YouTube Premium can seem a bit overpriced when you realise you’re essentially paying $13.99 just to remove ads. Yeah, yeah… there’s also background play, and YouTube music. But even then, it’s hard to justify that price. Most people either put up with the ads or install an ad blocker and call it a day. And even then, blocking YouTube ads on Android is a mess.
Now, ReVanced comes in right there to offer “most” of those premium features and then some, for free! How does that even work? Well, of course, there’s some catch. It’s an unofficial patch; you need to sideload it, and Google definitely does not endorse it in any way whatsoever.
So before you rush to sideload it, because “free YouTube Premium!”, let’s have a grown-up discussion first.
Is YouTube ReVanced Safe?
ReVanced is relatively safe if you source it from legitimate channels. However, it’s never completely risk-free.
Before we get into how safe “ReVanced” really is, let’s clear one thing up. Using ReVanced means you are violating YouTube’s terms of service. YouTube has canceled similar projects before, and while we haven’t seen any accounts banned, it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibilities.
Most safety concerns about ReVanced come from the need to sideload it. That’s a valid worry since sideloading can lead to malware. Also, logging in with your Google Account could make people uneasy.
ReVanced addresses these concerns by making its project open-source. It’s community-supported, and the code is available. Instead of downloading from shady channels like Telegram, they want you to patch the .apk yourself. That’s a good sign and can give you some confidence.
For logging in, ReVanced uses a custom version of Google Play Services called MicroG, which is also open-source and generally safe. However, because ReVanced violates YouTube’s terms of service, we strongly recommend using a dummy account with it.
To sum up, ReVanced is open-source, allows you to build the .apk, and uses a “somewhat” reliable login method. These steps make it safer than most “free YouTube mods.” Still, it’s a hacky workaround, so proceed with caution.
What Is YouTube ReVanced and How Does It Work?
YouTube ReVanced isn’t an app that you can install from the Play Store. It’s a patcher. It modifies the official YouTube app on your phone to unlock features that are hidden behind the YouTube Premium paywall. It also adds some features that Google has no interest in offering.
The project is open-source, maintained by a community of volunteers, and is a replacement for the now-defunct YouTube Vanced. Instead of downloading a pre-made “modded .apk,” you use ReVanced Manager to apply patches on top of the stock YouTube .apk. This way, it’s harder for shady middlemen to slip in malware.
Once patched, your YouTube app looks and feels almost identical to the official version but with extras: ad-free playback, background play, picture-in-picture, SponsorBlock, return of the dislike counter, and even custom themes. And on top of that, it lets you log in with your Google Account.
ReVanced essentially works by piggybacking on the real YouTube app and layering on modifications. That’s why updates can break things until the community patches catch up. It’s not a plug-and-play solution, but once you’ve installed it, day-to-day use feels like a regular YouTube app with some extras.
What Does ReVanced Add to the YouTube App?
ReVanced isn’t just “YouTube without ads.” It’s more like YouTube Premium on steroids, with a bunch of community-built tweaks that make the app feel smarter and less annoying. Here are the highlights:
- Ad-free playback: No pre-rolls, mid-rolls, banners, or end-screen ads. Videos start instantly, with zero interruptions.
- Background play & Picture-in-Picture: Keep videos running while you switch apps, lock your phone, or float them in a mini player.
- SponsorBlock integration: Automatically skip those “this video is sponsored by…” segments without lifting a finger.
- Return YouTube Dislike: Restores the dislike counter Google removed, giving you a better read on video quality.
- Old quality selector: Brings back the classic resolution picker (e.g., 720p, 1080p), instead of YouTube’s newer “higher picture quality” vs. “data saver” labels.
- Custom themes & UI tweaks: Switch to AMOLED black, adjust layouts, hide community posts or Shorts, and clean up clutter.
- Download videos: Save content directly to your device for offline viewing, no Premium required.
- Playback controls: Swipe for brightness/volume, fine-tune speed, and unlock higher-quality codecs on supported devices.
- Other patches include disabling YouTube Shorts, hiding “YouTube Premium” upsell prompts, and more.
ReVanced offers YouTube Premium features for free, yes. But it also brings back some of the old features that people liked, which were removed from YouTube. And then there are some additional modifications that many users appreciate.
Does ReVanced Violate YouTube’s Terms of Service?
Yes, using ReVanced technically breaks YouTube’s Terms of Service.
YouTube’s rules are pretty straightforward: you’re not allowed to “access, reproduce, download, distribute, transmit, broadcast, display, sell, license, alter, modify or otherwise use any part of the Service” in ways that bypass their intended restrictions. In plain English, Google doesn’t want you modifying its app to skip ads, unlock Premium-only features, or tamper with how the platform runs.
That’s precisely what ReVanced does. It removes ads, re-enters old features, and lets you download videos – all things YouTube either charges for or limits. From a legal standpoint, it’s in the same grey area as other modded apps: not illegal to use but certainly against the platform’s rules.
