You might not consider YouTube to be one of the best streaming services — that's not a comment on its quality, but most people don't even consider it amongst the likes of Netflix or Prime Video, since it's much older and has less of a focus on TV shows and movies. However that might be changing.
YouTube now offers subscriptions to individual channels within its website and app, it announced in a recent blog post. The new feature is called "PrimeTime Channels." This feature is exclusive to the US to begin with, but the video company has confirmed that it's going to open it in other markets at some point in the future.
- Find the YouTube movies and TV hub here
Over 30 channels have been confirmed already, including big names like Showtime, Paramount Plus and AMC Plus, as well as niche options like Sundance Now, Law and Crime, NBA League Pass (which is coming shortly after launch) and Gaia. Pricing for the channels hasn't been announced yet, but it'll likely vary by channel.
If you subscribe to a channel, the videos from it will appear in your YouTube library alongside other recommended videos from your frequented channels, making it very easy to find.
If you're confused, we should point out that this is completely different to YouTube TV, a separate streaming service. That's for streaming live TV, not video-on-demand.
PrimeTime Channels isn't a new feature to streaming services, as both Prime Video and Roku let you subscribe to individual channels too. The main difference is that, for Roku, you need a compatible streaming TV or dongle, while for Prime Video channels you're paying for them on top of your Prime subscription. YouTube is free for anyone with a phone or PC, so could be a cheaper way to get these channels.
The real charm of PrimeTime Channels is that, as with Roku or Amazon's equivalents, it lets all your videos sit in one place, not in countless different apps on your PC, phone or TV. It makes it easier to find something new to watch, as everything is stored on the same menu, and you can control your subscriptions better as they're all organized through one service.
While there aren't as many PrimeTime Channels right now as there are Prime Video ones — Amazon has nearly 100 more — we could see YouTube add plenty of more in the near future.
