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▲ kylecazar 4 days ago

I am so reliant on YouTube Premium that I forget people even see ads on there. I watch an awful lot of long form interviews, lectures, podcasts -- most downloaded for offline. It's the easiest $8/month of all my subscriptions.

▲kace91 4 days ago | parent | next [-]

I’m the opposite. I’ve almost entirely given up on YouTube because I know that, even if I pay, I’m subjected to the consequences of ads.

Content creators have paid sections in the video itself, the format optimises grabbing your attention, some legitimate-presenting channels are just real state for product placement...

You can’t win in that platform.

▲jbaber 4 days ago | parent | next [-]

A recent feature for paid subscribers is the ability to skip frequently skipped sections which de facto skips in-video ads.

▲codybontecou 4 days ago | parent [-]

I see the button to skip, but is there a way to automatically skip these sections?

▲mhitza 3 days ago | parent | next [-]

SponsorBlock for desktop browsers is a way around that

▲MarsIronPI 3 days ago | parent | next [-]

I forget how bad YouTube is these days. I'm so spoiled by MPV with yt-dlp and mpv_sponsorblock_minimal. It's great.

▲LargoLasskhyfv 18 hours ago | parent [-]

Bad is relative. I usually don't bother with the MPV/yt-dlp combo (except for rare local downloading for backup/convenience purposes) and just let it play in the browser. Not being logged in, because I have no google account anymore. It's smooth, and plays instantly when opened in a new tab. I let it have its cookies, and don't erase them, so I get the content I like, mostly. For things I'm unsure how they'd affect the algorithm, or if they are AI-slopped music, I'm just opening them in a private window. Works for me with just uBO and some additional list subscriptons in there.

▲tcfhgj 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

ReVanced has an integration for SponsorBlock, and SponsorBlock is also available for Firefox Android

▲t0bia_s 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

https://freetubeapp.io/

▲RandallBrown 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Not yet, that I know of

▲ericzawo 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

If you have a VPN, pretend you're in Moldova to enjoy ad-free, free YouTube.

▲mmooss 3 days ago | parent [-]

Why do Moldovans get add-free Youtube?

▲nickff 3 days ago | parent | next [-]

Advertisers generally avoid spending money on displaying ads to poor countries. It is interesting to see how the ads change depending on the country your IP address is from.

▲mmooss 3 days ago | parent [-]

I expect that Molovan businesses want to advertise there.

▲nickff 3 days ago | parent [-]

Very little YouTube advertising is for local businesses, partly due to geotargeting issues with YouTube ads, and YouTube isn’t a huge market for most products, due to its poverty.

▲lmm 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Perhaps because of their interesting geopolitical situation with Transnistria?

▲satvikpendem 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

SponsorBlock and DeArrow are your friends

▲liquidise 3 days ago | parent [-]

SponsorBlock became an instant, install-everywhere extension for me the same way UBO had. I'm amazed how few know of it considering its value and elegance.

▲bjackman 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

You can't completely escape advertising while still participating in modern society but there's still a huge difference between free and premium YouTube in this regard.

Yes, creators have paid sections but they are skippable (and note YouTube helps you skip with a little white dot in the UI[1]) and creators have a strong incentive to protect their credibility. They have an ongoing "relationship" with their viewer. Not so for the random companies that get to spam you with unskippable adverts for crypto scams or fat-free yoghurt in the freezer version.

[1]They don't like sponsored segments as they don't get a cut most of the time. They do have a programme for arranging sponsored segments via the platform, in which case they _do_ get a cut. I'm not sure if they still offer the little skip-helper dot in that case... Anyone know?

▲RobotToaster 3 days ago | parent | next [-]

> creators have a strong incentive to protect their credibility.

This comment is sponsored by Raid Shadow Legends

▲tgsovlerkhgsel 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> YouTube helps you skip with a little white dot in the UI[1])

Is that a premium feature? How does it look? I don't remember ever seeing it (that said, SponsorBlock solves this).

> and creators have a strong incentive to protect their credibility.

I haven't seen this play out very much to be honest.

▲IAmBroom 3 days ago | parent [-]

> > and creators have a strong incentive to protect their credibility.

> I haven't seen this play out very much to be honest.

"Credibility" means "relative to the interests of their audience". Faux News has a completely different, almost inverse metric for "credibility" with their "Aliuns made the pirramids!" fanbase. CNN follows a more strict "if it bleeds it leads" policy to keep their audience believing them.

