YouTube ad revenue rose 11% in the first quarter compared with the same period in 2025, flirting with the $10 billion mark.
The ad revenue haul of $9.883 billion was one of many solid parts of parent company Alphabet‘s overall quarter reported Wednesday. YouTube was cited by the tech giant, along with Google One, as key factors that drove overall paid subscriptions to 350 million. The company noted in 2025 that YouTube Premium had surpassed 125 million subscribers. Earlier this month, it announced price hikes for the service.
Total revenue at Alphabet increased 22% to $109.9 billion, the 11th second quarter of double-digit gains, while earnings per share boomed 82% to $5.11. The top and bottom line easily beat Wall Street analysts’ consensus forecasts of $107 billion and $2.63, respectively.
Shares in Alphabet jumped 6% in after-market trading Wednesday on the earnings news, establishing a new all-time high near $367. The stock came into earnings up almost 11% in 2026 to date.
Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai said in the earnings release that 2026 “is off to a terrific start.” Search queries, driven by AI, hit an all-time high and helped revenue climb 19%, he noted.
“This was our strongest quarter ever for our consumer AI plans, driven by the Gemini App,” Pichai added.
Waymo, the company’s autonomous vehicle unit, has surpassed 500,000 fully autonomous rides a week, Alphabet said.
For Hollywood, YouTube has been a force to reckon with in recent years as media and entertainment companies have launched streaming services and courted viewer attention. Along with its two-plus decades as a destination for free, ad-supported video, YouTube also is now one of the largest pay-TV operators in the U.S. According to industry estimates, the pay bundle has more than 10 million subscribers.
YouTube will be in the media spotlight next month as it convenes its annual Brandcast event for ad buyers in New York. Previously part of the upstart NewFronts, the show is now a foundational part of the three-day blitz of upfronts in New York, occupying space alongside media and tech giants like Amazon, Disney and Netflix.