YouTube has announced a significant increase in the price of its Premium subscription, with hikes reaching up to 50% in some regions. The affected plans include both family and individual subscriptions in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
The price hike, which continues YouTube’s policy of raising fees for its paid service, will affect users outside the United States, as reported by Android Police. For example, in Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy, a family subscription will jump by €8, from €18 to €26, while an individual subscription will increase by €2, reaching €14. In Switzerland, family subscriptions will rise from 24 to 34 francs, with individual plans going up from 16 to 18 francs. In Sweden, the family plan will see an increase from 179 to 279 kronor. These changes indicate a trend towards higher prices for Premium subscriptions in multiple countries.
Impact on Global Subscribers
The rise marks the second increase in YouTube Premium prices in the past year and will take effect in November, according to official notifications received by Reddit users, adds NIX Solutions. While the discussions primarily involve European subscribers, the price changes will also impact those in the Middle East, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. Notably, Indian subscribers experienced a 20% increase just a month ago. If you pay through the iOS App Store, expect even higher costs due to additional commissions.
YouTube’s Revenue Strategy and Ad Changes
While Premium becomes more expensive, Google is actively seeking new revenue streams from advertising shown to free service users. Last year, YouTube introduced “unswitchable” ads on Smart TVs, and more recently, a new format called Pause Ads was announced, which will display ads when a video is paused. We’ll keep you updated on any further developments and changes affecting your subscription.