Free YouTube Music plays any song, music video or podcast on demand, with ads and unlimited skips (YouTube Music Help). Without paying, you don’t get music that keeps playing when you leave the app on your phone, music downloads, or listening without ads. Those come with YouTube Music Premium, $11.99 a month in the US since April 2026, or with YouTube Premium (TechCrunch).
What free YouTube Music includes
- Any song on demand, plus music videos and podcasts, with ads (YouTube Music Help).
- Unlimited skips.
- Podcasts in the background and offline. Most podcasts can be downloaded for free: open the episode, tap Menu and then Download. To keep downloads, connect to the internet at least once every 30 days (YouTube Music Help).
- Your own music. Upload up to 100,000 songs from a computer at music.youtube.com (profile picture > Upload music). Uploads play in the background, without ads and offline, even without Premium (YouTube Music Help).
- Recap, the yearly and seasonal summary of what you listened to (YouTube Music Help).
What you only get with Premium
- Background play for music on your phone. On the free plan, the music stops when you leave the app (YouTube Music Help).
- Music downloads, which stay for up to 30 days offline (YouTube Music Help).
- Music without ads and audio-only playback for music. Podcasts can still carry ads (YouTube Music Help).
- Full lyrics. Since February 2026 many free listeners get five songs’ lyrics and then see them blurred. Google called it an experiment with a small share of free users (9to5Google, Android Authority).
- Specific songs on smart speakers. On the free plan, you get a station based on your request (your uploads excepted), with up to 6 skips an hour (YouTube Music Help).
Prices in the US
| Plan | Per month | Includes YouTube Music Premium |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube Music Premium | $11.99 | Yes |
| YouTube Music Premium family | $18.99 | Yes |
| YouTube Premium | $15.99 | Yes |
| YouTube Premium family | $26.99 | Yes |
| YouTube Premium student | $8.99 | Yes |
| YouTube Premium Lite | $8.99 | No |
New subscribers have paid these prices since April 10, 2026, and existing ones since June (TechCrunch, Music Business Worldwide). Premium Lite leaves music out: its background play and downloads don’t cover music (YouTube Help). A family plan covers up to five members at the same home address (YouTube Music Help).
Skip the workarounds
Modified versions of the app (“APKs”) and ad blockers break YouTube’s rules. YouTube says its terms don’t allow third-party apps that turn off ads (YouTube Help), and that ad blockers violate its Terms of Service (YouTube Help). Downloader apps go against the terms too, which only allow downloads where YouTube offers them (Tech Advisor). The legal ways to listen offline are Premium downloads, your own uploads and podcasts. For videos, see how to save YouTube videos to watch offline.
What changed recently
- Canada, 2021 to 2024: free listeners in Canada could play music in the background in a radio-like mode on shuffle, from November 2021 (YouTube Blog). Since July 2024 the free tier there works like everywhere else: on demand, with the app open (9to5Google).
- March 2025: Premium Lite launched in the US, without music (YouTube Blog).
- April 2026: the first US price rise since 2023 (TechCrunch).
- September 2026: YouTube announced two discovery features for YouTube Music, Ask Music and Your Podcast Lineup, “coming soon” (YouTube Blog).
FAQ
Is YouTube Music free?
Yes, with ads. You can play any song on demand. Background play and downloads for music need Premium.
Can I listen in the background for free?
Not to music on your phone. Podcasts and songs you uploaded yourself do play in the background.
Does YouTube Premium Lite include YouTube Music?
No. You need YouTube Premium or YouTube Music Premium for that.
What was YouTube Red?
The old name of YouTube Premium, which changed on May 17, 2018 (YouTube Blog).