Music brings a special kind of joy to our lives, and YouTube Music is a go-to spot for discovering and enjoying that perfect playlist or beloved song. But let’s be honest—ads and interruptions can really mess with the vibe. That’s where YouTube Music Premium comes in, offering a smooth, ad-free experience along with perks like offline listening and background play.
Here’s the exciting part: you can actually enjoy YouTube Music for free! Yes, there are ways to get all those premium features without paying a monthly fee. In this guide, we’ll explore simple tips and little-known tricks to unlock the best of YouTube Music Premium without reaching for your wallet. From free trials to clever hacks, you’ll find plenty of ways to dive into an uninterrupted music experience.
So, if you’re ready to level up your listening game and enjoy YouTube Music Premium for free, let’s get started! Your ad-free, offline, background-play music experience is just a few steps away.
What Exactly is YouTube Music Premium?
YouTube Music Premium is a subscription designed for music lovers who want a streamlined, ad-free experience focused solely on YouTube’s music offerings. Unlike YouTube Premium, which includes video benefits, YouTube Music Premium zeroes in on music-specific features, perfect for those more interested in playlists, albums, and audio tracks. Here’s what you get with a YouTube Music Premium subscription:
- Ad-Free Music: Enjoy your favorite songs and playlists without any interruptions from ads.
- Offline Listening: Download music and playlists to listen offline, perfect for times when you don’t have internet access.
- Background Play: Keep the music going even when you switch to other apps or turn off your screen.
- Audio-Only Mode: Choose audio-only mode to save data and enjoy music without needing to play videos.
Since this plan is focused solely on music, it’s a more affordable option, priced at $10.99 per month, giving you the essential music perks without paying for video-related features. If music is your main focus, YouTube Music Premium might be just what you’re looking for.
For new users, YouTube Music Premium offers a 30-day free trial, making it easy to explore the premium experience before committing. After the trial, there’s a subscription fee, with the option to upgrade to YouTube Premium, which includes all YouTube Music Premium benefits plus ad-free video viewing on the broader YouTube platform. Here’s a breakdown of the two plans:
| Plan | YouTube Music Premium | YouTube Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $10.99/month; $109.99/year | $13.99/month; $139.99/year |
| Family | $16.99/month (up to 5 family members, ages 13+) | $22.99/month (up to 5 family members, ages 13+) |
| Student | $5.49/month | $7.99/month |
Beyond these subscription options, there are also ways to access YouTube Music Premium for free, allowing you to enjoy the perks without any cost.
How to Get YouTube Music Premium for Free?
Try One-Month Free Trial
YouTube Music Premium is priced at $10.99 per month, but new users can enjoy a one-month free trial to explore its features. If you want to maximize the free trial period, consider the Family Plan, which allows you to share your subscription with up to five family members residing at the same address—letting everyone experience ad-free music, offline listening, and more.
- Visit YouTube Music Premium.
- If eligible for the trial, click the “Try 1 month for $0” banner.
- Choose your preferred plan: Individual, Family, or Student—all offer a 1-month free trial.
- Enter your payment information and click the “Start 1-Month Trial” button.
Enjoy a month of YouTube Premium, including YouTube Music Premium, with no cost. Remember, the monthly fee will begin after the trial if you don’t cancel before the renewal date.
For individual users, YouTube Music Premium also offers an annual plan, though it does not come with a free trial.
Additionally, some third-party promotions offer up to six months of free YouTube Premium, which includes YouTube Music Premium.
With a Mobile Plan
Many mobile providers offer free YouTube Premium (which includes YouTube Music Premium) with certain plans. Keep in mind that only individual memberships are available through these carriers. If you prefer a family plan, you’ll need to sign up directly through YouTube. Check the list below to find your country and carrier, and follow the respective link to activate your free subscription.
| Country | Carrier |
|---|---|
| Australia | Optus |
| Brazil | TIM, Vero |
| Indonesia | Telkomsel |
| Japan | Docomo, KDDI, Softbank |
| Korea | KT, KT Skylife, LGU+, SKT |
| Mexico | Telcel |
| Spain | Orange ES, Vodafone ES |
| Taiwan | Taiwan Mobile (TWM) |
| Thailand | AIS |
| Turkey | Vodafone TR |
| United States | Google Fi, Verizon |
| United Kingdom | Vodafone UK |
Contact your carrier to check availability and activate your YouTube Premium benefits!
Through Google Fi Unlimited Plus
If you’re looking for a longer free trial of YouTube Music Premium, the Google Fi Unlimited Plus plan is a great option. Google Fi, a mobile service from Google, offers three plans: Simply Unlimited, Unlimited Plus, and Flexible. With Unlimited Plus, you’ll enjoy six months of YouTube Premium at no extra cost, which includes YouTube Music Premium, giving you ad-free, offline, and background music for free. You can also try Google Fi for 7 days to see if the service works well in your area.
