When it comes to streaming price hikes, Netflix is not the only service making changes. Other major players like Disney+ and HBO Max are also adjusting their prices on an annual basis. Surprisingly, YouTube is now joining in on the trend as well.
Starting today, new subscribers to YouTube Premium will see a price increase to $15.99 per month, up from the previous $13.99 standard that has been in place for the past three years. Existing subscribers will experience the new prices during their June billing cycle.
These changes currently only affect US YouTube Premium subscribers, who have started receiving emails this week informing them of the upcoming billing date for the new price. The updated pricing is already reflected on the YouTube Premium sign-up page.
To continue providing excellent service and features, we are adjusting the price to $15.99/month. This decision was made to enhance Premium and support the creators and artists on YouTube.
Other YouTube plans are also seeing price increases ranging from $1 to $4 across the board. Here is the breakdown:
| Plan | Old Price (2023) | New Price (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $13.99 | $15.99 |
| Family | $22.99 | $26.99 |
| Student | $7.99 | $8.99 |
| Lite | $7.99 | $8.99 |
| Music | $10.99 | $11.99 |
YouTube has been relatively consistent with its pricing, with only the second increase since its launch in 2018. The previous price adjustment occurred in July 2023, raising the monthly fee from $11.99 to $13.99. While there was a more affordable ad-free option known as YouTube Red before 2018, the current YouTube Premium includes YouTube Music.
For those looking for a more budget-friendly option, the YouTube Premium Lite plan was introduced last year in the US. This plan may be worth considering at $8.99 per month, especially for users primarily interested in ad-free content.
While YouTube Premium Lite offers ad-free viewing for most content, ads will still appear on music videos and certain browsing activities. Additionally, offline downloads, background play, and access to YouTube Music are not included in this plan.
If the new price hikes are too steep, users have the option to cancel or pause their YouTube Premium membership for up to six months to reassess their subscription.
