How to pay for YouTube Premium with an Apple Gift Card from Russia
After Russian card processing stopped, Google rejects any Russian-card attempt at YouTube Premium. The web and Android app use Google's own payment provider, which instantly blocks Mir, virtual cards and Russian BINs.
The most stable workaround — pay through the iOS YouTube app and Apple ID balance. Apple In-App Purchase processes payment independently of Google Pay, and Apple doesn't ask for a card while the balance is sufficient.
Caveat: YouTube Premium via Apple costs slightly more than the web version (Apple's 30% cut), but it's still cheaper than no subscription and lets you watch YouTube ad-free across all devices.
Pricing by region
| Apple ID region | YouTube Premium iOS price | In rubles |
|---|---|---|
| US | $18.99/mo | ~₽1,800 |
| Turkey | ~$3.50/mo | ~₽330 |
| India | ~$2.20/mo | ~₽210 |
| Argentina | ~$5.50/mo | ~₽520 |
| Ukraine | $4.99/mo | ~₽475 |
India is the cheapest region — cheaper than YouTube Premium used to be in Russia. Note: Indian Apple ID sometimes asks for an Indian phone number; often it goes through without one.
What you need
- iPhone or iPad with iOS 16+.
- Email not tied to an existing Apple ID.
- Apple Gift Card for the chosen region (US / Turkey / India etc.).
- VPN for the Apple ID region for sign-up and redemption.
- 15–20 minutes.
Step 1. Create an Apple ID for the chosen region
Say you pick Turkey — best balance of price and easy sign-up.
- Open appleid.apple.com on a PC.
- Create Your Apple ID.
- Fill in:
- Country/Region → Turkey.
- First/Last Name — anything.
- Email — new, not tied to any other Apple ID.
- Password — 8+ chars.
- Date of Birth — 18+.
- Confirm via email code.
New Turkish Apple ID is ready.
Step 2. Sign in on iPhone
- Settings → [name at top] → Sign Out.
- Confirm. The old account stays on the device — all apps, contacts, photos remain.
- Settings → Sign in to your iPhone → new Apple ID.
- Don't Merge on "Merge data".
Step 3. Verify App Store
- App Store → profile icon.
- Country/Region — Turkey (or your chosen region).
- Payment Method — None (if asked to choose).
Step 4. Redeem Apple Gift Card
- App Store → profile → Redeem Gift Card or Code.
- Turn on Turkey VPN.
- Enter Code Manually → 16-character card code.
- Redeem → balance shows the amount.
Turkish Apple Gift Cards are denominated in TRY. ₺2,000 → covers 5–6 months of YouTube Premium at ₺350/mo.
Step 5. Install YouTube
The YouTube app is the standard one. If you need to reinstall:
- App Store → search YouTube by Google LLC.
- Get.
If the app is already installed — skip.
Step 6. Subscribe
- Open YouTube.
- Profile (top right) → Get YouTube Premium.
- Pick a plan — Individual or Family.
- Try it Free or Subscribe.
- Apple shows: "Subscribe · YouTube Premium · ₺159.99/month".
- Confirm Face ID / Touch ID.
Subscription activates immediately. Ads disappear on iPhone, on Android (signed in with the same Google account) and on the web.
What Premium includes
| Feature | Free | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Ad-free | — | ✓ |
| Background / screen off | — | ✓ |
| Offline download | — | ✓ |
| YouTube Music ad-free | — | ✓ |
| Picture-in-Picture | iOS only | ✓ everywhere |
| Quality above 1080p | yes | yes |
Family Plan
To share with family (up to 5 people):
- After buying Individual — YouTube → Premium → Upgrade to Family.
- Pay the difference (Family ~₺249/mo in Turkey).
- Invite others by email — they activate the same access.
Family plan is most economical for groups — ~₺50/mo per person.
Subscription management
- iPhone → Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions → YouTube Premium — status, billing date, cancel.
- Apple auto-renews monthly from Apple ID balance. When balance runs out — subscription pauses without penalty.
Where to buy Apple Gift Cards
Marix sells Apple Gift Cards for US, Turkey and India — pick based on how cheap you want the subscription. Turkey is the sweet spot of price and ease of sign-up. RU card / SBP / USDT — code arrives by email instantly.