The short answer is yes, YouTube Music has a completely free, ad-supported tier that gives you access to the full music catalog and core features without paying anything. However, the free experience does have some limitations compared to paid YouTube Music Premium subscription.
What You Get with the Free YouTube Music
The free, ad-supported version of YouTube Music allows you to:
- Search and play any song, album, playlist, or music video in the YouTube Music catalog
- Create your own playlists and library of favorite music
- Get customized music recommendations based on your taste
- Listen to auto-generated playlists like Discover Mix, New Release Mix, and more
- Use basic playback controls like play, pause, skip, replay, shuffle, etc.
- Play music in the background while using other apps or when your screen is off (on mobile)
So in summary, you get full access to YouTube Music’s massive catalog of over 80 million official songs, albums, thousands of playlists and music videos. The core music listening experience is free.
Limitations of the Free YouTube Music
Although you can use YouTube Music for free, there are some limitations:
- Audio and music video quality is capped at 128kbps for audio and 480p for video
- No option to download music for offline listening
- Limited number of skips per hour
- No high-quality audio such as lossless or Spatial Audio
- Frequent ad interruptions while listening to music
- No background/offline playback on desktop
So while you get access to all the music, the free experience is quite restricted compared to paid members in terms of features and audio/video quality.
Key Features Unlocked with YouTube Music Premium
Paying for YouTube Music Premium unlocks the following key features and upgrades:
- High-quality audio up to 256kbps
- 1080p or higher video quality
- Background listening on desktop
- Unlimited skips and ad-free music
- Offline downloads for listening when offline
- Higher-fidelity FLAC audio on desktop
- Spatial Audio immersive listening (supported devices)
So in summary, Premium subscription removes all limits and takes the music experience to the next level with enhanced audio quality, no interruptions, and flexibility to take your music offline.
YouTube Music Premium Pricing
YouTube Music Premium is available for:
- $9.99 per month for an individual plan
- $14.99 per month for a family plan (up to 6 members)
- $4.99 per month for students
There is also an annual subscription option that lowers the effective monthly cost to $8.25 per month for an individual plan billed annually.
Is YouTube Music Worth Paying For?
It depends on your listening habits and how much you value the key features unlocked by the paid subscription.
For casual listeners who just want music in the background or aren’t too discerning about audio quality, the free ad-supported tier may be good enough.
But for music enthusiasts and power users, the upgrades and benefits included with YouTube Music Premium will likely make it a worthwhile investment.
One of the biggest advantages of Premium is the ability to listen ad-free. The free YouTube Music experience is plagued by frequent audio and video ads that interrupt your listening session.
These can be disruptive and annoying if you just want to sit back and enjoy music without interruption. Paying for Premium removes all ads across both music and any music videos you watch.
Premium also unlocks higher audio quality up to 256kbps, providing a richer listening experience compared to the 128kbps cap on free streaming quality.
While not full lossless quality, it still sounds significantly better with more detail and clarity. Premium also includes the option to play high-fidelity FLAC audio on desktop for discerning listeners who want closer to lossless quality.
The ability to download songs, albums, and playlists for offline listening is another key benefit of Premium.
This allows you to listen to music without an internet connection, like on a plane or anywhere you don’t have signal. The free tier lacks any offline capabilities.
Other valuable Premium perks include background listening on desktop and unlimited skips. With the free service, you can only skip a limited number of times per hour. Premium lifts that restriction so you can skip to your heart’s content.
Premium also unlocks viewing music videos in 1080p HD quality rather than being restricted to 480p SD quality maximum with the free tier. So if you enjoy watching your favorite music videos, the boosted video quality is a nice upgrade.
Lastly, Premium subscribers with supported devices can take advantage of spatial audio features like 360 Reality Audio for a more immersive listening experience.
This delivers a surround sound feel with music coming at you from all directions.
YouTube Music Premium offers a lot of meaningful upgrades over the free tier, especially for frequent listeners who care about sound quality and features.
But more casual users may be satisfied saving money and sticking with the free ad-supported plan. Assess your personal listening habits and preferences to decide if going premium will enhance your overall YouTube Music experience and be worth the monthly subscription cost.
Other Ways to Get YouTube Music Premium
Aside from the standard monthly/annual pricing, here are some other ways you may be able to get YouTube Music Premium:
YouTube Premium – Bundles Music Premium with ad-free YouTube at $11.99/month
Google One – Get Music Premium free with a 2TB Google One cloud storage plan
Verizon Unlimited – Free Music Premium for some Verizon Unlimited wireless plans
Free trials – 1 month free trial for individuals, 3 months free for students
So explore whether you already have access to YouTube Music Premium through one of these other offers if you don’t want to pay the regular monthly price.
How to Get YouTube Music for Free Legally
Here are some legal ways to get free access to YouTube Music besides the default free, ad-supported tier:
- Start a free 1 month YouTube Music Premium trial as a new user
- Use a modified/cracked app or APK, but this violates terms of service
- Use a VPN and change to a country where YouTube Music is free or discounted
- Wait for occasional free promos and extended trials
Any other method like downloading from unauthorized sources would be considered piracy, so avoid those options.
Is YouTube Music Premium Necessary?
YouTube Music Premium is not strictly necessary, especially for casual listeners. The free, ad-supported version still provides the core music listening experience.
However, Premium unlocks significant upgrades like ad-free listening, background play, downloads, and vastly improved audio quality.
For serious music lovers, audiophiles, and power users, Premium provides a much better overall user experience that’s worth the monthly fee.
So assess your own listening habits and needs to decide if going Premium is worthwhile for you. The free version still lets you play any music on demand, so see if that meets your basic needs first.
Downsides of the Free YouTube Music
While you can use YouTube Music for free, some downsides to note:
- Audio quality limited to 128kbps, worse than MP3 quality
- SD video quality only, capped at 480p max
- Frequent audio and video ads that interrupt listening
- Limited skips and no unlimited radio-like listening
- No downloading songs for offline listening
So the free experience is quite restricted unless you pay. Fans who care about music quality and an uninterrupted ad-free experience will need YouTube Music Premium.
Should You Pay for YouTube Music?
It depends on your listening habits and how you prioritize certain features and functionality when it comes to music streaming.
Think about how much time you actually spend streaming music in a day and your listening environment.
Do interruptions from ads seriously frustrate you and diminish your enjoyment? Or can you tolerate the occasional ad break?
Frequent listeners who value an uninterrupted ad-free experience will find Premium worthwhile.
Also consider if sound quality is important to your listening experience. The free YouTube Music stream is capped at 128kbps, while Premium users can enjoy 256kbps audio.
There is a noticeable difference in fidelity and detail between these tiers. Audiophiles who appreciate high-quality audio will want to upgrade.
Offline listening capabilities are another major perk of Premium.
If you frequently find yourself without internet connectivity and want to listen to downloaded music on planes, trains, in remote areas, etc., then the offline feature makes the subscription cost worthwhile.
Assessing video streaming habits is also important. If you regularly view music videos, being able to stream HD 1080p content commercial-free on Premium is a gamechanger versus SD quality with ads on the free tier.
Do a personal inventory of how and when you listen to music, which features offer the most value to your usage, and determine if the enhanced Premium capabilities warrant spending $9.99 a month.
