YouTube Premium subscribers in some countries are getting a nasty surprise in their inbox: a price increase. The Google-owned video platform has announced that it is raising the monthly fee for its ad-free service in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Chile, Germany, Poland, and Turkey.
The new prices will apply to both new and existing customers, but the latter will get a grace period of at least three months before seeing the change in their bills. It will vary by country, but in general, they are going up by $2 or more.
YouTube did not make an official announcement about the price increase, but it sent an email to affected subscribers, explaining the reason behind the decision. The email said that the price increase would “continue to improve Premium and support the creators and artists”. It also said that subscribers can cancel or change their plans at any time.
YouTube Premium offers several benefits to users, such as ad-free viewing, background, and offline playback, access to YouTube Music and YouTube Originals, and enhanced quality for 1080p videos. The service also supports the creators and artists on YouTube, helping them earn more money from their content.
In the Philippines, the price of YouTube Premium so far remains at ₱159 per month or ₱239 per month for a family plan.
YouTube Premium was launched in 2015 as YouTube Red, and it was rebranded in 2018. In 2023, YouTube Premium boasts over 80 million subscribers.
