Thinking about YouTube Premium? 5 reasons why it’s worth your money

1. 01
   

   Background play

   While YouTube is free, the moment you switch the app or go to the home screen, your video will automatically pause. However, with YouTube Premium, you get the option to continue watching the video in a floating mini-player that allows users to pause and resume the video. While you may be familiar with the picture-in-picture mode, did you know you can continue listening to the video in the background?

   To do so, tap on the headphone button in the mini-player and the video will continue playing in the background while you do other things like browse the internet, play games and scroll social media without visual distractions.

2. 02
   

   Queue videos

   While background play may be common amongst YouTube Premium subscribers, one of the most underrated features is the ability to queue videos. As the name suggests, the feature lets users queue videos and decide what they want to watch next.

   To queue a video while you are watching another one, simply tap on the three-dot menu to the right of the video you want to play next, tap the ‘Play next in queue’ button and it will automatically play once your current video is over.

3. 03
   

   Smart downloads

   Similar to Amazon Prime, Netflix and other streaming platforms, YouTube lets Premium subscribers play their favourite videos offline, but more often than not, we forget to download videos. However, with YouTube’s Smart Downloads feature, the app automatically downloads recommended videos so you can watch them later in areas with no coverage.

   The best thing is that the feature does this when your device is connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you can also choose the video quality of downloaded videos. To turn it on, open the YouTube app, tap on your profile picture and head over to the Downloads section. Here, head over to Settings by pressing the three vertical dot buttons and enable the toggle named ‘Smart Downloads.’

4. 04
   

   Higher bitrate videos

   If you are someone who watches sports or videos with a lot of motion, YouTube Premium offers a higher bitrate option named ‘1080p Premium’. While the new video quality option has the same resolution as a 1080p video, the company says the enhanced bitrate offers a smooth and higher quality viewing experience by making things less blurry.

   However, it should be noted that 1080p Premium video quality may not be available for all videos. To switch to higher bitrate, tap on the settings gear icon when watching a video, click on ‘Quality’ and change it to ‘1080p Premium’.

5. 05
   

   Skip sponsor segments in videos

   When watching a video on YouTube, you may notice that creators often inject sponsor segments and ads into the video itself. While Premium automatically skips ads, the paid tier also features a quick way to skip these pesky hidden sponsor segments.

   To skip a segment or jump to the next one, simply hold down the progress bar and jump to the next section. The feature also comes in handy in case users want to quickly pro

Which YouTube Premium plan is the best for me?

Compared to other parts of the world, YouTube Premium is cheaper in India. Every YouTube Premium plan offers the same benefits, so the best plan for you depends on your needs. Also, YouTube offers one month of free YouTube Premium, so you can decide if the subscription is worth your money or not.

If you want YouTube Premium for yourself, the individual plan costs Rs 149 per month. Users can also opt for the annual plan that is priced at Rs 1,490, meaning you get two months of YouTube Premium for free. YouTube also has a Family plan that costs Rs 299 per month and allows users to enjoy Premium features on up to five Google accounts. There is also a Student plan that costs Rs 89 per month and requires verification every year.