Update: This story has been updated with YouTube’s official customer communication. The original story is as follows.
We just reported that YouTube was rolling out unskippable 90-second ads to non-YouTube Premium members. Although YouTube denies having even tested such long-form ad formats, it’s possible they were testing the waters before releasing it to the public.
Since the bug or test backfired and caused understandably negative reactions from viewers, YouTube seems to be taking a different approach to skin the same cat. The only difference is that the change will not affect free users, but rather paying customers.
In a statement to Daily Sparkz, YouTube said: “To continue to provide great services and features, we are increasing your price to $15.99/month. We don’t make these decisions lightly, but this update allows us to continue improving Premium and supporting the creators and artists you watch on YouTube. The change will be reflected on your billing date of May 16, 2026.”
Apparently, YouTube is following the lead of Netflix, a company notorious for quietly increasing its subscription prices.
Does every plan get a price increase?
Unfortunately yes. The Premium Individual plan increases from $13.99 to $15.99. The family plan increases from $22.99 to $26.99 per month. Even the cheaper options are not safe.
YouTube Premium Lite goes from $7.99 to $8.99, and the student plan gets the same $1 increase, from $7.99 to $8.99 monthly. No plan is left unscathed.
| Premium plan categories | YouTube Premium pricing (Old) |
YouTube Premium pricing (New) |
| Individual monthly plan | $13.99 | $15.99 |
| Individual annual plan | $139.99 | $159.99 |
| Monthly plan for the family | $22.99 | $26.99 |
| YouTube Lite Monthly Plan | $7.99 | $8.99 |
| YouTube Student Monthly Plan | $7.99 | $8.99 |
YouTube is not only increasing monthly prices, but also annual prices for its Premium tier. You can see how much the new prices will put a strain on your wallet in the table above.
Is YouTube Premium still worth it?
That depends on how much value you place on an ad-free experience. At $15.99 a month, you’re paying almost as much as many people pay for popular streaming services like Netflix or HBO Max. The difference is that YouTube’s content library is extensive and largely free, and you’re essentially paying to remove ads and test out some experimental features.
If you are unsure, switching to the annual plan can help you save compared to paying monthly. For everyone else, this is one of those moments where you weigh how much these skippable ads really bother you or how much of a drain on your wallet they may be before canceling the subscription.
