YouTube, the popular video-sharing platform, has raised the prices of its Premium individual plan for subscribers in the United States. The monthly cost has been increased from $11.99 to $13.99, following last year’s price hike for family plans in various countries, which saw the family plan tariff rise from $17.99 to $22.99 per month. The change in the individual plan’s pricing has been spotted by 9to5Google and is now live on the YouTube Premium page.
A spokesperson from YouTube confirmed the price increase to TechCrunch, stating that it will apply to all existing and new subscribers. According to the spokesperson, the price adjustment is intended to reflect the value of YouTube Premium, which offers ad-free viewing, background and offline play, and uninterrupted access to over 100 million songs through the YouTube Music app.
It’s worth noting that the price for Premium is even higher if subscribers pay through Apple’s in-app purchase system, where it costs $18.99 per month. Users will be required to pay the updated prices starting from their next billing cycle. However, those who have subscribed to YouTube Premium since its launch five years ago will receive three additional months at their current price as a gesture of goodwill.
YouTube Premium offers a range of benefits, including ad-free viewing, video downloads, higher quality streaming at 1080p, and the ability to resume videos from where users left off. Additionally, Premium subscribers gain access to YouTube Music and are eligible for experimental features such as playback speed adjustment and a lock screen feature to prevent accidental touches.
Google, YouTube’s parent company, is also increasing the price of the YouTube Music plan from $9.99 per month to $10.99 per month. This move comes in the wake of subscription price raises from competitors like Apple Music and Amazon Music, which also offer their streaming services at the same price. However, Spotify’s individual plan remains unchanged at $9.99 per month.
In recent months, various video services like Apple TV+, Paramount+, and Peacock have announced price hikes. Netflix also raised its prices last year and is now implementing measures to curb password sharing, potentially requiring users to pay more or add additional members to their plans.
YouTube is actively promoting its premium plans and has taken actions like restricting ad-blockers to encourage more users to subscribe. Additionally, the platform conducted an experiment briefly placing 4K streaming behind a paywall.
As of last November, YouTube boasted more than 80 million subscribers across its Music and Premium offerings. With Google’s earnings report approaching, the company is making efforts to increase its paid user base.