YouTube Premium Prices Are on the Rise
YouTube and several other streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ are no strangers to price hikes. With the immense popularity of YouTube and over 2.7 billion monthly users, a significant number of its 80 million Premium subscribers are about to experience an increase in subscription fees. These price hikes are not new, as they happened last year as well. After hitting the US earlier this summer, they are now going global.
Reports reveal that YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium users in Germany, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Poland, and other countries have received emails about a substantial price increase. The new rates will kick in on November 1 for individual, family, and student plans.
Previously, YouTube Premium in Australia cost AU$12 per month. However, after the recent bump, it will now be AU$17 monthly. The family plan is also affected, soaring from AU$23 to AU$33 per month. Subscribers on the grandfathered plan will witness an even steeper increase, jumping 83% from AU$18 to AU$33 monthly.
Existing subscribers will witness the new pricing in their next billing cycle. YouTube states that the company does not make these decisions lightly and argues that the price hike will aid in continuing to improve Premium and support the creators and artists on YouTube.
For long-term subscribers in Australia, the higher rate won’t apply until April 2024, giving them an additional three months at the existing rate as a nod to their loyalty.
In Germany, YouTube Premium will see a €1 increase, going from €12 to €13 per month. The family plan will experience a steeper climb, rising by €6 to €24 monthly. New users will feel the impact immediately, while existing subscribers will see the changes 30 days after their next billing cycle.
This global price adjustment follows YouTube’s recent move to block users employing ad-blockers, indirectly encouraging users to pay for the service. YouTube Premium offers an ad-free experience, among other premium-only features like audio-only playback for videos and content download for offline viewing.
