Google's various entertainment-based subscription services are in a state of flux right now.
The future of Google Play Music remains murky. Since May 2018, the company has offered a secondary premium music service called YouTube Music, and the received wisdom is that Google Music will eventually be shuttered and music streaming will fall under the YouTube umbrella. Similarly, YouTube Red, which launched in 2015, has now rebranded. Since mid-June 2018, it's been called YouTube Premium.
Confused? So were we. Keep reading to have the mess cleared up and learn what you need to do to switch over from YouTube Music to YouTube Premium.
YouTube Music vs. YouTube Premium: Why Change?
YouTube Music costs $9.99 per month. It gives you ad-free music, personalized playlists based on your YouTube history, offline listening, background listening, and a smattering of other small features.
YouTube Music does not, however, offer an ad-free experience across the entirety of YouTube. Similarly, it won't give you access to YouTube Originals or let you download videos.
That's where YouTube Premium comes it. At $11.99 per month, it only costs $2 more than YouTube Music. The service gives you all the benefits of YouTube Music, plus the old YouTube Red benefits like ad-free browsing on YouTube.
If you're a YouTube Music subscriber who wants to switch to a Premium subscription, how do you go about it?
How to Switch From YouTube Music to Premium
As of this writing, you can only upgrade from YouTube Music to YouTube Premium via the smartphone app. Follow the instructions below to get started:
- Open the YouTube app.
- Tap on your profile picture.
- Select Paid memberships.
- In the YouTube Music section, tap on Manage.
- Tap on Upgrade to YouTube Premium.
- Choose Try it free to activate the free trial.
- Tap on Upgrade.
- Tap on Let's Go to open your new services.
Remember, once the trial expires, you're billing amount will increase by $2 per month. Of course, only you can decide whether YouTube Premium (formerly Red) is worth the extra cost.