Spotify vs YouTube Premium: Which Is Better Value?
Spotify Premium is $12.99 a month and YouTube Premium is $15.99 — but YouTube Premium is doing two jobs. That $3 difference also removes ads across all of YouTube, which changes the comparison entirely depending on how much YouTube you watch.
Here is how they actually compare on price, features and who each one suits.
Spotify vs YouTube Premium: the prices
| Spotify Premium | YouTube Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $12.99 | $15.99 |
| Duo | $18.99 (2 accounts) | Not offered |
| Family | $21.99 (6 accounts) | $26.99 (6 accounts) |
| Student | $6.99 | $8.99 |
| Annual option | None | $159.99 ($13.33/month) |
| Cheapest paid entry | $6.99 (Student) | $8.99 (Lite or Student) |
Spotify is cheaper at every equivalent tier, and it is the only one of the two offering a Duo plan for couples. YouTube Premium's counter is the annual option, which brings the effective monthly rate to $13.33.
Published US rates in USD as of September 2026. Both raised prices this year.
What you actually get
Spotify wins on
Price at every tier, the Duo plan, playlist and discovery tooling, and 15 hours of audiobooks a month included.
YouTube Premium wins on
Doing two things at once — ad-free YouTube plus YouTube Music. If you watch a lot of YouTube, the $3 premium buys more than music.
Both give you
Ad-free listening, offline downloads, background play and on-demand access to effectively the same catalogue of mainstream music.
The deciding question is simple: how much YouTube do you watch? If the answer is a lot, YouTube Premium is the better buy at $3 more because you were effectively paying for ad-free video anyway. If you barely open YouTube, Spotify is the same music experience for less.
The cheapest route to each
Family plans dominate both. Spotify Family at $21.99 across six is about $3.67 each; YouTube Premium Family at $26.99 across six is about $4.50. Either is roughly a quarter of the solo price.
Student rates halve both. Spotify Student is $6.99 and YouTube Premium Student is $8.99, both with the full feature set subject to verification.
YouTube Premium Lite is a trap worth understanding. At $8.99 it removes ads from most videos but excludes background play, downloads and YouTube Music — which are the features people miss immediately. If music matters, Lite is not the cheaper version of Premium.
Which should you actually buy?
Heavy YouTube watcher: YouTube Premium. The $3 gap over Spotify buys ad-free video as well as music, so it is doing two jobs for one price.
Music first, YouTube rarely: Spotify. Cheaper at every tier, better discovery tooling, and audiobooks included.
A couple: Spotify Duo at $18.99 for two accounts. YouTube Premium has no equivalent, so the alternative is two individual plans at $31.98.
Either way, buy discounted. THEOTTDEALS lists both in USD below the direct rate. Live pricing is on the product pages.
Frequently asked questions
Is Spotify or YouTube Premium cheaper?
Spotify, at every equivalent tier. Individual is $12.99 against $15.99, Family is $21.99 against $26.99, and Student is $6.99 against $8.99.
Which is better value overall?
It depends on your YouTube habit. YouTube Premium costs $3 more but also removes ads across all of YouTube, so heavy viewers get two services for one price.
Does YouTube Premium include YouTube Music?
Yes, full YouTube Premium includes YouTube Music. The cheaper Premium Lite tier at $8.99 does not.
Is there a Spotify plan for two people?
Yes, Spotify Duo at $18.99 covers two accounts — about $9.50 each. YouTube Premium has no two-person plan.
Can I pay annually for either?
YouTube Premium offers an annual plan at $159.99, which is $13.33 a month. Spotify does not offer annual billing in the US.
What is the cheapest way to get either?
A family plan split fully. Spotify Family works out at about $3.67 per person and YouTube Premium Family at about $4.50, both across six accounts.
Related THEOTTDEALS guides
Get either for less
View live USD pricing for Spotify Premium and YouTube Premium on their product pages.