Photo Credit: Javier Miranda
Subscribers of YouTube’s Premium Family Plan will be charged an additional $5 for their subscription after the company increases the monthly fee by 28%.
YouTube announced in an email to US subscribers of the family tier. For existing customers, prices would increase in 30 days, while new subscribers would immediately see the change.
“We created YouTube Premium to provide an uninterrupted YouTube experience, so you can get closer to the videos, creators, and music artists that you love,” YouTube’s email to subscribers began. “To continue delivering great service and features, we will be increasing your Premium family plan price from $17.99/month to $22.99/month.”
Customers in other markets, such as Canada and the UK, have seen similar price hikes for the service rolling out. Canada has seen the price increase from CAD $17.99 to CAD $22.99, while the UK prices were changed to £19.99 monthly, up from £17.99.
YouTube Premium enables subscribers to watch videos on YouTube without ads and download videos and playlists on their mobile devices for offline viewing. Subscribers can also continue playing videos on their mobile devices while the screen is off or when using another app (picture-in-picture). Subscribers also gain access to YouTube Music Premium, including listening to music on Google Home or Chromecast Audio.
Users on the YouTube Premium Family Plan can share membership with up to five other family members who live at the same address. The plan requires a primary account holder to serve as the “family manager.” Other family members use their own Google accounts to access a shared YouTube paid membership.
Comparatively, in the US, Spotify’s family tier, where up to six family members can access Premium account features, costs $15.99 per month; the company recently raised its price as well. Apple Music has also implemented a price hike, with their individual plan increasing to $10.99 monthly, while their family plan has increased from $14.99 to $16.99.