YouTube Premium just got its first major price hike
YouTube Premium just experienced its first significant price increase in several years, which may be an indication that even Google is struggling to cope with the effects of an unstable economic climate. In November, the monthly cost of YouTube’s Premium family plan will increase from $17.99 to $22.99 in the United States and Canada, and from £17.99 to £19.99 in the United Kingdom. This change will take effect for plans that allow for up to six accounts to use the same subscription. The prior rise was equivalent to a thirty-percent price boost.
According to sources, YouTube has verified that the price rise would not affect customers in Australia, even though the Premium family plan for those consumers now costs AU$22.99 per month. The increase in the cost of the monthly subscription will take effect on November 21 for both new and existing users of the YouTube Premium family plan. However, “long-standing and valued members” who began their subscriptions to the service prior to its rebranding as YouTube Premium will continue to have access to the same subscription plans until April 2023. However, beyond that point, the monthly rates that are charged to each user will be the same.
According to a notification email that was issued to customers who already have a Premium family subscription, YouTube is increasing the price of such a subscription “to continue delivering exceptional service and features.” Since 2018, there hasn’t been a pricing adjustment made to any of YouTube Premium’s tiers until now, when it was increased. The price increase is not being applied to YouTube Premium plans for a single user at this time; however, it appears that it is only a matter of time before a change of this nature is implemented across all tiers of the site. It would appear that Google is getting ready for a backlash in preparation for the inevitable occurrence of that, as well. Users who are interested in providing input regarding the previously mentioned price hike to YouTube Premium’s family plan can do so by visiting the company’s support page, which will open in a new tab. Why? Probably to get an idea of how irate its consumers would be if they applied the same ruse to all of the different membership packages.
Following Google’s very public experimentation with what exactly constitutes YouTube Premium, the company has decided to increase the price of the family plan. However, in recent months, Google has flirted with the introduction of a resolution paywall for free users of YouTube – a system that would see 4K video playback made exclusive to premium subscribers if it were implemented. Those who pay a fee for a subscription can watch videos without ads, play them in the background, and download them to watch later when they don’t have internet access.
Google revealed in October that it had halted its resolution paywall trial, which is a relief (at least for users who did not pay for the service) for customers who did not pay for the service. However, in the event that the corporation chooses to increase the price of YouTube Premium for all users, subscribers who are impacted by this change will be hoping to get more value for their money than they do with the Premium package that is currently available to them.