YouTube Premium has announced a significant price increase affecting even its earliest subscribers. Originally, beta testers of YouTube’s Music Key service, who had been paying $7.99 per month since 2014, will now see their monthly fees rise to $12.99. This change ends nearly a decade of unchanged pricing for these long-time users. YouTube Music Key was introduced in November 2014, providing features like ad-free music and offline playback for $9.99 per month.
However, those who joined during the beta phase benefited from a lower fee of $7.99. In 2018, the service was relaunched as YouTube Music, and Music Key users were transitioned to YouTube Premium with their original pricing, despite standard rates rising to $11.99. As of 2023, a broader price increase prompted even those paying $9.99 to switch to the full price of $13.99 for YouTube Premium. Until now, the early adopters at $7.99 were kept at their lower rate.
However, reports have emerged, notably from 9to5Google and various user comments, revealing that these subscribers will also see their fees adjusted upwards to $12.99, marking a significant increase of approximately 61%. Google has begun notifying the affected users via email, indicating that the new pricing will be effective in the upcoming billing cycle. This latest adjustment marks the second wave of price hikes for grandfathered rates, with many wondering if anyone might escape the changes. Despite the increase, the new amount remains a discounted option compared to the standard YouTube Premium cost of $13.99, which is higher for Family plans.
If you’re a grandfathered user impacted by this price change, we’d like to hear your thoughts. Will you continue your YouTube Premium subscription? Feel free to share your experience in the comments.
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