How to Cancel YouTube Kids Premium in 2026 (It's Part of YouTube Premium)

Updated 2026-02-26 · 5 min read

What YouTube Kids Free Includes

• Curated kids content: Videos filtered for kids ages 2-12
• Parental controls: Timer, search restriction, content level selection (Preschool, Younger, Older)
• Approved content only: Parents can restrict to only channels they approve
• No comments: Comment sections are disabled
• Free: Ad-supported but functional

Cancel YouTube Premium Family

1. Go to youtube.com/paid_memberships
2. Click Manage membership
3. Click Deactivate → Continue to cancel
4. YouTube Kids continues to work — just with ads
5. If billed through Apple: iOS Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions → YouTube → Cancel

Should You Keep Premium for Kids?

The main argument for keeping Premium is removing ads. Consider:

• Kids ads are targeted: YouTube Kids shows toy commercials, junk food ads, and app promotions. Some parents find this problematic
• Screen time limits work better than ad-free: Using the built-in timer to limit total YouTube time is more effective than removing ads
• Ad-free doesn't mean better content: The content quality is identical with or without Premium
• $275.88/year just for kids ad-free is expensive compared to alternatives

Better Alternatives for Kids

• PBS Kids Video (Free): Ad-free, educational, high-quality shows. Completely free
• Khan Academy Kids (Free): Educational games and activities, no ads, no subscription
• Kanopy Kids (Free with library card): Ad-free educational streaming
• Disney+ ($7.99/month): Ad-free kids content with parental controls. Better content curation than YouTube Kids
• Netflix Kids ($6.99/month): Dedicated kids profiles with age-appropriate content
• Books: Reading is better for cognitive development than screen time — your library is free