YouTube Premium costs $13.99 per month. PiP Pro costs $5 per month. But they solve very different problems. If your goal is specifically to watch YouTube in a floating window on your Windows desktop, one of these gives you dramatically more for dramatically less.
This is a feature-by-feature comparison for anyone deciding between the two in 2026.
01 What each product actually is
YouTube Premium
YouTube Premium is a subscription that removes ads from all YouTube content, enables background playback and offline downloads on mobile, gives access to YouTube Music Premium, and adds a few exclusive features like higher video quality options.
It costs $13.99/month for individuals (or $22.99/month for a family plan).
PiP Pro
PiP Pro is a Windows desktop app with a companion Chrome extension. Its sole purpose is to give you a floating YouTube player that stays on top of every application, with full controls, opacity adjustment, click-through (Ghost Mode), smart playlists, and built-in search.
It costs $5/month billed annually ($60/year) with a free 5-day trial.
02 Desktop Picture-in-Picture — the core comparison
This is where the two products diverge dramatically.
This means if your primary reason for considering YouTube Premium is to get a floating video window on your desktop, you will be paying $13.99/month for nothing. Premium does not solve the desktop PiP problem.
PiP Pro, by contrast, was built specifically for this. The entire product exists to give you a floating YouTube player on Windows that actually works.
03 Ad-free viewing
This is YouTube Premium's strongest feature. Premium removes all ads across YouTube — on your phone, tablet, TV, and desktop browser. No pre-rolls, no mid-rolls, no banner ads.
PiP Pro takes a different approach. Its floating player provides a distraction-free viewing experience focused on the content itself. For ad-free viewing across all YouTube platforms including mobile and TV, Premium is the only official option.
04 Feature comparison
| Feature | YouTube Premium ($13.99/mo) | PiP Pro ($5/mo) |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop floating window | No (Chrome PiP only) | Yes — system-wide, always on top |
| Window stays on top of all apps | No | Yes |
| Click-through / transparency | No | Ghost Mode |
| Full playback controls in PiP | No (play/pause only) | Speed, volume, seek, subtitles |
| Resizable to any size | Max ~25% of screen | Any size, no limit |
| Smart playlists | No | Yes — seed and auto-queue |
| Built-in search | No | Yes |
| Ad-free YouTube (all platforms) | Yes | Desktop player only |
| YouTube Music Premium | Included | Not included |
| Background playback (mobile) | Yes | Desktop only |
| Offline downloads (mobile) | Yes | Not available |
| Works with other streaming sites | YouTube only | Any site with video |
| Free trial | 1 month | 5 days |
05 Price breakdown
PiP Pro: $5/mo billed annually = $60/year
Difference: PiP Pro is 64% cheaper — and it delivers the desktop PiP features that Premium does not.
If you use both — Premium for ad-free mobile viewing and PiP Pro for desktop floating video — the combined cost ($13.99 + $5 = $18.99/month) still gives you functionality that Premium alone cannot provide.
06 Who should pick which
Pick YouTube Premium if:
You primarily watch YouTube on your phone or tablet and want ad-free viewing, background playback, offline downloads, and YouTube Music. Desktop PiP is not your priority.
Pick PiP Pro if:
You work on a Windows PC and want a floating YouTube window that stays on top of your work, with full controls, Ghost Mode, and no size restrictions. You do not need mobile ad-free viewing.
Pick both if:
You want the best of both worlds — ad-free YouTube everywhere plus a proper desktop floating player for multitasking.
Get Desktop PiP That Actually Works
YouTube Premium does not solve desktop PiP. PiP Pro does — at a fraction of the price. Try it free for 5 days.
Try PiP Pro Free →Frequently Asked Questions
Does YouTube Premium give you picture-in-picture on Windows?
No. YouTube Premium's PiP is only available on mobile (Android and iOS). On Windows desktop, Premium does not add any PiP functionality. Chrome's basic PiP works the same whether you have Premium or not.
Is PiP Pro cheaper than YouTube Premium?
Yes. PiP Pro costs $5 per month billed annually ($60/year). YouTube Premium costs $13.99 per month ($167.88/year). PiP Pro is 64% cheaper and delivers desktop PiP features that Premium does not offer.
Can PiP Pro remove YouTube ads?
PiP Pro provides a distraction-free viewing experience in its floating player. YouTube Premium removes ads across all YouTube platforms including mobile and TV apps.
Does PiP Pro work with other streaming sites?
Yes. PiP Pro works with any site that plays video in Chrome, including Twitch, Vimeo, Disney+, and most streaming platforms. YouTube Premium only covers YouTube and YouTube Music.