Watching videos without ad interruptions is about to cost you a little more each month. YouTube just announced a significant price increase for its Premium subscription plans across the United States. The video streaming giant is notifying current members through email about the upcoming billing changes.
If you pay for the service to avoid commercials and keep music playing in the background, your next monthly bill will reflect these new, higher rates.
The video platform raises rates for individual and family plans
The exact amount your bill goes up depends entirely on the type of account you currently hold. YouTube stated the extra revenue helps it keep supporting creators and building better tools for the application. The price hike hits the family tier the hardest, asking users to pay four dollars more every single month to keep the shared benefits active.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the new pricing structure:
- Individual plans jump from $13.99 to $15.99 per month.
- Family plans see the biggest hike, going from $22.99 to $26.99 per month.
- Student plans rise slightly from $7.99 to $8.99 per month.
- Annual individual subscriptions will now cost $159.99 per year.
This subscription includes both ad-free video viewing and full access to the YouTube Music streaming catalog. It also lets you download videos directly to your phone for offline viewing, which is a major draw for frequent travelers. You can even keep audio playing when your screen is locked. These features have made the service incredibly popular over the years, making the decision to cancel difficult for heavy users.
Current subscribers will see these new prices take effect during the next regular billing cycle. You will receive an alert at least thirty days before the company pulls the higher amount from your bank account. If you originally signed up through the Apple App Store, your costs might be slightly higher because of the extra store fees the system tacks onto digital purchases.
Families who share a single plan can still split the higher cost among five household members. However, many single users are now looking at their monthly budgets to decide if the uninterrupted viewing experience is still worth the higher monthly fee.
The platform gives you a clear grace period before charging the new amount. You just need to log into your account settings and cancel before your next renewal date if you want to avoid paying the higher cost. If you let the account renew naturally, the new rate locks in automatically for all future payments.
