I cannot sensibly compare YouTube and Nebula without recognizing that these video platforms are not as easily compared as two mid-tier noise-cancelling earbuds. While earbuds may aim at the same demographic with some variances in performance, YouTube Premium and Nebula serve distinct audiences. There’s some overlap, but it’s insufficient for a straightforward comparison.
That being said, I will outline conditions for my judgments below. Let’s start the comparisons.
YouTube Premium vs. Nebula: Pricing
As stated, YouTube Premium isn’t inexpensive — the single monthly plan exceeds the cost of an Apple TV+ subscription or an ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu bundle. YouTube operates differently than those streaming services, and no subscription is necessary to access YouTube. Yet, if it’s a primary entertainment source, it merits comparison to conventional streaming services.
YouTube Premium pricing options:
– YouTube Premium (individual): $13.99 per month
– YouTube Premium (individual, annual): $139.99 ($11.66 per month)
– YouTube Premium Family: $22.99 per month (for up to six users)
– YouTube Premium Lite: $7.99 per month
– YouTube Premium Student: $7.99 per month
There are options to lower your monthly expense. Paying for a full year in advance is beneficial. A YouTube Family plan can further decrease costs. Just be sure to register through YouTube directly for the best deal. The Apple app store, for example, increases the Premium Family subscription cost to $29.99 per month.
If you’re inclined to eliminate ads and don’t have anyone to share the expense with, YouTube Lite is a newer option. However, at $8 a month, it’s pricey for the absence of additional features — and you’ll still encounter ads on select videos and YouTube Music.
In contrast to YouTube, you must pay for access to Nebula. The pricing is structured as follows:
Nebula pricing options:
– Nebula (monthly): $6 per month
– Nebula (annual): $60 per year ($5 per month)
– Nebula (lifetime): $300
Although it’s less expensive than YouTube (and offers a lifetime pricing option), the cost reflects the more limited features and content library. You also receive one guest pass per month.
To evaluate the value across this analysis, I will assume monthly individual pricing for both platforms, unless stated otherwise.
Victor: Nebula
YouTube Premium vs. Nebula: Content
If YouTube represents the contemporary Library of Alexandria, Nebula serves as the adjoining Library of Alexandria bookstore for video essay aficionados.
YouTube’s full video catalog is available for free and encompasses nearly everything imaginable. While Premium does not alter the available content, it changes the manner in which you view it, whether it’s skipping ads or playing a video in the background on mobile while your phone is locked or using other applications. This is handy if you’re using YouTube as a Pomodoro timer, tuning into a livestream or interview like a podcast, or listening to an actual podcast. Next to ad blocking, this is my preferred feature of Premium.
Previously, when Premium was known as YouTube Red, the service created original content, but ceased doing so in 2022. Alongside standard videos, a Premium subscription includes ad-free access to YouTube Music. While I have not personally used it, I suspect it would be appealing if I weren’t already entrenched in the Spotify ecosystem.
Conversely, Nebula has a smaller content library — it takes only a few minutes to tally the number of creators featured on the platform — but its ambition is not to be the all-encompassing video-sharing site. Instead, it showcases well-produced, thoroughly-researched content from creators who have established themselves on YouTube. While this results in less content and a paywall, the material offered feels curated.
Typically, Nebula’s content comprises media criticism, news analysis, science explanations, historical reflections, podcasts, and short films. If you are seeking streamers’ VODs, casual vlogs, beauty tutorials, or culinary content, YouTube is more suitable.
This isn’t to imply that Nebula is unequivocally superior for the content in which it specializes. For example, after finishing the latest season of Andor, I discovered many smaller video essay channels on YouTube, while Nebula provided fewer finds. This isn’t a criticism of Nebula but rather a reality of its structure — and an acknowledgment of how it avoids algorithm chasing like YouTube does. While this can be advantageous for curating content, if your preference leans towards casting a wide net and uncovering new creators, YouTube might be the better choice.
In many instances, creators on Nebula duplicate their videos on YouTube. However, Nebula users generally access those videos earlier, along with content released exclusively on Nebula. Similar to the early days of YouTube Red, Nebula also finances original scripted series. Recently, they have announced a Broadway-level cast for a new series reminiscent of the Twilight Zone.
Furthermore, Nebula provides Masterclass-style classes