A massive hike
YouTube TV has just announced that it is increasing its monthly rate from $72.99 to $82.99. The $10 rise comes atop a spate of price changes in recent years. By March 2023, the service had already witnessed a steep hike, and today it’s now as expensive as Disney’s Hulu + Live TV package. It argues for this new raise through its increasingly costly content and quality of service investment. Moreover, it is also coming into effect immediately for all new subscribers while the changes will be made on the subscriptions of existing ones starting January 13, 2025.
A Service Getting Ever More Expensive
Successive increases have been written throughout YouTube TV’s history since it dawned on Google. When it first launched, it cost a mere $35 per month, a long time ago. Over the course of the last few years, the platform has progressively increased the price to $72.99 in 2023. At today’s price of $82.99, YouTube TV is getting increasingly pricey compared to its competition. While the service offers upwards of 100 channels, a cloud DVR with unlimited storage, and as many as six user accounts per household, its current high price is a question many subscribers beg after it recorded several successive increases.
Price increases for YouTube TV stem from repeated clashes with giant content owners like Disney and NBCUniversal. Such disputes often force YouTube TV to enter into renegotiations of its broadcasting agreements, which involve added costs. Other results include discontinuations of certain channels, like regional sports networks, and changed offerings for the service. The base subscription still provides a fairly wide selection, but perhaps subscribers will begin to think they’re paying more than they want to for what is at times not fully-formed. Difficult decision for subscribers
With this price hike, the question now is how YouTube TV remains a profitable service for many users. It is pretty flexible, allowing them to watch on three simultaneous screens and access an expansive lineup of channels, but that climbing cost might push some subscribers onto greener pastures. This includes other similar options available with Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV, often at cheaper prices. Since the prices just go up and up, for some, it becomes harder and harder to justify their subscription to YouTube TV.
