Youtube TV is one of the most well-known streaming services, offering live and on-demand TV since 2017. In place of traditional cable, it gives you access to sports, news, and entertainment shows with just your internet connection and a subscription to their service, which costs ~$73/month (for their Base Plan) and gives you 100+ channels like PBS, AMC, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, ESPN, NBA TV, NFL Network, and much more.
Of course, one of the best ways to see if a service/product is for you is to try it out yourself, and like many other streaming services, Youtube TV offers a free trial for new subscribers. However, Youtube TV’s free trial periods are unique in that they don’t have a fixed free trial period. Though their free trial periods often average 5 or 7 days, the shortest Youtube TV trial is 2 days, while the longest Youtube TV trial is up to 21 days.
How to get a 21-day Youtube TV free trial: use a new e-mail address
To begin with, to even have a Youtube TV free trial, you must be a new subscriber, or more specifically, have an account that isn’t currently or hasn’t been subscribed to Youtube TV previously, nor already used their free trial period in the past. In short, you can get a 21-day Youtube TV free trial simply by using a new email address when you subscribe.
When did Youtube TV start offering a 21-day free trial?
The LA Times first reported on September 3rd, 2024: “Walt Disney Co. on Sunday pulled ESPN and other channels from DirecTV minutes before the kick off of a high-profile USC football game and during the U.S. Open tennis tournament — infuriating sports fans who found themselves in the middle of a contentious contract dispute.” The two companies had failed to negotiate a new deal by the September 1 deadline, and has led to some hostility between the two parties and yielded these fighting words from DirecTV Chief Content Officer Rob Thun: “Disney’s only magic is forcing prices to go up while simultaneously making its content disappear.”
Disney has since pulled ESPN, ABC, and other channels from DirecTV. Around this time, Youtube TV—which does carry all Disney channels removed from DirecTV—would offer a 21-day free trial. Of course, because Youtube TV free trials have been erratic to begin with, we can’t say one thing caused the other. But if things stay as they are with between Disney and DirecTV, it seems customers a viable replacement already awaits.
How to check your free trial duration
Because Youtube TV free trial lengths vary so much, you can always check how much time is left on your ongoing free trial by simply going to Settings in the Youtube TV app. First, select your profile photo in the top right corner, then click on Setting, then go to Membership to see the number of days remaining on your free trial. (After that period, your subscription will be changed to a paid one.)
What is included in a Youtube TV free trial?
The free trial gets you full access to to their service — from the base 100+ channels including PBS, Nickelodeon, NBA TV, ESPN, and more; to premium channels like Max and AMC+ and other add-ons for a certain duration; to the unlimited DVR; and the ability to have up to 3 simultaneous streams.
What other plans/add-ons do they offer?
Youtube TV also offers other packages beyond the Base Plan for ~$73/month. They offer a Spanish Plan with 28+ Spanish channels for ~$35/month, or alternatively you can get the Spanish Plus add-on (on top of the Base Plan) for ~$15/month.
You can also get individual premium channels like Max and AMC+ for anywhere from $5 to $40/month; the Sports Plus add-on which includes NFL Redzone, beIN SPORTS, Fight Network, etc. for ~$11/month; or the 4K Plus add-on for 4K resolution (for select content), unlimited simultaneous streams (as opposed to the normal maximum of 3) and offline DVR viewing, all for ~$10/month.
In Sum
Youtube TV is one of the top streaming services today, offering a Base Plan package at ~$73/month, which gives you access to 100+ channels. However, if you’re a new subscriber to Youtube TV, or if you have an account that hasn’t subscribed or used a free trial under Youtube TV before, you are eligible to have a free trial for up to 21 days, giving you full access to their service.