YouTube Premium users say they’re still getting ads as platform hikes prices

YouTube Premium users are claiming that the mobile app is still giving them ads despite paying for the service.

The Google-owned video platform has worked to get users to subscribe to YouTube Premium throughout 2024, which removes ads across every platform as long as you’re signed into your account.

YouTube has done this by cracking down on adblock plugins and even introducing them to a video’s pause screen, sparking backlash over the changes in the process.

Throughout the last couple of months, users across Reddit and other social media sites have reported seeing ads in the middle of videos and on the home screen despite having a YouTube Premium subscription.

Back in October, one user shared they were having to sit through ads at the beginning of videos when watching them through the mobile app.

In early November, another user took to the YouTube subreddit with a screenshot showing an ad playing in the middle of a video despite having a subscription to Premium.

Around the same time, yet another Premium subscriber shared that they were getting ads for YouTube Playables while scrolling through the YouTube Shorts feed.

YouTube responded to these claims in a statement to 9to5Google and made it clear that Premium subscribers should not be faced with having to watch any type of ad on the platform and should reach out to support if they do.

“We occasionally offer YouTube Premium subscribers with exclusive access to a variety of rewards through our trusted partners – which can be found on their benefits page. YouTube Premium subscribers should not be shown any pre- or mid-roll ads and should contact support if this does happen,” they said.

This comes just after YouTube Premium users in the UK and Europe were left furious after the company hiked the subscription’s price up to $40 a month, making a year sub cost nearly $500.