▲Mawr 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

There's a huge difference indeed — uBlock + SponsorBlock are superior. Not only do I not see any ads at all—including self-promotions of the video creators and their sponsorship segments—I also get to skip content-free intermissions, tangents, etc. and jump straight to the highlight of the video.

▲moi2388 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

SponsorBlock. I don’t see in video ads, not self ads and no sponsoring.

▲ffuxlpff 2 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Giving up YouTube and any other video content online would be the best life hack you can make in 2026.

▲sowbug 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Family memberships are not available for G Suite accounts. Sign in with a personal Google account or buy an individual membership to continue.

All I wanted years ago was an email address with my vanity domain. Had I only known I was shunting my whole family into a Bizarro Elgoog world...

▲binkHN 3 days ago | parent [-]

Google really screwed everyone that used this; it was marketed towards families/small groups, and now everyone is forced into Google Workspace with massive breakage for family-like stuff. Thanks Google.

▲littlecranky67 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Firefox + uBlock Origin + Sponsor Block (includes "skip to highlight feature) + 'Improve youtube!' = no ads, no clickbait thumbnails, and no friction plus tons of optimizations.

iOS Safari + uBlock Origin + Vinagre extension = no ads, free background play.

▲mFixman 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I pay for YouTube Premium and I still use ReVanced on mobile.

Being able to remove Shorts from the app and to revert Alphabet's many incoherent design decisions makes the whole thing usable.

▲Spare_account 3 days ago | parent [-]

How do you hide Shorts? I can't figure out how to do it.

▲mFixman 3 days ago | parent [-]

Search "YouTube Revanced" on Android. It's a bit of a pain to install, but it lets you customise your YouTube app and add or remove as many features as you want.

These kinds of customisations should be standard for apps people use every day.

▲Spare_account 3 days ago | parent [-]

To be clear, I have revanced and use it daily. I'm just too stupid to be able to figure out how to hide Shorts

▲mFixman 3 days ago | parent [-]

You -> Gear icon -> Revanced Settings -> General -> Navigation Buttons -> Hide Shorts.

You need to also hide them from the feed and a few other places. You are not stupid; Revanced has too many options and the settings and large and confusing. It's easier to search "shorts" and toggle everything.

▲Spare_account 2 days ago | parent [-]

Thank you. I already had that setting enabled, but your comment inspired me to review all the settings again and I have been successful in hiding Shorts from view (for now, until Google changes something again no doubt).

▲anothernewdude 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Removing ads and downloading videos are both available for free.

▲katrotz 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I used to be have a premium family suscription, canceled it the moment google increased the price by 30%, I considered such a jump unfair compared to the rest of the economy where salaries are hardly getting adjusted to the inflation.

▲hermannj314 3 days ago | parent [-]

You cancelled YouTube Premium because YouTube was trying to keep content creator income on pace with inflation?

▲tmtvl 3 days ago | parent | next [-]

I read it more as katrotz cancelling YTP because it became more expensive while katrotz' income did not increase by the same amount. If things become more expensive and my wages don't increase as much I am going to cut some expenses.

▲nottorp 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Are you prepared to donate 100% of your income to all those poor "content creators" then?

Most people would like to have a roof over their heads and eat once in a while.

▲hermannj314 3 days ago | parent [-]

$22 a month for YouTube Premium is what I pay. Donating 100% of my income (a number larger than $22/mo) was not the issue being discussed in this post.

▲nottorp 3 days ago | parent [-]

It was, because every "content provider" wants your subscription.

How many links that you clicked on from HN today are asking for a subscription, and how many have you supported?

▲ohhellnawman 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

[dead]

▲soraminazuki 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

YouTube Premium is a joke.

Mass surveillance is one of the biggest threat to society that has come out of our industry, and is the biggest objection that many people have against modern adtech.

So how does YouTube Premium address this? Well, first you login to Google and let them associate your real name to everything you do online, not just what you do on YouTube. Then, you give them your credit card info, home address, and phone number because why not? On top of that, you get to foot the bill for all of this.

Uh, I'll continue to stay out of this.

▲frm88 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I'm the same as you: long form and essays. I use freetube for Linux and Tubular for android, so no ads at all. I follow only youtubers who have a patreon and I support all of them (10 or so and one via kofi).

