YouTube TV is raising its monthly price again. Here’s what you need to know

On By Littum

NEW YORK (AP) — Are you a YouTube TV subscriber? Your monthly bills are getting more expensive again.

On Thursday, YouTube announced it is raising the price of its streaming service’s basic plan by $10 — citing “the rising cost of content” and other investments. The new price of $82.99 per month will be effective starting January 13 for existing subscribers, and immediately for new customers signing up going forward.

“We do not take these decisions lightly and we are aware that this affects our members,” YouTube wrote X.

Google’s video giant also directed customers to one online frequently asked questions for more information. Those currently paying discounted prices, for example, won’t see the change until their trial or promotion has expired.

YouTube TV has rolled out a number of price increases over the years. When launched back in 2017was the current price of its streaming package $35 per month. Before 2019, this fee increased to $50 — and has risen higher and higher ever since. The last time YouTube TV raised its base price, then $72.99, was in March 2023.

Previous increases arrived as YouTube TV added more and more channels for subscribers to stream live. But license disputes has also added pressure — and YouTube has instead attributed its recent increases, like those announced both Thursday and last year, to rising operating costs.

YouTube TV currently advertises more than 100 channels from broadcast, cable and regional sports networks, a DVR with unlimited storage, and up to six accounts per month. household with three simultaneous streams. And the platform says its latest price hike won’t change any of that.

While YouTube TV’s live offerings are very different from individual online libraries of other popular streamers today, it’s no secret that streaming in general is getting more expensive — especially as consumers juggle multiple subscriptions to access all the content they want. In recent years, big names like Netflix, Apple TV+ and Disney+ have all either raised their prices or added things like ad supported tiers and password limits.

And more and more streamers have also used bundles to get in on the live action. YouTube TV’s new price of $82.99 is the same as that advertised for Disney’s Hulu + Live TV package.

In February, YouTube said it had more than 8 million YouTube TV subscribers.