YouTube has surpassed 150 million subscribers across its YouTube Premium and YouTube Music services, marking another milestone for the video platform as it expands its subscription business alongside advertising.
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai announced the milestone on Wednesday, October 28, as the company released its third-quarter 2026 financial results. The subscriber figure includes people using free trials, and Alphabet does not disclose separate totals for Premium and Music.
YouTube also generated approximately $11.2 billion in advertising revenue during the quarter, up from $10.3 billion in the same period last year. The increase highlights the platform’s continued ability to attract advertisers, even as subscription services become a more significant part of its business.
YouTube Premium and Music Subscribers Pass 150 Million
The latest milestone represents an increase from the 125 million subscribers Alphabet reported for YouTube Premium and YouTube Music in March 2025.
Both services offer viewers different ways to experience YouTube. Premium provides an enhanced viewing experience, while YouTube Music focuses on music streaming. YouTube also offers Premium Lite in selected markets, giving eligible users a lower-cost subscription option.
Although Alphabet has confirmed the combined subscriber figure, it has not revealed how many subscribers use each service individually. The total also includes trial users, so it should not be interpreted as a count of paying subscribers alone.
YouTube Advertising Revenue Reaches $11.2 Billion
YouTube’s advertising business generated $11.207 billion in revenue during the third quarter of 2026, compared with $10.261 billion a year earlier.
That represents year-over-year growth of approximately 9.2%. However, the pace of growth slowed compared with the previous quarter, when YouTube’s advertising revenue increased by around 13% year over year.
The results show that advertising remains a major source of revenue for YouTube, even as the company continues to expand its paid subscription services.
Living Room Viewing Drives YouTube Advertising
Google chief business officer Philipp Schindler highlighted the importance of television viewing to YouTube’s advertising business during Alphabet’s earnings call.
Schindler said living-room viewing accounted for more than one-third of YouTube’s advertising revenue in the third quarter.
The figure reflects YouTube’s role beyond mobile phones and computers, as viewers increasingly use connected televisions to watch content at home.
The company is also working to help creators develop content and make it easier for audiences to discover videos. According to Schindler, creators upload more than 20 million videos to YouTube each day.
YouTube Expands Tools for Creators and Viewers
YouTube continues to introduce features designed to support creators and improve the viewing experience.
During the earnings call, Schindler highlighted generative AI tools in YouTube Studio, a conversational editing assistant for Shorts, and YouTube Create.
The company has also introduced features that let creators organise Shorts into seasons and episodes. Sequential playback aims to help viewers discover related videos and continue watching content.
These developments form part of YouTube’s broader strategy to connect creators, viewers and advertisers across its platform.
Subscriptions Become an Increasingly Important Part of YouTube’s Business
YouTube’s latest results underline the importance of subscriptions alongside advertising.
Premium and Music provide recurring subscription revenue, while advertising allows the platform to earn money from viewers who use its free services. Alphabet has said the subscription milestone reflects growing demand for paid viewing and listening experiences.
However, the company does not report YouTube Premium and Music revenue separately. Instead, subscription income forms part of Alphabet’s broader subscriptions, platforms and devices category, which also includes other products and services.
The 150 million milestone therefore demonstrates the combined reach of YouTube’s subscription offerings, rather than revealing their individual financial contributions.
What’s Next for YouTube?
YouTube’s challenge will be to maintain subscription growth while continuing to attract advertisers and support its creator community.
The platform’s latest results show progress on both fronts: its combined Premium and Music subscriber base has exceeded 150 million, while quarterly advertising revenue has risen above $11 billion.
With new creator tools, viewing features and subscription options, YouTube is continuing to develop its business beyond traditional video advertising.
As competition intensifies across streaming and digital media, the company’s ability to keep viewers engaged and persuade more of them to subscribe will remain an important part of its growth strategy.