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YouTube Premium Subscriptions Are Going Up for Long-Term Users January 1

Those who were grandfathered into the site's $11.99 price in July will see a $2 increase.

 & Emily Price Weekend Reporter

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Long-time YouTube Premium users will pay a bit more for the service come January.

Back in July, YouTube announced it would increase the price for YouTube Premium subscriptions; however, it would allow current customers to keep their existing rate through December. Perhaps unsurprisingly, those few months will end on Jan. 1.

YouTube Premium subscriptions currently cost $13.99, an increase of $2 per month. In an email to subscribers impacted by the rate change, YouTube said: “We don’t make these decisions lightly, but this update will allow us to continue to improve Premium and support the creators and artists you watch on YouTube,” 9to5Google reports.

YouTube Premium allows users to watch videos on the site without ads. It also supports offline downloads and allows you to play video in the background on your mobile device, even if you’re using another app.

When YouTube raised its price for Premium earlier this year, it wasn’t alone. It did so shortly after several other streaming services, including Peacock, Disney+, Netflix, and Apple TV+ also announced rate hikes.

About Our Expert

Emily Price

Emily Price

Weekend Reporter

Emily is a freelance writer based in Durham, NC. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Lifehacker, Popular Mechanics, Macworld, Engadget, Computerworld, and more. You can also snag a copy of her book Productivity Hacks: 500+ Easy Ways to Accomplish More at Work--That Actually Work! online through Simon & Schuster or wherever books are sold.

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