YouTube TV Gets Major Price Hike

[MacRumors]

YouTube today sent out emails to YouTube TV subscribers, letting them know about an upcoming price increase for the service. Starting on January 13, 2025, YouTube TV will cost $82.99 per month for the base plan, up from $72.99 per month.

Prices are increasing so that YouTube can "keep up with the rising cost of content" and investments in the quality of its service. YouTube says that it is committed to bringing features like unlimited DVR storage and multiview to customers.

YouTube TV subscribers can expect their YouTube TV Base Plan subscription prices to go up in their first billing cycle on or after January 13, 2025. Customers that are on a trial or a promotional price for the Base Plan will have the promotion honored with no changes.

YouTube TV is YouTube's live television subscription offering that shows live TV programming. While the base plan is now $82.99, subscribers can also add on 4K viewing for an additional $9.99, premium channels starting at $1.99 per month, NFL RedZone for $10.99 per month, Spanish TV for $14.99 per month, and Max, Paramount+, Showtime, and Starz for $29.99 per month.

At launch in 2018, YouTube TV was priced at just $35 per month, but pricing went up to $50 per month in 2019. In 2020, YouTube TV's price was raised to $64.99, and it went up to $72.99 in 2023.

Customers who want to share feedback about YouTube TV's price increase can do so on the YouTube TV support site.

Article Link: YouTube TV Gets Major Price Hike

 

[chrono1081]

Why not just go back to cable at this point?

 

[greenbreadmmm]

Why not just go back to cable at this point?

lower quality

 

[greenbreadmmm]

I remember joining direct tv now for $35 a month and they threw in a free 4k Apple TV..

What has happened to this space?

 

[upthetoffees]

youtube tv? And subscriptions thereof? Never heard of it all.

 

[lazyrighteye]

“Keep up with the rising cost of content!” What a load of crap.

These price hikes are exhaustive and seemingly have no guardrails.

 

[DocMultimedia]

It sure has gone up. But with the infinite DVR-ish feature and NFL Sunday ticket, I'll be with them for the near/medium future.

 

[jayb3]

I switched from Hulu to Youtube TV a while back because Hulu jacked up their prices. Now both services are $82.99. Coincidence...I think not. They are just constantly gouging...and probably colluding.

 

[abatabia]

It’s still better than what Fios would charge for the same channels and it’s not as convenient.

 

[carniesandrubes]

Why not just go back to cable at this point?

Because with cable your bill is already up to $50+ just in fees, taxes and equipment rental costs before you even choose a programming package.

 

[PsykX]

Why not just go back to cable at this point?

100%.
Cable-cutters (like me in 2016) were proud of saving a lot of money back then.
Now, most subscriptions became so incredibly expensive.

$92/month ? And this is in US Dollars ? Are they mad ? I can bring back cable and have way more stuff here in Canada, for half the price.

 

[PsykX]

Because with cable your bill is already up to $50+ just in fees, taxes and equipment rental costs before you even choose a programming package.

It might depend where you live, but most companies don't have equipment anymore. They've become apps.

 

[contacos]

Creating content? Aren’t they just offering whatever is being played on network X

 

[BelgianChoklit]

Google must be the biggest subscription para site of all time. Trying all kinds of games to push you to a overpriced subscription. I'll keep using ad blockers until I'm offered a fairly priced subscription, or until I go to Pakistan again where I'll subscribe through the country for a cheaper price.

 

[chouseworth]

I find Youtube TV to be rock solid in the five years that I have had it, easily beating Spectrum cable in terms of price and dependability. I think the price increase is justified, and I intend to remain a loyal customer.

 

[antiprotest]

Why not just go back to cable at this point?

Streaming services have almost no set up. Use on multiple devices, including mobile -- almost any device with a browser.

Walk around the house streaming on your phone, tablet, or computer. I have more stuff than I can ever watch just by connecting an old chromebook to my TV.

Walk outside of the house -- anywhere domestically -- and stream while you commute, on a train or in a hotel room, at times even on a plane.

Move to another address without notice and take all your streaming services with you. Sign up and start streaming in under 5 minutes instead of waiting for days. Cancel whenever you want. Then restart again when you want.

There is no comparison and no contest. In fact, if I had to choose, I would pay more for streaming service than cable.

But I am not so desperate for entertainment that I would pay that much for either, especially when there are so many choices nowadays.

The better alternative to these prices is just stop watching what's on there and sign up for one or two cheap streaming services.

 

[sfrsteel]

I remember when Netflix was cheap for DVD rentals and thru in Streaming. Then i remember when YouTube Premium, Youtube TV, Hulu and Disney+ and Prime were all cheap. Its amazing the lower the quality of programming the higher the cost. People will be moving back to Kodi again soon and steal service. Someone will come out with something new thats less expensive.. And then once everyone moves to that they will jack up the price.. Its the cost of a free market society. You want them to lower the price... Stop buying the service. If they lose 75% of the customer base by the next billing cycle they will change direction quick.. Or just sit in the pot until it boils.. Its our choice.. We are the consumer. Vote with your dollars.

 

[upthetoffees]

Why not just go back to cable at this point?

There is another option..

 

[Dammit Cubs]

I literally watch ESPN and CNBC only. Can't I just get an al a carte of those two channels and pay so much less.

 

[neuropsychguy]

I remember joining direct tv now for $35 a month and they threw in a free 4k Apple TV..

What has happened to this space?

Sports costs. ESPN and other sports channels cost a lot of money for the providers.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I remember joining direct tv now for $35 a month and they threw in a free 4k Apple TV..

What has happened to this space?

I did that as well and when DirecTV jacked up the price to $65 / month, I got rid of the service. The space has gone all but full circle now.

 

[klmiles61]

I could’ve sworn I just read yesterday that YouTube wasn’t planning any price increases for the U.S., only for other countries. Guess that was some B.S., because here we are the very next day, and they’re basically telling U.S. customers they lied.

That said, I can’t complain too much since I don’t have a YouTube subscription—and I don’t plan on getting one either. I cut the cord on cable TV four years ago and now only pay for internet from the same provider. For local stations, I use an HD antenna. I have a subscription to Apple TV+ and another for Hulu, which is only $0.99/month for the next year.

If I want to watch a movie, I just rent it online, and if there’s a big game I really want to see, I might subscribe to a service for a month or less. Back when I had cable TV and internet, I was paying over $145 a month. Now, I spend less than $30 before any subscriptions—and I couldn’t be happier.

 

[gsmornot]

I subscribe to an HD antenna. Who knew there was better picture quality for free. Sure, you have to tune in at the right time but thats alright.

 

[SanderEvers]

100%.
Cable-cutters (like me in 2016) were proud of saving a lot of money back then.
Now, most subscriptions became so incredibly expensive.

$92/month ? And this is in US Dollars ? Are they mad ? I can bring back cable and have way more stuff here in Canada, for half the price.

The issue with cable cutting is that cable brings in money for content creators. They need that money.
When most people cut their cable, and switched to streaming, this just meant that streaming was going to need to cover the cost of the media creation.

So prices go up.

Actually I've seen cable TV prices go down in some area's in response to "cable cutting". Since it's no longer their primary source for revenue.

 

[icanhazmac]

Why not just go back to cable at this point?

Spot on, YTTV is cable at this point, though probably still less money than a traditional cable service in an apples to apple comparison.

Cord cutters can still enjoy far lower bills with the following formula:

10 Find content and subscribe to the service
20 Binge all content
30 Cancel subscription
40 Goto 10

If you limit yourself to 2-3 services at a time you win.

I cannot ever see myself signing up for anything YT as they are constantly blocking my VPN service.