I just lost my premium subscription after about 2 years of paying $3/month in Argentina. Here it's $24/month (family plan). YouTube is unbearable with all the ads. Sometimes a 10-minute video has 3 as breaks. I'm only using it for precise purposes now, not scrolling and exploring, and finding alternatives as much as possible.
Exactly. Why bother paying? Firefox + uBlock Origin on the computer, SmartTube Next on Android TV, ReVanced on Android phone. I haven't been seeing ads on YouTube for years.
I agree, however most mobile platforms have some sort of AdBlocking solution/app. The same applies to popular tv brands as well (I use TizenTube for my Samsung) and worst case scenario you can plug a Chromecast and AdBlock it instead.
There are ad blockers on mobile browsers, too. Besides, there are other ways to block ads, like DNS blocklists. Or if it's just for Youtube use an alternative
front-end like Piped or Invidious or Grayjay for built in ad- and Sponsorblock
I've used the alternatives and the experience isn't really nearly as polished and consistent as using the YouTube app, especially if you just want to sign in and use your YouTube account. I'm not saying premium is cheap but it's really not out of the ordinary to pay for the service as some people think it is. There are also YouTube kids and music that provides some value.
If there are DNS blocklists that work for YouTube, please provide a link or guide.