Vanced isn't equivalent to paying for premium. It includes features like ReturnYoutubeDislikes and SponsorBlock which would normally be available via extensions (as would the premium's lack of ads via adblock), as well as further customisability.
It replaces some enhancements that are normally done via browser extentions and I personally find it extremely handy to be able to copy with a timestamp, set a video on infinite repeat, restrict video bandwidth on a finer scale (the native app removing this baffles me), set a default playback speed and reenabling tap to seek (another baffling change).
I happily support creators and alternative platforms (Nebula, Floatplane) via direct channels, and personally I don't find the service or youtube as a platform worthy of support.
That's a very good point, and I agree that Vanced brings a lot to the table over just ad removal. I may even consider using it even though I pay for Premium already. But I imagine that that's a demographic that a very small percentage of Vanced users fall into.
I use vanced, and I have YouTube premium. Sponsor segments and missing dislike counts are killer to my experience. I also like that I can turn off elements of the YouTube design that are clearly rushed and/or TikTok also-rans demanded by management.
It replaces some enhancements that are normally done via browser extentions and I personally find it extremely handy to be able to copy with a timestamp, set a video on infinite repeat, restrict video bandwidth on a finer scale (the native app removing this baffles me), set a default playback speed and reenabling tap to seek (another baffling change).
I happily support creators and alternative platforms (Nebula, Floatplane) via direct channels, and personally I don't find the service or youtube as a platform worthy of support.