTube Premium: Plans & Pricing
YouTube Premium comes with 3 different plans, from individual to family plan and student plan.
You can also purchase their student plan if you are a student and can’t afford YouTube Premium. The Free Trial Discount offer on the annual plan may vary from plan to plan.
| Plans | Monthly plans | Annual Plans | Free Trial | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Plan | $13.99/mo | $139/yr | 2 Months | 15% |
| Family Plan | $22.99/mo | N/A | 1 Month | N/A |
| Student plan | $7.99/mo | N/A | 1 Month | N/A |
- Individual Plan
You can buy an individual plan for one user, which offers 15% discounts on 12 12-month subscriptions and allows you to enjoy YouTube Music Premium for free.
You can use up to 3 devices simultaneously to stream the content.
Best for – Single User
- Family Plan
A Family Plan is made for multiple users who want to watch content on multiple devices. This plan offers up to 5 devices to stream at the same time.
Best for – Family up to 5 people
- Student Plan
Student plans are especially for students. Offering YouTube premium at just $7.99/mo. To know more you can check their official website.
Best for – Students
Is There Any Discount On Youtube Premium?
YouTube Premium offers 3 main plans in their individual plan, which offers a 15% discount on the annual subscription. You also get a 2-month free trial on this plan.
You get affordable pricing in a student plan starting from $7.99/month, which allows students to afford YouTube Premium. You can check their official website for further details.
Verdict: YouTube Premium provides affordable plans with annual plan discounts compared to YouTube TV.
More On YouTube
Conclusion: YouTube Premium Offers More Value Than YouTube TV!
After comparing both services in terms of price and features, YouTube Premium offers a cheaper base plan than YouTube TV with extra unique features like streaming videos and music in the background and an ad-free experience.
YouTube Premium also offers more simultaneous streaming with a yearly subscription discount of 15% in their Individual plan.
One thing to note is that YouTube TV doesn’t have a student plan, whereas YouTube Premium offers different pricing in the student plan for students only, starting at just $7.99/month.
After a detailed comparison, YouTube Premium is the clear winner in terms of pricing, features, and discounts.
However, you can subscribe to YouTube TV if you watch TV channels and local sports.
