Hello friend! Have you ever considered signing up for YouTube Premium? As a fellow streaming enthusiast, I‘ve dug into the key stats you need to weigh this decision. Get ready for a deep dive into YouTube Premium!
YouTube Premium provides an ad-free, enhanced YouTube experience for a monthly fee. Let‘s explore over 20 intriguing stats across growth, adoption, features, content and more.
I‘ll also answer common questions and make recommendations based on the data. By the end, you‘ll be a YouTube Premium stat pro!
A Quick Recap – What is YouTube Premium?
For those less familiar, YouTube Premium is a paid subscription that offers:
- No ads on videos
- Background play to keep videos running with screen off
- Downloads for offline viewing
- Audio mode to play just the audio of videos
- Picture-in-picture support
- Access to YouTube Music Premium
- Exclusive shows on YouTube Originals
It costs $11.99/month in the US after a 1 month free trial. This provides membership across devices.
There‘s also a Family Plan at $22.99/month for up to 5 members, plus discounted student pricing.
Premium is separate from YouTube TV which offers live TV streaming for $64.99/month. Don‘t mix them up!
Now that we‘re on the same page about YouTube Premium, let‘s explore the stats and facts around this service.
Key Stats at a Glance
Before diving deep, here are a few of the most notable YouTube Premium stats for 2023:
- Over 80 million global subscribers, up from 50 million in 2021
- Available in over 100 countries worldwide
- 26.7 million subscribers in the United States
- Accounts for 42 million of YouTube‘s global music subscriptions
- Has an 8% market share of the music streaming market
- Average 47% conversion from free trials to paid subscribers
Next up, let‘s look at each of these key stats in more detail.
Detailed YouTube Premium Statistics and Figures
Rapid Growth to Over 80 Million Global Subscribers
YouTube Premium has experienced impressive growth in its subscriber base over the past year.
In November 2022, YouTube announced Premium had surpassed over 80 million global subscribers. This is up over 60% from 50 million subscribers in 2021.
To put that growth in perspective, YouTube Premium has added more subscribers in the past year than the entire population of California!
This acceleration highlights the increasing consumer appeal of an ad-free YouTube experience with music and originals. Clearly YouTube Premium is gaining mainstream traction worldwide.
Available in Over 100 Countries Worldwide
One driver of YouTube Premium‘s growth is its wide global availability. According to Google, Premium is now accessible in over 100 countries around the world.
Some of the top countries with YouTube Premium access include:
- United States
- Japan
- South Korea
- United Kingdom
- Mexico
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- France
- Germany
This extensive international reach gives YouTube Premium access to billions of potential subscribers globally. Expansion into more countries also remains a growth opportunity.
Over 26 Million Subscribers in the United States
While YouTube Premium is going global, the United States is still its largest market.
According to Statista, there were 26.7 million YouTube Premium subscribers in the US as of 2023. By 2024 this is forecast to grow to 27.9 million subscribers.
So around 1 in 3 American YouTube users are now paying for Premium. The U.S. subscriber base alone is bigger than many competitor services‘ global user bases.
Accounts for 42 Million Music Subscriptions
One major benefit of YouTube Premium is the inclusion of YouTube Music Premium for ad-free music listening.
Thanks to this bundled access, YouTube has quickly grown its music subscriber base as well. Per Midia Research, YouTube Premium accounts for 42 million global music subscriptions.
This is up from 30 million Music Premium subscribers in 2021. So YouTube Premium‘s growth is also fueling YouTube Music‘s rise as a major music streaming player.
Holds 8% Market Share Among Music Streamers
While still smaller than leaders like Spotify, YouTube Music has leveraged YouTube Premium to grow its market share over the past year.
According to Midia‘s data, YouTube Music captured an 8% share of the global music streaming market as of 2022. This is up from just 6% in 2021.
In fact, YouTube Music was the only Western music streamer to increase its market share last year. Others like Spotify and Apple Music saw their shares stagnate or decline mildly.
So Premium has clearly helped YouTube Music gain ground relative to incumbent competitors. But there‘s still ample room for growth from here.
47% of Free Trials Convert to Paid Subscriptions
Now let‘s look at how effective YouTube Premium‘s free 1 month trial is at converting subscribers.
According to survey data from research firm Flixed, 47% of those who start a YouTube Premium free trial go on to purchase a paid membership after the trial ends.
