Now you will have to pay more for YouTube Premium
What's the story
YouTube has announced a significant hike in the subscription pricing for its Premium membership in India, across all tiers.
The change was initially highlighted by an X user, @MrSahilBawa, who shared a notification from YouTube detailing the price hike for the Family plan.
This particular plan has seen a substantial rise of 58%, from ₹189 to ₹299 per month.
Reasoning
YouTube justifies price hike to improve service
YouTube has justified the price increase as a necessary measure to continue delivering high-quality service and features.
The company stated, "We don't make these decisions lightly, and this update will allow us to continue to improve Premium and support the creators and artists you watch on YouTube."
The Family plan allows up to five members to share a single subscription.
Plan adjustments
Other plans also affected by price hike
The price increase also affects other subscription plans.
The student monthly plan has risen by 12.6%, from ₹79 to ₹89, while the individual monthly tier now costs ₹149 instead of ₹129 — a 15% increase.
Prepaid plans have not been exempted from this adjustment, with the individual monthly, quarterly, and annual prepaid packs now priced at ₹159, ₹459, and ₹1,490 respectively.
User impact
Updated prices applicable to both new and existing users
The revised prices are applicable not only to new subscribers but also to existing Premium users.
Subscribers of YouTube Premium enjoy benefits like ad-free streaming, high-bitrate streaming at 1080p, background playback, offline downloads, and ad-free access to YouTube Music.
As of now, the platform boasts a global user base exceeding 100 million subscribers.