YouTube TV Price Increase Sees Users Cancel Subscriptions: ‘Greed’

What’s New

YouTube has announced it’s increasing the price of its TV streaming service’s base plan by $10 per month. The price rise, from $72.99 to $82.99, has angered many users, who have threatened to cancel their memberships.

Why It Matters

YouTube TV, which includes live TV from 100+ broadcast, cable and regional sports networks, has raised its prices several times over a number of years. The last price increase took place in 2023, setting the monthly charge at $72.99, up from $64.99 – an increase of about 12 percent.

The price has risen by around 137 percent since YouTube TV launched in 2017, when it cost $34.99 per month.

It follows a wider trend of “streamflation” – a colloquial term for steadily rising prices among streaming platforms. Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV and a range of others have all opted to increase prices in recent years, and some have even changed their cheapest plans to include adverts, which bring another source of revenue.

According to a report by Advanced Television, Netflix leads the pack with seven price hikes since 2011.

What to Know

YouTube has said the price boost is due to the need to “keep up with both the rising cost of content and the investments we make in the quality of our service.”

“We don’t make these decisions lightly, and we realize this impacts our members,” YouTube TV said in a statement issued on X, which has been viewed more than 6 million times since it was posted on December 12. “With many exciting shows and live events coming up in 2025, we remain committed to bringing you the best of TV, all in one place.”

But service users have lamented the price surge amid the global cost of living crisis – with some threatening to cancel their subscriptions.

What People Are Saying

Social media users have responded unfavorably to the announcement, with many saying they have ended or plan to cancel their subscriptions.

X user Brad Bell: “Cancelling@YouTubeTV. 13.7% price increase on an already expensive product that has doubled in price over the years, with no additional value provided. At least include 4K channels with the increase #Greed #ByeFelicia”

X user Matt Baker: “This is how you lose. The reason people switched to you was to get away from high cable costs. Now you’re the same.”

X user Gunner: “Your company is one of the biggest and most profitable in the entire world. There’s no way to spin or convince your customers that you need to raise fees again.”

X user Matt Forner: “Seriously thinking about cancelling. I can get every channel (and more) on cable for less than YouTube TV. The reason I switched a few years ago was because you promised to be different. Clearly that was a lie.”

Newsweek has contacted Google, YouTube’s parent company, for comment via email.

What Happens Next

For current YouTube subscribers, the increase will take effect from January 13, 2025, while new users are already subject to the cost.

Whether this results in a dip in subscribers for YouTube TV remains to be seen, with the streaming industry seeing mixed results in recent years.

During the first three months of 2024, analysts at media research firm MoffettNathanson estimated that the industry as a whole lost 2.37 million subscribers — a drop of 6.9 percent. However, it predicts YouTube TV will increase its subscriber base by 1.5 million each year, reaching as much as 12.4 million by the end of 2026, up from the current 8 million.