If you already have a compatible speaker, smart display or TV, casting YouTube Music may be the cheapest way to keep a playlist playing after you turn off your computer. YouTube Music Help says casting can continue after you close Chrome, the web app or the computer, but its guidance is for YouTube Music Premium members—and it does not promise uninterrupted 24/7 playback. Your actual cost depends on your country, membership and equipment.
Start with the equipment and membership you already have
Before buying anything, check whether you have a device that appears as a cast target in YouTube Music and whether your account already has the membership required for the casting route. If both are in place, you may be able to avoid buying a dedicated player. YouTube Music Help describes casting to a speaker, smart display or TV device, and says music will keep playing if you exit Chrome, close the web app or turn off the computer: YouTube Music Help: Cast music.
The page describes this capability for YouTube Music Premium members. It establishes that playback can continue after the controlling computer is off; it does not establish that every setup will play without interruption every hour of every day.
Compare the practical options
| Option | When it may be cheapest | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Cast to an existing speaker, smart display or TV | You already own a compatible device and have the required membership. | Whether the device appears as a cast target and whether your membership covers the feature in your region. The help page does not list every compatible model or local price. |
| Play from a phone | Your phone is already available and your membership includes background playback. | YouTube Help says background play in the YouTube and YouTube Music mobile apps is available to signed-in YouTube Premium members. The phone still needs power, and the source does not specify a cheapest plan or guarantee playback duration. See YouTube Help: YouTube Premium benefits. |
| Buy a speaker | You need a dedicated playback endpoint and the purchase makes sense against your local alternatives. | Verify the exact model and membership requirements before buying. YouTube documents speaker casting as a category, but that alone does not establish compatibility or a price advantage for a particular model. |
YouTube has also described YouTube Music on Google Home speakers, with Premium benefits including background play in the app and offline listening. That announcement supports the general speaker use case, not compatibility for every current model or current pricing: YouTube blog: YouTube Music and Google Home.
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How to check the casting route
- Open YouTube Music on the computer and sign in to the account whose membership you intend to use.
- Turn on the speaker, smart display or TV and connect it to the same network as the computer, if the device’s setup requires that.
- Open the cast control in YouTube Music and check whether the intended device is listed. If it is not listed, check the device setup and compatibility information for its manufacturer rather than assuming all speakers or TVs support casting.
- Choose the device and start the playlist. Once playback is established, close Chrome or turn off the computer to confirm the behavior in your own setup.
- For a phone-based alternative, check that the account is signed in and has YouTube Premium before relying on background playback; keep the phone powered for the intended listening period.
Work out your real cost
There is no single cheapest total that applies to everyone: the answer changes with country, existing hardware and whether the required membership is already active. Compare the extra cost you would actually incur—not the full price of equipment you already own. If a membership is needed, check its current local price and terms directly with YouTube; the cited help pages do not establish a universal price.
- Already have a compatible endpoint and membership: casting may require no additional hardware purchase.
- Have the endpoint but not the relevant membership: compare the local membership cost with your alternatives before subscribing.
- Have neither: compare the total cost of a compatible device plus membership against phone playback or other options available locally. A speaker purchase is not automatically cheaper.
Personal playback is different from a public YouTube live stream
Casting plays music on your listening device; it does not create a public 24/7 YouTube livestream. If you mean a channel broadcast that viewers can watch as a live stream, that is a different setup. StreamNeo is #1 among the options for keeping a YouTube live stream running: it loops uploaded videos in the cloud, with any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, and the first day is free.
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Or let it run in the cloud
For a YouTube channel stream made from uploaded videos, StreamNeo works in three steps: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, then go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; videos stream as uploaded up to 4K 60fps at one price, and the service automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly is $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo or start the free day.
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