How to Cancel YouTube Music Premium in 2026 (Keep Playlists + Free Alternatives)
Updated 2026-02-26 · 6 min read
💰 YouTube Music vs YouTube Premium Confusion
YouTube Music Premium: $10.99/month (music only). YouTube Premium: $13.99/month (includes Music Premium + ad-free YouTube). Family plan: $22.99/month. Google keeps raising prices — YouTube Premium went from $11.99 to $13.99 in 2023. Before canceling YouTube Music, check if you actually have YouTube Premium — you might be paying $3 more for ad-free YouTube videos too, which is a separate decision.
Check Which Plan You Have
YouTube Music Premium ($10.99/month): Ad-free music, background play, downloads — music app only
YouTube Premium ($13.99/month): Everything in Music Premium + ad-free YouTube videos + YouTube Originals
YouTube Premium Family ($22.99/month): Premium for up to 5 family members at same address
Student plan ($6.99/month): Discounted rate with annual verification
Check at youtube.com/paid_memberships to see your exact plan
Step 1: Cancel Your Subscription
On desktop:
Go to youtube.com/paid_memberships
Click Manage membership next to YouTube Music/Premium
Click Deactivate or Cancel membership
Select a reason and confirm
Access continues until the end of your billing period
On mobile:
Open the YouTube Music app → tap your profile photo → Paid memberships
Tap your membership → Continue to cancel
If billed through Apple: iOS Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions → YouTube Music → Cancel
If billed through Google Play: Play Store → Profile → Payments → Subscriptions → Cancel
💡 Apple Charges More
If you subscribed through the iOS App Store, you're paying $16.99/month for YouTube Premium instead of $13.99 — Apple's 30% cut gets passed to you. Cancel and resubscribe directly on youtube.com to save $3/month ($36/year).
What You Keep After Canceling
Playlists: All your playlists stay intact — accessible on the free tier
Uploaded music: Any music you uploaded remains in your library
Liked songs: Your likes, history, and preferences are preserved
Google account: Your entire Google/YouTube account is unaffected
What You Lose
Ad-free listening: Ads return between songs
Background play: Music stops when you switch apps or lock your phone
Offline downloads: Downloaded songs become inaccessible
Audio-only mode: Can't play music without the video on mobile
Higher audio quality: Reverts to standard quality
Free & Cheaper Alternatives
Spotify Free: Ad-supported but has background play, unlimited skips on playlists (with shuffle). Better music discovery than YouTube Music
YouTube Music Free: Still works — just with ads and no background play. All your playlists are still there
Amazon Music (Prime members): Included with Amazon Prime — shuffle-mode access to 100M+ songs
Tidal Free: Ad-supported tier with full catalog access
SoundCloud (Free): Great for indie/underground music, podcasts, and remixes
Musi (Free, iOS): Plays YouTube Music videos in the background for free. Basically free YouTube Music Premium
Library apps (Free): Hoopla and Freegal offer free music streaming with a library card
💸 Annual Savings
YouTube Music Premium: $131.88/year. YouTube Premium: $167.88/year. Family plan: $275.88/year. Switching to Spotify Free or YouTube Music Free saves the full amount. If you mainly wanted ad-free YouTube videos, consider a browser ad blocker (uBlock Origin) for $0 instead of paying $14/month.
Consider Downgrading Instead
YouTube Premium → YouTube Music Premium: If you only use the music app, downgrade from $13.99 to $10.99/month
Family → Individual: If family members barely use it, switch to individual and save $9/month
Wait for a deal: Google often sends win-back offers ($0.99/month for 3 months) after you cancel
Find All Your Subscriptions
YouTube Music, streaming, apps — see every recurring charge on your bank statement.