YouTube Music Premium is $15.99 a month if you buy it inside the iPhone app and $11.99 on YouTube's website. Spotify Premium is $12.99 a month, and its iPhone app doesn't sell subscriptions at all.
| US prices, Nov 8, 2026 | YouTube Music | Spotify |
|---|---|---|
| Individual, on the web | $11.99/month | $12.99/month |
| Individual, in the iPhone app | $15.99 | No in-app purchases listed |
| Family, on the web | $18.99/month (you + 5 members, 13+) | $21.99/month (up to 6 accounts) |
| Family, in the iPhone app | Music Family $24.99 | None listed |
| Student, on the web | $5.99/month | $6.99/month |
| Two-person plan | None on the page | Duo $18.99/month |
| Annual option | $119.99 for 12 months, doesn't auto-renew | None on the page |
| Trial | 1 month, $0, eligible users | 1 month, $0, if you haven't tried Premium |
| App Store age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| App Store "used to track you" | None listed | Contact Info, Identifiers, Usage Data |
| Minimum iOS | 17.0 | 16.1 |
The iPhone gap
The YouTube Music App Store listing shows in-app purchases: YouTube Music at $15.99, Music Family at $24.99, YouTube Premium at $20.99 and Premium Family at $34.99. The web page shows $11.99 and $18.99 for the music-only plans. Same service, different checkout, $4 or $6 apart.
Spotify's App Store listing has no In-App Purchases section, so there's nothing to buy inside the app. You sign up on spotify.com, and the price is the web price.
Pick one if
- You want to pay in the app with your Apple ID: only YouTube Music offers that, and you pay $15.99.
- You're willing to subscribe on the web: YouTube Music is $1 cheaper than Spotify for one person ($11.99 vs $12.99) and $3 cheaper for a family plan.
- You're a student: $5.99 vs $6.99. Both require eligibility, and Spotify's student price currently includes a Hulu plan.
- You're two people: Spotify Duo is $18.99. YouTube Music has no Duo, but its web Family plan costs the same $18.99 and covers up to six.
- You want to prepay a year: YouTube Music sells 12 months for $119.99 that doesn't renew by itself. Spotify's plan page lists monthly prices.
- You care about the tracking label: Spotify's App Store label lists three categories used to track you. YouTube Music's lists none.
Sources
- YouTube — YouTube Music Premium (checked Nov 8, 2026)
- Spotify — Premium plans (US) (checked Nov 8, 2026)
- Apple — YouTube Music (checked Nov 8, 2026)
- Apple — Spotify (checked Nov 8, 2026)
- Apple — iTunes Lookup API (minimum OS, age rating) (checked Nov 8, 2026)