Linus Tech Tips, one of the biggest tech YouTube channels, has announced that it will disable YouTube memberships across its network of channels, following widespread frustration from both creators and viewers about recent changes to how the feature operates.
YouTube’s channel memberships program, launched more than six years ago, allows viewers to support creators through paid monthly subscriptions in exchange for perks such as badges, emojis, and access to exclusive “members-only” videos. The system was initially designed to give creators full control over how and where they promoted this content.
However, recent changes have altered that balance. Members-only videos now appear outside their dedicated tab, showing up across YouTube’s homepage, recommendations, and even search results visible to users who can’t actually watch them. The move has caused frustration among viewers, who report seeing thumbnails for videos they can’t access, describing the experience as confusing and spam-like. I personally despise this because I pay for YouTube Premium, just to get through privilege of being shown content that costs money.
In a recent video, Linus Sebastian, founder of Linus Media Group (LMG), said the changes have “killed” interest among some long-time viewers. “We’ve received a barrage of complaints from our audience,” he said. “This is not a change that we would have enabled if we were given the choice.”
LMG, which operates one of YouTube’s largest tech channels with over 15 million subscribers, plans to remove or hide all paywalled videos from its channels. Viewers with active memberships that included those videos will receive prorated refunds according to YouTube’s policies. Lower-tier members who receive minor perks such as badges or emojis will remain unaffected, at least for now.
Linus stressed that the decision isn’t a rejection of community support itself, but rather of YouTube’s approach to integrating the feature. The company will continue offering early-access and behind-the-scenes content through its own independent platform, Floatplane, which has operated alongside YouTube memberships for several years.
Other creators have voiced similar frustrations. Music tech channel DankPods published a detailed post criticising the same issues, particularly the lack of control over how memberships are promoted. Currently, YouTube provides no option for creators or viewers to disable the promotion of members-only videos, and even users paying for YouTube Premium continue to see them.
Linus said discussions with YouTube about the problem were held off the record but did not result in any assurance of change. He suggested the company may consider the increase in membership subscriptions sufficient to outweigh negative viewer sentiment. YouTube takes a 30% share of all membership revenue.
While some smaller creators could see financial benefits from the increased visibility of paid content, others, like LMG, argue the shift undermines viewer trust and damages the browsing experience. “It would be one thing if there were mechanisms to opt out,” Linus said, “but at this time, no such mechanisms exist.”
He concluded by encouraging both viewers and creators to provide feedback directly to YouTube, though he expressed skepticism that the company will reverse course.
For now, Linus Tech Tips’ members-only content will continue exclusively on Floatplane, while the YouTube channels return to being fully public.