So what’s the risk? Historically, Google has targeted the developers, not the users. YouTube Vanced, the predecessor to ReVanced, was taken down after DMCA complaints, and similar projects have faced takedown requests. So far, there haven’t been mass bans on regular users running these apps, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. Google could block logins or suspend accounts if it chooses to crack down.
How to Install YouTube ReVanced? (A Step-by-Step Guide)
There are a couple of ways to install ReVanced, but the easiest (and safest for most people) is through ReVanced Manager. There’s also a command-line (CLI) method if you’re an advanced user, but the end result is the same, so we’ll stick with the Manager route.
Before you start: only download ReVanced tools from the official GitHub repository. Anything from random .apk sites or Telegram groups is asking for trouble.
Step 1: Download ReVanced Manager
Visit the ReVanced Manager GitHub page and download the latest release of ReVanced Manager. Install it on your Android phone. You’ll need to allow installation from unknown sources. And you might get a warning saying this .apk is unsafe. You can choose to ignore it.
Step 2: Get a YouTube APK
ReVanced patches the official YouTube app, so you need the base .apk. If the current Play Store version isn’t patchable yet, you’ll have to download the last supported version from a site like APKMirror. Be cautious, stick to well-known .apk repositories, and double-check what you’re downloading.
Step 3: Open ReVanced Manager
Launch ReVanced Manager, select Patcher, and choose YouTube as your target app.
Step 4: Apply Patches
Choose the patches you want (ad-blocking, SponsorBlock, return dislikes, etc.). The defaults cover most people’s needs, but you can customise.
Step 5: Install MicroG (Optional)
If you want to sign in with your Google account, you’ll need MicroG, an open-source replacement for Google Play Services. ReVanced Manager can install it for you.
Step 6: Install the Patched App
Once the patching process is done, install the new YouTube .apk. Open it, sign in (if you installed MicroG), and you’re good to go.
Is There A YouTube Music Revanced?
Yes, there’s also YT Music ReVanced, built with the same patcher. It removes ads, enables background play, adds a proper seek bar, and unlocks higher quality streaming without a Premium subscription.
The installation process remains the same: patch the official YouTube Music .apk with ReVanced Manager, and then install MicroG if you want account login.
It feels like the regular app, just without the restrictions. But the same caveats apply. It’s against YouTube’s ToS, updates can break features, and you should only get it from the official ReVanced GitHub to avoid shady or tampered .apk files.
YouTube Premium vs YouTube ReVanced
On the surface, ReVanced looks like the obvious winner: it gives you almost everything Premium offers, plus extra community features, for free. But there are a couple of trade-offs, too. Let’s look at them.
| YouTube Premium | YouTube Revanced | |
| Price | $13.99/month | Free |
| Ad-free Playback | ✅ | ✅ |
| Background Play | ✅ | ✅ |
| Offline Downloads | ✅ | ✅ |
| Supported Platforms | Android, iOS, Web Browsers,and Smart TVs | Android only |
| Higher Bitrate Streaming | ✅ | ❌ |
| SponsorBlock | ❌ | ✅ |
| Return YouTube Dislike | ❌ | ✅ |
| Custom Themes & UI Tweaks | ❌ | ✅ |
| Official Updates and Support | ✅ | ❌ |
To sum up, the premium is stable, polished, and works everywhere, while ReVanced is free, feature-packed, and community-driven but comes with risks.
Is YouTube Premium Worth It?
At $13.99 a month, Premium is a tough sell if all you care about is skipping ads. Sure, you also get background play and YouTube Music, but that doesn’t always justify the price for casual viewers.
That said, pricing depends heavily on where you live. In Nigeria, Premium costs just over a dollar. In India, it’s under $2. Suddenly, the value proposition looks very different. Even if you don’t live there, many people use a VPN like NordVPN or Surfshark to sign up through those regions and pay a fraction of the U.S. price.
So, is it worth it? If you’re paying U.S. rates just to remove ads, probably not. If you can get in on regional pricing, it starts to make a lot more sense.
Do Creators Get Paid If I Use Ad Blocker or YouTube Revanced?
No. If you use an ad blocker or YouTube ReVanced, creators don’t get paid for your views.
Ads are how most YouTubers make money, and when those are blocked, your watch time doesn’t translate to income for them.
With YouTube Premium, it’s different. Google redistributes a share of your subscription fee to the channels you watch based on your watch time. That’s why many creators promote Premium as the “ethical” alternative to ad-blocking.
Using ReVanced might give you a cleaner experience, but it cuts creators out of the revenue chain completely.
Wrapping Up
YouTube ReVanced is tempting. It offers ad-free playback, background play, sponsor skipping, and even brings back the old resolution picker. But let’s not get carried away. It’s still an unofficial patch that breaks YouTube’s rules, and can stop working the moment Google changes something.
On the other hand, YouTube Premium is expensive in some regions but solid and supported in others. And unlike ReVanced, it actually pays the creators you’re watching.
So the choice is easy: if you want stability and peace of mind, go Premium. If you’re willing to tinker and take the risk, go ReVanced.