YouTube TV subscribers now have to pay $10 more
This new price is expected to take effect from January 13, 2025.
In recent years, live TV streaming services have become an increasingly popular alternative to traditional cable, offering a more flexible and often more affordable way to access live programming. According to a previous report from Techloy, streaming accounted for a record 41.4% of total TV viewing time in July 2024.
YouTube, in particular, has really taken off, becoming the first platform to surpass a 10% share of TV usage. But with this dominance comes a string of price hikes. Not long ago, YouTube Premium saw a major increase in its price in many places, with some places recording up to a 40% increase.
Now, its dedicated Live TV streaming platform, YouTube TV, was recently announced to follow in its footsteps. Many subscribers to the platform were sent an email stating that starting in January 2025, the service will increase its subscription cost from $72.99 to $82.99 per month for its base plan.
This marks the third price increase for YouTubeTV since its launch in 2017 initially priced at just $35 per month. By 2019, the cost had risen to $50, and the most recent hike occurred in March 2023, bringing the price to $72.99.
YouTube TV justifies the price increase by pointing to the rising cost of acquiring content, along with its ongoing investments in features designed to improve the viewing experience. The platform offers perks like unlimited DVR storage and multiview, which allows users to watch multiple channels at once—features that set it apart from many competitors.
However, this increase is part of a broader industry trend, with platforms like Disney+ and Hulu also raising prices to address rising costs. Disney has even introduced a pause subscription option to prevent cancellations. The hike also brings YouTube TV's price closer to competitors like Hulu + Live TV, which charges around $83 monthly for its base plan.
For current YouTubeTV subscribers, the new pricing will take effect during their first billing cycle after January 13, 2025. While this could lead to cancellations, especially among those who joined when the service was more affordable, YouTube has said the price hike will not affect subscribers who are on promotional or trial plans until their deals end.
As YouTubeTV looks to justify its price increases, the question remains: will features like multiview and unlimited DVR storage be enough to keep its reported 8 million subscribers from exploring more affordable alternatives?
Louis Eriakha
