I’ve used YouTube Premium for a year, and I’m convinced it’s the ultimate app subscription – and a great Christmas gift

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I’ve used YouTube Premium for a year, and I’m convinced it’s the ultimate app subscription – and a great Christmas gift Features By Jamie Richards published 20 December 2025

I just couldn’t do without it

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Pretty much every smart device I’ve ever owned has, eventually, become a YouTube machine.

I watch YouTube on my main phone (as well as any review units I have in rotation), on my iPad, on my MacBook, on my Nintendo Switch, on my TV, and even on my PlayStation. I think I’d watch YouTube on my toaster if it had a screen.

Here at TechRadar, a core part of our mission is to highlight great value tech products, whether they be hardware, software, or subscription services. However, I never expected that the best-value tech product I’d ever purchase would land in the latter category.

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I'm talking about YouTube Premium, the subscription service for Google’s iconic video streaming site. I’ve now been using YouTube Premium for more than a year, and to be honest, I’m not sure I could ever do without it.

Okay, yes, in a literal sense I would ‘survive’ without YouTube Premium – but what I mean to say is that I think it offers more value for money than any other subscription service I’ve ever used. If it came down to it, I think I’d do away with other subs like PS Plus and Apple Arcade and even my noted favorites Google One and Spotify, so long as I could hold onto YouTube Premium.

(Image credit: Google / Future)

From afar, this might seem like hyperbolic praise for a service that a) costs a lot compared to other subscriptions, and b) has relatively few premium benefits.

Indeed, at $12.99 / £12.99 / AU$13.99, YouTube Premium does cost quite a lot. In terms of features, while it allows the queueing of videos on mobile and 4K streaming on any device, as well as access to the middling YouTube Music streaming service, the main value is concentrated in two big-ticket items.

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The first is background playback on mobile devices and tablets, which is a game-changer for long-form listens like essays and DJ mixes, or for keeping the video going in picture-in-picture mode. The second, and by far most important, is the total removal of advertising from videos.

In my view, the time and annoyance saved by taking ads out of the picture more than makes up for the high price tag of YouTube Premium. In a world oversaturated with advertising, it feels pretty amazing to have YouTube’s vast library of videos available with no commercial breaks.

And it’s not just me who thinks it’s a good deal – according to Global Media Insight, YouTube Premium increased its subscriber base from 100 million in 2024 to 125 million in 2025. And my colleague, John Loeffler, similarly praised the service this time last year for being the "best tech decision" he's ever made.

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How to give YouTube Premium for Christmas

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Photo Agency)

If you find yourself thinking that YouTube Premium would be a good fit for someone in your life, here’s how you can give it as a gift as Christmas approaches.

There’s no direct way to give someone a YouTube Premium subscription – instead, your best bet is to purchase Google Play Store gift cards that can then be used to pay for the service through a Google account.

If you’re using an iPhone or iPad, YouTube Premium can also be bought with Apple gift card balances, but only if the subscription is activated through the App Store.

Admittedly, neither of these methods is perfect, as gift card balances don’t match up perfectly with subscription costs – but it is the thought that counts after all.

Are you a YouTube Premium user? Or is there another subscription service that's worth more for the money? Let me know in the comments below.

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TOPICS YouTube CATEGORIES Phones Jamie RichardsSocial Links NavigationMobile Computing Staff Writer

Jamie is a Mobile Computing Staff Writer for TechRadar, responsible for covering phones and tablets. A lifelong tech-obsessive, Jamie began his writing career as a music blogger before studying journalism at Goldsmiths College, and joined TechRadar in 2024. He thinks the iPhone 5S is the greatest phone of all time, but is currently an Android user.

As well as reporting on the latest in mobile hardware, software, and industry developments, Jamie specialises in features and long-form pieces that dive into the latest phone and tablet trends. He can also be found writing for the site's Audio and Streaming sections from time to time, or behind the decks as a DJ at local venues around London.

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