Summary
- YouTube Premium has experienced multiple price increases in the last couple of years, with international users now facing a significant hike in the cost of their subscriptions.
- Users in Germany, Australia, and other countries have reported receiving emails about the price increase, which will go into effect from November 1 for individual, family, and student plans.
- Long-term subscribers will be given an additional three months at their current rate before the higher subscription cost takes effect, but for many, the price bump represents a substantial increase.
YouTube Premium family plan got a massive price hike in the US and Canada in October 2022. Then, in July this year, the company raised prices for the YouTube Premium individual plan by $2 in the US, with international users being spared a price bump. Amidst all this, the platform experimented with longer ads and anti-ad blocking, indirectly pushing users to pay for the service. And now, just days after YouTube's crackdown on ad blockers went global, the company is raising prices for its Premium plan internationally.
There are multiple reports on Reddit from YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium users in Germany, Australia, and other countries on getting an email about a massive price hike. The higher subscription rates go into effect from November 1 for individual, family, and student plans.
YouTube Premium subscription previously cost AU$ 12 per month in Australia. After an AU$ 5 bump, it will cost AU$ 17 per month. The family plan is also getting expensive, with the subscription cost going from AU$ 23 to AU$ 33 monthly. For users on the grandfathered plan, the hike is even worse: from AU$ 18 to AU$ 33 monthly — a staggering 83% increase.
YouTube notes in its email that this is the first-ever price bump for the service in Australia and that it does not "make these decisions lightly." For long-term subscribers, the higher subscription cost will go into effect from April 2024 as the company is giving them an additional three months at the existing rate to appreciate their loyalty.
In Germany, YouTube Premium is getting a €1 price bump, going from €12 to €13 per month. However, the price increase with the family plan is a lot more steep. It's getting expensive by €6 and will now cost €24 monthly. The higher subscription rate goes into effect immediately for new users. For existing subscribers, the new prices will apply after 30 days from their next billing cycle.
9to5Google reports price hikes for YouTube Premium users in Austria, Chile, Poland, and Turkey as well. YouTube may increase prices in other key international markets in the coming days or weeks.
Given the steep price bump, consider canceling your YouTube Premium subscription if you think the service is not worth the higher price. If you give up on the membership, you will be served ads before every video. You will also miss out on higher 1080p streaming quality and offline playbacks. If you used YouTube primarily for listening to music, consider switching to Spotify, though the latter raised its subscription prices earlier this year, too.
Almost every other subscription service has gotten more expensive in recent months, with Netflix announcing its second price hike of the year earlier this month. Disney+ also got more expensive this month, and the company started its crackdown on password sharing as well.
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