YouTube TV offers subscribers a variety of premium channels to help further expand the channel lineup and selection. As these are premium add-ons, they do cost an additional amount each month and the price varies depending on the network. However, knowing which premium channels are available through YouTube TV before signing up can help to make the decision on whether this is the right live TV streaming service, and provide some clarity on how much a richer package will ultimately cost.
Unlike some of the other live TV streaming services currently available, YouTube TV does not offer a selection of plans to choose from. Instead, there’s only the standard YouTube TV plan, priced at $64.99 per month. Without any other plans and packages available, subscribers have no choice on what channels they have access to. Put simply, whatever is in the $64.99 plan is all YouTube TV subscribers get.
That is unless a subscriber adds a premium network. Generally speaking, there are not usually any financial benefits to subscribing through YouTube TV, considering the price is often the same as subscribing to the network directly. However, by combining billing and having the premium network integrated within YouTube TV, subscribers get an easier to manage and richer experience overall.
YouTube TV Premium networks list
YouTube TV subscribers are able to choose from a number of additional premium channels that can be added to their base package. However, the monthly cost does vary depending on the channel.
YouTube TV premium channels:
| Network | Price p/m |
|---|---|
| Acorn TV | $6 |
| Allblk | $5 |
| AMC+ | $6.99 |
| Cinemax | $9.99 |
| CONtv | $4.99 |
| CuriosityStream | $3 |
| Docurama | $4.99 |
| Dove | $4.99 |
| Epix | $6 |
| Hallmark Movies Now | $5.99 |
| HBO Max | $14.99 |
| IFC Films Unlimited | $5.99 |
| Law & Crime | $1.99 |
| MLB.TV | $24.99 |
| NBA League Pass | $39.99 |
| Showtime | $11 |
| Shudder | $6 |
| Starz | $9 |
| Sundance Now | $7 |
| WE tv+ | $5.99 |
In addition to the individual channels listed above, YouTube TV subscribers can also pick from a small selection of bundle add-ons, including Sports Plus, Entertainment Plus, and 4K Plus. The price of these bundles vary and each one comes with its own selling points. For example, While Sports Plus and Entertainment Plus add more channels, 4K Plus improves the general YouTube TV streaming experience.
Premium network free trials
Almost all of the premium networks available through YouTube TV also come with a free trial. This can be a great way for new and existing subscribers to see if the additional channel is right for them before having to pay. However, similar to how the standard YouTube TV free trial works, subscribers will need to be proactive in canceling the add-on before the free period ends if they want to avoid having to pay for the extra amount each month.
In some cases, YouTube TV subscribers may benefit from a longer free trial than they would otherwise get if subscribing to the premium network directly. For example, HBO Max no longer offers a free trial when signing up to the service via the website, forcing new subscribers to immediately pay upfront before having an opportunity to test the service out. In contrast, when signing up to HBO Max through YouTube TV, subscribers can take advantage of a seven-day free trial.
While most of the extra channels do come with a free trial, not all do. In addition, the length of the free trial varies between channels. When adding a channel through the YouTube TV website, subscribers will be able to see how long is available for free so they can plan to revise whether they want to actually pay for the additional channel or cancel before the first payment is automatically made.
YouTube TV premium network summary
YouTube TV subscribers can add a number of premium channels to their base subscription as a way to pad out the channel lineup and gain access to additional content. As these are premium networks, none of them are included with YouTube TV’s base subscription and will require the subscriber to pay extra. The price ranges from $3 for CuriosityStream to $39.99 per month for NBA League Pass.
Most of the premium networks available through YouTube TV also come with a free trial making it easy to test out the channel before having to pay. Similar to the price, the length of the free trial varies depending on the network, with the most typical length being either five or seven days. Similar to when signing up to the general YouTube TV free trial, subscribers will want to make sure then cancel before the free period ends, if they want to avoid paying the additional monthly cost for the premium network.
Read more: YouTube TV: How Many Devices Can Stream at the Same Time
Updated August 2021
