2 ads before the video, 3 in the middle, another 1 at the end... YouTube has become unbearable! But there are legal ways to reduce or eliminate ads. Let's check them out!
⚡ Why So Many Ads?
In 2025-2026, YouTube dramatically increased ads, especially for non-Premium users. Some statistics:
- 📊 70% more ads compared to 2023
- ⏱️ Up to 10 ads in videos over 10 minutes
- 🚫 Many unskippable ads of 15-30 seconds
- 📱 Even worse on mobile and TV
🎯 The 7 Methods
The most reliable solution. Zero ads, background play, YouTube Music, downloads. Expensive but worth it if you watch a lot of YouTube.
Prices in Greece:
- 💰 Individual: ~€11.99/month
- 👨👩👧👦 Family (6 members): ~€17.99/month = €3/person!
- 🎓 Student: ~€6.99/month
When an ad appears in the middle of the video, drag the seek bar to the end of the video and then replay! The ads often disappear.
- When a mid-roll ad appears, wait for it to load
- Drag the seek bar to the end of the video
- Press the Replay button (🔄)
- The video starts without most of the ads!
📺 See how it works:
Without login, YouTube doesn't know what you like, so it often shows fewer or shorter ads. Not 100% but it helps!
~ 20-30% fewerThe Brave browser has a built-in ad-blocker that blocks many YouTube ads. Available for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS.
- Download Brave from brave.com
- Open YouTube in Brave
- Shields are enabled by default
YouTube videos that are embedded on other websites often have fewer or no ads! Many blogs and news sites embed them.
Pro tip: Instead of youtube.com, search for the video on Google and find a site that has it embedded.
~ Variable📺 One more tip:
YouTube Shorts (under 60 seconds) show far fewer ads. If you're looking for something quickly, search for “topic shorts”.
✓ 90% fewer adsTap the "i" icon on the ad → “Why this ad” → “Stop seeing this ad” → Choose a reason. The ad will stop immediately!
- During the ad, tap the “i” at the bottom left
- Tap “Stop seeing this ad”
- Choose any reason
- The ad stops immediately! ✓
Caution with Ad Blockers!
YouTube has started detecting and blocking ad-blockers. It may show you a warning or block playback after 3 videos. The above methods are safer!
📊 Method Comparison
| Method | Cost | Result | Ease |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube Premium | €12/month | 100% | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Seek Bar Trick | Free | 60-70% | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Brave Browser | Free | 70-80% | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Report Ad | Free | 100% | ⭐⭐ |
| Shorts | Free | 90% | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
The Best Solution?
If you watch YouTube daily, Family Premium with 5 friends/family at €3/person is the best option. Otherwise, combine Brave + Report Ads for a free solution!
📌 Conclusion
YouTube ads are an unavoidable reality, but with the above methods you can drastically reduce them. Try the "Report Ad" trick first - it's free and works every time!
Which method will you try? Tell us in the comments! 💬
