YouTube Premium price increases in the US

YouTube has raised the price of its Premium plans in the US. The company’s public pricing pages now show YouTube Premium Individual at $15.99 per month, Annual at $159.99, Family at $26.99 per month, and Student at $8.99 per month. Techmeme’s roundup of the change says the standard individual plan is up $2, the family plan is up $4, and Premium Lite has also increased by $1 to $8.99 per month.

Higher pricing is now live on YouTube’s own signup pages

The updated rates are already visible on YouTube’s current US signup pages rather than being limited to account notices. On the main Premium page, YouTube lists the new individual, annual, family, and student pricing together on the same plan selector. On the family page, the company also continues to market the plan as a household option for up to six accounts.

YouTube’s help documentation says subscribers should get an email at least 30 days ahead of a price increase in their country or territory. The same support page says existing members are charged the new rate during the first billing cycle that occurs at least 30 days after the plan increase, while new members pay the price shown at signup.

Premium Lite is getting more expensive, too

The price increase does not only affect the full Premium tier. Premium Lite is now $8.99 per month in the US. YouTube’s help page describes Premium Lite as the cheaper option for users who mainly want fewer ads on most YouTube and YouTube Kids videos, while noting that ads can still appear on music content, Shorts, and when searching or browsing. It also does not include YouTube Music Premium or some of the extra Premium features.

The change gives YouTube another US price jump after earlier increases to Premium Family and the launch of Premium Lite at a lower entry point. For users deciding whether to keep paying, the immediate question is simple: whether YouTube’s ad-free viewing, downloads, background play, and bundled Music access still justify the new monthly rate.