YouTube was once a simple service. You simply uploaded your videos to the platform or watched videos other people uploaded. However, it has since diversified its portfolio, so to speak. Here is everything in YouTube and what it does. YouTube is the platform and YouTube Premium is the service. YouTube Music and Music Premium are separate products for only music content. You can read about those with the link below. Read next: Check out every YouTube offshoot here!

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It also helps artists like you find audiences and earn revenue for the content you're already creating. Learn more about getting started with YouTube Music. Your videos are automatically visible to viewers on ad-supported YouTube and through a paid membership to YouTube Music Premium. The revenue from the paid membership gives a new source of revenue for artists like you. Music is one of the most popular video categories on YouTube and — much like families and gamers use YouTube differently — so do music lovers. As a YouTube built just for music, YouTube Music lets fans watch and listen to a nearly endless catalog in an app designed for music discovery. It helps fans more easily discover the breadth and diversity of music content on YouTube and connect to artists like you.
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But if you're wary of plunking down money -- and would rather try before you buy -- there are some options. So here, we're going to keep track of the ways you can get free access to YouTube Premium. These instructions may change as Google shifts from Red to Premium, and we'll update this article if that's the case. First time subscribers to YouTube Premium don't need to pay before they hit play. A new offer for students started on Aug. If you do that, the discount won't apply and you'll never get the chance to get it, since it only applies to new subscribers. Confused about how YouTube's paid services differ?
We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement. YouTube Premium is the more comprehensive subscription, which allows for downloading YouTube videos on mobile, removes ads from YouTube, and gives access to YouTube Original shows, in addition to all the benefits of YouTube Music Premium. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships.