YouTube Raises U.S. Premium and Music Subscription Prices

YouTube is increasing subscription costs for several U.S. plans. The changes affect both ad-free Premium and YouTube Music tiers.

New U.S. pricing

The company updated monthly fees for individual and family plans. Some lower tiers will also rise.

Tier differences

Premium includes ad-free viewing, background play, and offline downloads. It also grants full access to YouTube Music.

Premium Lite removes music access, background play, and offline downloads. It only provides ad-free video playback.

Timing and notices

New customers will pay the updated rates immediately. Existing subscribers will see changes in their billing cycle in June.

YouTube will email affected members at least 30 days before the new price appears. That notification explains the new amount.

Company rationale and history

YouTube said the update helps sustain features and support creators. The platform cited its large music library as a benefit.

YouTube previously raised prices in July 2023. At that time, Premium moved from $11.99 to $13.99 and Music rose from $9.99 to $10.99.

The Premium service began in 2018 as the successor to YouTube Red, originally launched in 2015.

Industry context

This change follows broader trends across streaming services. Several platforms raised fees over the past year.

• Disney+ and Hulu increased prices last year.
• HBO Max and Peacock also raised their fees.
• Netflix applied a U.S. price increase recently.
• Paramount+ raised prices in January.
• Amazon now charges $5 extra for its ad-free Prime Video tier called “Ultra.”
• Spotify increased its U.S. individual plan from $11.99 to $12.99 earlier this year.

Filmogaz.com readers should note that YouTube Raises U.S. Premium plans now. The move will also influence broader Music Subscription Prices trends.