An unpleasant speculation has been circulating for YouTube Premium subscribers, as the platform is preparing for a major price hike in many countries. The increase, which affects both individual and family plans, will begin in November 2024 and could see subscriptions increase by up to 50%.
Over the past three years, YouTube has gradually increased its prices, and this latest increase follows another one in the United States just a year ago. With the latest announcement, users around the world are once again facing higher fees.
YouTube prices expected to rise worldwide
YouTube’s new price adjustments vary by region. In countries like Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy, the family plan increases from €18 to €26. This represents a hefty €8 increase, while individual plans are also going up by €2 to a total of €14. Similarly, in Switzerland, the family plan will now be CHF 34 from CHF 24 and individual plans will increase to CHF 18.
Reports of these changes have started circulating on Reddit, where users have been sharing details of emails they received from YouTube outlining the new costs. In Sweden, the situation is even more dramatic, with family plans rising from SEK 179 to SEK 279. While much of the initial reaction came from European users, the increase has spread beyond Europe, affecting countries in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and beyond.
In India, YouTube increased prices by 15-20% in August just a few months ago, so the current global price increase follows a steady upward trend.
A growing gap between YouTube and its competitors
With these price increases, YouTube Premium is quickly becoming more expensive than other popular subscription services such as Spotify Premium and Apple Music. For those who predominantly use YouTube for streaming music, this increase may prompt users to consider switching to a more affordable alternative.
For video streaming, however, YouTube remains a dominant player with little direct competition. Even so, higher subscription fees force users to make a difficult choice: pay more or put up with ads. The move comes at a time when YouTube has been aggressively pushing its ad strategy, introducing non-skippable ads on smart TVs last year and recently launching new ‘Pause ads’ that appear when users pause a video.
What’s next for YouTube subscribers?
With the price hike looming, many YouTube Premium users will need to re-evaluate whether the service still provides value for the higher cost. While the changes will take effect in November, users who pay through Apple’s iOS App Store could see even bigger hikes due to Apple’s pricing structure.
While YouTube remains the undisputed leader in video streaming, these latest subscription hikes are sure to create controversy among loyal users. Whether users choose to keep paying or switch to alternatives will largely depend on how much they value an ad-free YouTube experience.
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