▲stephen_cagle 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Wait a minute, why is mine $13.99 a month?

But agree, totally worth it if you at all value your time.

▲ternus 4 days ago | parent | next [-]

If you don't care about music or background play, and all you want is to eliminate ads, YouTube Premium Lite is $8/month.

https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/15968883

▲amanzi 3 days ago | parent | next [-]

Interesting - hadn't heard of this option before. But I see that "Premium Lite" is not available in NZ... https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6307365?sjid=92752...

▲air7 3 days ago | parent [-]

But at least you have IKEA

▲amanzi 3 days ago | parent [-]

The whole country is rejoicing!

▲BLKNSLVR 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I still can't believe that they paywalled the ability for the video to keep playing when the screen is turned off.

Probably a business decision that's made them a lot of money, well done.

Thank goodness for ReVanced.

▲cons0le 3 days ago | parent | next [-]

>I still can't believe that they paywalled the ability for the video to keep playing when the screen is turned off.

That's why I will never pay, no matter how much people glaze yt premium. I distinctly remember the day they took that simple feature away. uBlock and Vanced work fine, and it's also not hard to download to my media server for offline

I don't want to reward a company for shitty practices. What are they even doing at youtube besides changing the UI every 3 months and stuffing AI where it isn't wanted/needed.

At the bare minimum they need to enable the ability to blacklist entire channels, like I can easily do on my home setup. And ban AI videos without a label. Then they can have my $8

▲charcircuit 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

It's only for music where background play isn't supported for free.

▲jayknight 3 days ago | parent [-]

Is this true? Nothing will play for me with my screen off.

▲BLKNSLVR 3 days ago | parent | next [-]

No. What you describe is correct: No background play via the yt app unless you pay.

▲SoftTalker 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Yes YouTube Premium will play with the screen off (using the app. No idea about using a browser).

▲cuu508 3 days ago | parent | next [-]

In a browser, it works even without Youtube Premium :-)

Firefox mobile, m.youtube.com, "Video Background Play Fix" browser extension.

▲fdgjgbdfhgb 3 days ago | parent [-]

Works for me without an extension, you just need to click play again after leaving the YouTube tab/locking the phone

▲tcfhgj 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

So does ReVanced YouTube

▲nsoqm 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

On iOS I use Brave and it works fine.

▲tracker1 2 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Wasn't aware of this option... I'd actually switched to YT Music because the family plan for YT premium is/was pretty good. Nice to know I can bring it down in the future.

▲baby_souffle 4 days ago | parent | prev [-]

> Wait a minute, why is mine $13.99 a month?

Only the earliest google music people are still grandfathered in at the insanely low rate. The rest of us have been "upgraded" to at least $14/mo.

▲stephen_cagle 4 days ago | parent | next [-]

Damn, I just looked up how long I have been paying using https://payments.google.com/ . Looks like I've been paying for youtube music since October 2014. These grandfathered people must be really really early. :]

▲graton 2 days ago | parent [-]

I started paying $7.99/month for Google Play Music in June of 2013. And it is now YouTube Premium and still $7.99/month.

▲sphars 2 days ago | parent [-]

Same here, joined up when GPM was in beta. Still on the $7.99/month. I really only use it for YTM, so if they ever up my price, I'll cancel and use Tidal or Deezer.

▲SoftTalker 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

They also have a family plan that costs a bit more I think.

▲tracker1 2 days ago | parent [-]

I've been on the family plan for a long while... was before they redid Google Music and YT Music, but it included YT ad free and Google Music, so I did that and dropped Spotify around a decade ago. I watch so much YT content, it's been worth it to keep... Though I'm glad that Rumble is there and seeing some improvements in UX, still not nearly as good as YT, but getting better.

Mostly watch via Android TV (NVidia Shield TV).

▲jamesbelchamber 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Yeh, for all Google's faults in this arena, YouTube Premium is such a good buy. I consume so much YouTube I think it would be unethical for me not to pay.

(I still use uBlock of course)

▲Mawr 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

So you just manually skip the sponsor segments that most popular creators include in their videos or what?

▲MarsIronPI 3 days ago | parent [-]

Sponsorblock exists and is absolutely marvelous. It's a crowdsourced database of sponsored segments + an add-on that queries this database and automatically skips the sponsor segments. There's also Sponsorblock plugins for MPV if that's more your thing.