- On your mobile device, go to fi.google.com/account#plan. (If you’re using an iPhone or iPad, sign in on a web or mobile browser.)
- Go to your “Member Profile.”
- Under “Devices & Subscriptions,” tap on YouTube Premium > Get started.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to activate.
Using OnePlus
OnePlus has teamed up with YouTube to offer free YouTube Premium trials of up to 6 months on select devices. This promotion is available to new YouTube Premium users who haven’t previously subscribed or used a trial for YouTube Premium, YouTube Music Premium, YouTube Red, or Google Play Music.
- 6-Month Free Trial: OnePlus 11 5G, OnePlus 11R 5G, OnePlus Pad (Available in India)
- 3-Month Free Trial: OnePlus 11 5G, OnePlus 11R 5G, OnePlus Pad (Available in multiple regions)
- 2-Month Free Trial: OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G (Available in multiple regions)
Eligible regions:
- 6-Month Trial: India
- 2- and 3-Month Trials: Belgium, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Oman, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, UAE, UK, USA
How to Activate Your Free Trial:
- Open the YouTube app on your eligible OnePlus device.
- Go to “My Account” in the top right corner and select “Get YouTube Premium.”
- If eligible, you’ll see a “Start trial” button with the trial details.
Using Xiaomi
Xiaomi is offering up to 6 months of YouTube Premium for free on select devices. To take advantage of this offer, purchase and activate an eligible device by July 31, 2024, at 11:59 pm PST, and redeem the offer by August 31, 2024, at 11:59 pm PST.
Here’s the breakdown of eligible devices and their trial periods:
- 6-Month Free Trial: Xiaomi 13, Xiaomi 13 Pro
- 3-Month Free Trial: Xiaomi 14 Ultra, Xiaomi 14, Xiaomi 13T, Xiaomi 13T Pro, Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Xiaomi 13, Xiaomi 13 Pro, Xiaomi 13 Lite, Xiaomi Pad 6, Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro
- 2-Month Free Trial: Redmi Note 13 series, Redmi Note 12 series, POCO X5 series, POCO X6 series, POCO M6, POCO F5 series, Redmi Pad SE
To Activate Your YouTube Premium Offer, following this:
- Sign in to your Xiaomi account on your eligible device.
- Download and open the YouTube app.
- Sign in to your YouTube account and locate the Xiaomi YouTube Premium offer.
- Follow the instructions to activate your free trial.
Enjoy ad-free YouTube Premium, including YouTube Music, for 2, 3, or 6 months, depending on your device!
With Times Prime
If you’re a Times Prime member, you can enjoy 4 months of YouTube Premium for free. Times Prime is a digital membership service that offers various benefits, discounts, and exclusive deals on subscriptions, services, and products—including this 2+2 month YouTube Premium offer.
- Sign up for a Times Prime membership if you haven’t already.
- Log into your account on the Times Prime website or app.
- Navigate to the Benefits section and locate the YouTube Premium offer.
- Click on the offer for more details and follow the instructions to redeem and activate your free YouTube Premium subscription.
Using Google TV
This offer is available for new users in the United States who haven’t previously used a trial for YouTube Premium, YouTube Music Premium, YouTube Red, or Google Play Music. To qualify, you’ll need a valid form of payment, a Google account, and must be 18 or older.
Offer Details:
- Redeem by: December 31, 2024, at 11:59 pm PST
- Cost after trial: $13.99/month (billed monthly, cancel anytime)
- Note: No refunds for partial billing periods
Via Samsung Devices
Samsung’s latest devices come with exclusive YouTube Premium free trial offers. If you own a Galaxy S24 Series phone, you’re eligible for a 3-month free trial. Owners of the Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, and select Galaxy A Series devices can enjoy a 2-month free trial. Both offers are valid until April 1, 2025.
- Activate your Samsung device.
- Open the YouTube app and go to My Account > Get YouTube Premium. Sign in with your Google account.
- Select “Try it Free.”
- Enter your billing information.
- Click “Buy” to confirm and activate your free trial.
Join a Family Plan to Get YouTube Premium for Free
Another way to enjoy YouTube Premium for free, beyond individual trials, is by joining a family plan—if someone else is covering the cost. When a family plan subscriber pays the monthly fee, they can add up to five additional members to their plan, all at no extra charge to the added members.
For those invited to join the family plan, YouTube Premium remains free as long as the subscription is active, offering ad-free videos, offline downloads, and background play without any cost to the added users.
For more about setting up or joining a family plan, read our detailed guide about YouTube Family Plan now!
Final thoughts
There are plenty of easy ways to try YouTube Music Premium for free!
Remember, each method may have eligibility requirements and expiration dates, so check the details for each offer to ensure you’re getting the most value. Whether you’re new to YouTube Music Premium or just looking to extend your experience for free, these options give you plenty of ways to enhance your music journey without a financial commitment.
Enjoy your ad-free, seamless listening experience on YouTube Music Premium and make the most of these tips to keep the music going!