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YouTube Premium price hike: Will you pay up or finally cancel?
Plenty of streaming services have recently raised their prices, and YouTube Premium has finally joined the pack. Premium prices now start at $15.99 for individual monthly plans, a far cry from the $9.99 pricing of YouTube Red (2015) and the $11.99 launch pricing of Premium (2018). Upward changes are reflected across all YouTube Premium plans.
| YouTube Premium prices (Old price, July 2023 - March 2026) | YouTube Premium prices (New prices, March 2026 onwards) | |
|---|---|---|
Individual (Monthly) | YouTube Premium prices (Old price, July 2023 - March 2026) $13.99 | YouTube Premium prices (New prices, March 2026 onwards) $15.99 |
Individual (Annual) | YouTube Premium prices (Old price, July 2023 - March 2026) $139.99 | YouTube Premium prices (New prices, March 2026 onwards) $159.99 |
Family (Monthly) - Up to six members | YouTube Premium prices (Old price, July 2023 - March 2026) $22.99 | YouTube Premium prices (New prices, March 2026 onwards) $26.99 |
Lite (Monthly, individual) | YouTube Premium prices (Old price, July 2023 - March 2026) $7.99 | YouTube Premium prices (New prices, March 2026 onwards) $8.99 |
Student (Monthly, individual) | YouTube Premium prices (Old price, July 2023 - March 2026) $7.99 | YouTube Premium prices (New prices, March 2026 onwards) $8.99 |
To YouTube’s credit, this is the first major adjustment since July 2023. However, because this increase arrived without a formal press release or public warning, the “sticker shock” in the community is palpable.
On platforms like Reddit, the conversation has quickly shifted from surprise to calculation. While many users swear by the convenience of ad-free viewing and YouTube Music, others are finding that the cumulative cost of streaming services is finally hitting a breaking point. For some, the $1 to $4 increase is a minor annoyance, but for others, it’s the catalyst to finally hit the “cancel” button.
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The big question: Stay or go?
We want to know where our readers stand. For most of you on Android and the web, the choice comes down to the value of your time spent watching ads versus the cost of the subscription. Is the removal of ads and the addition of background play still worth the premium price tag, or are you looking for the exit?
How will you react to the YouTube Premium price hike?
Are you sticking around for the long haul, or was this the final straw? If you’re staying, what feature makes YouTube Premium indispensable for you? If you’re leaving, will you quit YouTube completely, make peace with ads, or live the “cat and mouse” ad-blocker life?
Drop a comment below and let us know your thoughts on YouTube’s latest pricing strategy.
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