YouTube Premium Price Increase Causes Outrage Amongst Subscribers

Subscribers to YouTube's "Premium" plan got some contentious news yesterday after it was revealed that the service is going to be hiking up its rates in — notably in the middle of a global inflation struggle.

The plan, which used to be $18 a month, is now looking to be $23 a month for the same features as before, including no ads and background playing, among others.

This has, naturally, led to a large bevy of current subscribers denouncing the service and announcing their intent to cancel YouTube Premium this month, as it is now among the most expensive solo-content subscription services, with most of the content on the platform also being available for free.

uh YouTube Premium suddenly costing more than every single streaming subscription service, even maxed out Netflix, seems somewhat alarming pic.twitter.com/Vf40cftW6X

— Paul Tassi (@PaulTassi) October 20, 2022

What in the ACTUAL FUCK @YouTube an extra $5. Youre already charging a premium for the service and youre going to increase the price why exactly? No seriously i want to know. pic.twitter.com/k9KGj0FfHy

— EM (@nineD4kid) October 20, 2022

Nah fuck this YouTube premium family price increase. Instant cancellation.

— malding IRL (@maldingIRL) October 20, 2022

I've loved @YouTube Premium, but it was already a bit high of a price. The new premium starting in November caused me to cancel today. A bummer, but these prices are getting absurd. A la carte pricing for a handful of services is getting to be as much as cable, maybe more.

— xepherys (@xepherys) October 20, 2022

This price increase has also led to people poking fun at the platform, saying that barely anyone even used it before and that now their numbers will be dwindling at an accelerated rate.

Additionally, this brought up the ever-present argument for using an ad blocker or similar service, which are increasingly common (but we're whitelisted, right?) or just altogether going to an alternative content site that has a more affordable price.

who needs youtube premium when you have adblock

— Xubiod (@Xubiod) October 20, 2022

OMG NEW YOUTUBE PREMIUM PRICES SUCK

ODYSEE PREMIUM ONLY 99 CENTS

— odysee (@OdyseeTeam) October 21, 2022

I love that YouTube Premium price is going up by over 20% and they're like what are you gonna do, watch 5 unskippable ads in a row instead? pic.twitter.com/ZdNNzlVY8Y

— Dare Obasanjo (@Carnage4Life) October 20, 2022

YouTube has announced the monthly price of YouTube Premium is going to be raised from $17.99 to $22.99. This is projected to earn Google an additional $15 a month in 2023, as only like 3 people have YouTube Premium.

— Zullie (@ZullieTheWitch) October 20, 2022