YouTube passes 150 million paid members as viewers push back against free-tier advertising

Alphabet announced that YouTube Premium and YouTube Music have surpassed 150 million subscribers combined, rising by 25 million from the 125 million members reported in March 2025. Alphabet chief executive Sundar Pichai revealed the milestone during the company's third-quarter earnings release, where he also shared that YouTube's quarterly advertising revenue climbed past $11.2 billion, up from $10.3 billion in 2025. [1][2]

The company did not break out separate subscription counts for YouTube Music and YouTube Premium, and the overall total includes trial users. Premium offers ad-free streaming, background playback, offline downloads, and full access to YouTube Music, costing $15.99, £12.99, or AU$22.99 per month. Google chief business officer Philipp Schindler defended the model, stating that paid tiers like Premium and Premium Lite offer viewers choice while generating funds for creators. [1][2]

The subscription surge comes alongside growing user frustration over ad volume on YouTube's free service, where audiences have voiced complaints about aggressive marketing and AI-generated sponsored promotions. Some viewers are actively seeking workarounds by adopting privacy-oriented tools like the Brave browser to block commercials rather than paying for monthly subscriptions. [1]