YouTube Premium is the only streaming service that can raise prices

YouTube confirmed this week that Premium prices will be increasing for the first time in nearly three years, and unlike other streaming services, it’s a price increase I’m willing to accept.

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In 2026, streaming price hikes are tantalizingly inevitable, with every platform introducing at least one new jump in price. occasionally. Some are more frequent than others, Like Netflix. But unless you’re on special deals or rock-bottom prices, your total streaming bill has probably gone up by at least $10-$20 a month over the past few years.

Now YouTube Premium takes its turn.

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It was announced this weekevery YouTube Premium plan gets a price increase. The changes are as follows:

Individual: $13.99 to $15.99 per month
Family: From $22.99 to $26.99 per month
Lite: $7.99 to $8.99 per month
Music Premium: $10.99 to $11.99 per month

My reaction to this news was “well, well then”.

I’ve seen nothing but “this is outrageous” and “I’m canceling” in response to the price increase, and frankly, the thought never even crossed my mind. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not happy I have to start paying an extra $4 per month for the YouTube Premium family plan with no added benefits or value. Objectively, this is bad.

But I also don’t feel like I’m suddenly not getting my money’s worth here.

YouTube Premium is probably my single most valuable streaming subscription. YouTube is part of my daily routine, and it’s the only service I feel I get full value from without trying. Disney+, Peacock, Netflix, etc., I never feel like I use these apps enough. indeed take my money YouTube? This is not a question and I remember this every time I watch a video without logging in. The state of ads on YouTube roughmainly due to the necessity of the modern internet.

Ad blockers are everyone’s favorite thing to mention here, but they don’t work easily across devices, and I continue to worry about ad blockers in general. YouTube is one of the few platforms that pays content creators directly – who they are – in a transparent and mostly fair manner I to take it?

YouTube Premium, or at least Premium Liteis the only answer here.

It’s easy to forget that YouTube works at all massive scale. Hundreds of hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every time minuteand YouTube promises to host this video essentially forever. Think how much memory that takes! Storage is currently prohibitively expensive, so YouTube’s costs are skyrocketing. Yes, it’s one of the biggest and most profitable companies on the planet, but if costs go up, someone’s will have to pay, and I’d rather fork over a few extra bucks than take that money from creators paid by Premium subscriptions.

If this was any other streamer, I would at least avoid the higher price.

Netflix hasn’t taken my money in years – there’s rarely any content worth watching, and certainly not enough to keep a subscription. Peacock and Paramount+ occasionally catch my eye, but the former is only occasionally and the latter is only subscribed to from me because Walmart+ covers most of it. Disney+/Hulu is the only streaming subscription I use often enough that I feel like I’m getting enough out of it, but even so, the price hike would at least make me consider taking a break from time to time.

The higher prices hurt, I won’t deny that, but I’m totally willing to pay a few extra bucks for YouTube Premium. Google knows this, but I think it says a lot that while every other streamer has had multiple price increases over the past 3 years, YouTube is now hitting its first.

What do you think?

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