That means nearly half of trial users see enough value to continue for the $11.99 monthly fee. The conversion rate is likely helped by requiring a payment method upfront before the trial.
This trial conversion rate is quite strong relative to some other consumer subscription services. But there‘s still over half of triallists who don‘t continue, suggesting an opportunity to improve conversions.
Ad-Free Viewing Seen as Top Benefit by 61% of Subscribers
When Premium subscribers were asked about the top benefits, 61% cited ad-free viewing as the #1 reason for subscribing.
The chart below from Flixed shows the full breakdown:
[Chart showing 61% cite ad-free viewing, 46% say background play, 35% downloading, 18% Originals]After ad removal, background audio play was the next most popular benefit at 46% – allowing you to listen with the app minimized or phone screen off.
This indicates the core ad-free viewing experience is the primary driver of Premium subscriptions, rather than the extra features.
Cobra Kai Is the Most Popular YouTube Original
While not the main draw, YouTube Originals have produced some hit shows among Premium subscribers.
According to Flixed‘s data, Cobra Kai is the most watched YouTube Original series. It accounts for nearly 22% of viewership among the top 20 Originals.
The Karate Kid sequel series has been a breakout success since starting in 2018. I highly recommend it if you‘re a fan of the 80s movies!
Some other popular Originals include Impulse, Liza on Demand, and Wayne. But Originals still have room to grow in popularity compared to ad-free viewing.
65% Cite Price as Their Reason for Canceling
When Premium subscribers were asked why they canceled, the most common reason by far was price, at 65.4% of respondents.
12.4% said they prefer using an ad-blocking extension instead, while 9.9% cited inadequate music offerings.
This lines up with a 2021 survey where 46% felt Premium was too expensive. So while YouTube has executed well on features, pricing perceptions remain a drag on retention.
Additional Key YouTube Premium Stats and Facts:
- Works across platforms like iOS, Android, web browsers, smart TVs
- Individual plan allows streaming on 2 devices at once
- Can pause/resume subscription for 1-6 months at a time
- Not accessible through Google Workspace accounts currently
- Can stream at up to 1080p on iPhone/iPad
- Most popular internationally in Japan, South Korea, Germany
And there you have it – the complete guide to YouTube Premium statistics in 2023! Let‘s wrap up with some common questions.
FAQs About YouTube Premium
What is YouTube Premium?
YouTube Premium is a paid subscription service providing an enhanced, ad-free YouTube experience. It offers background play, downloads, YouTube Music access and YouTube Originals for $11.99/month.
What are the full benefits of Premium?
The complete benefits are:
- No ads on videos
- Audio-only background playback
- Offline downloads
- Background play on mobile
- Picture-in-picture
- Access to YouTube Music Premium
- Access to YouTube Originals shows
How much does YouTube Premium cost?
It‘s $11.99/month after a 1-month free trial in the US, or $22.99/month for a Family Plan. Student pricing is also available at $7/month.
Can I watch Originals on YouTube for free?
No, YouTube Originals are only available to paid YouTube Premium subscribers. A Premium membership is required to watch any YouTube Originals content.
How many devices can stream at once?
The individual plan allows streaming on 1 mobile device + 1 TV or desktop at once. Family plans enable more simultaneous streams depending on number of members.
Can I save money by buying yearly?
Yes! An annual YouTube Premium Individual plan is $107.99/year vs. $143.88 paid monthly. There are also annual Family and Student plans available.
Key Takeaways and Recommendations
Given YouTube Premium‘s solid growth to over 80 million global subscribers, the service has successfully appealed to a mainstream audience hungry for an ad-free, optimized YouTube experience.
The combination of ad removal, background listening and YouTube Music is attracting new subscribers. But price sensitivity remains an issue limiting growth and retention.
Based on this analysis, here are my recommendations if you‘re considering YouTube Premium:
- Try the 1 month free trial to evaluate if you find it worthwhile
- Pay annually to save $35.89 versus monthly payments
- Compare against listening hours on other music apps to value music access
- Weigh using a lower-priced ad-blocker instead if you can live without background play
- Set a calendar reminder to cancel before the trial ends if you‘re unsure
I hope these tips and stats help inform your YouTube Premium decision! Let me know if you have any other questions. Enjoy being an informed user.
