YouTube raises US Premium and Music subscription prices by $1 to $4 per month.

YouTube is raising prices for its Premium and Music subscription plans in the United States, with increases ranging from $1 to $4 per month across various tiers. The changes, confirmed by the company, are already in effect for new subscribers and will apply to existing users starting with their June 2026 billing cycles.^[2][1]

Individual YouTube Premium plans, which offer ad-free viewing, background play, and offline downloads, are jumping from $13.99 to $15.99 monthly, a $2 increase. Family plans, allowing up to six accounts to share benefits, see the largest hike at $4, moving from $22.99 to $26.99 per month. YouTube Premium Lite, a lower-cost option excluding music videos from ad-free access, rises from $7.99 to $8.99, while YouTube Music individual plans go from $10.99 to $11.99 and family plans from $16.99 to $18.99.^[2][1][3]

Google notified current U.S. subscribers via email at least 30 days in advance, explaining the adjustment as necessary "to continue delivering great service and features" and to support creators and artists. As reported by TechCrunch, a YouTube spokesperson emphasized maintaining valued features like access to over 300 million tracks on YouTube Music, marking the first broad U.S. price update since 2023.^[2] 9to5Google noted the rollout is gradual, with some users still seeing old rates in their accounts.^[3]

This follows a pattern of periodic increases: the family plan rose by $5 in 2022, and individual plans went up in 2023 from $11.99 to $13.99. YouTube Premium Lite, introduced about a year ago with recent additions like background play, now faces its first hike. The service boasts 125 million subscribers across Premium and Music as of March 2025, up from 100 million the prior year, highlighting its growing popularity amid competition from Spotify, Apple Music, and others.^[2][1]

For subscribers, the impact hits households most, as family plans cover multiple users for shared streaming and ad removal. Those billed through Apple face even higher effective rates—up to $20.99 for individuals due to app store fees—prompting advice to sign up directly via YouTube to avoid the markup.^[4] No public announcement was made, leaving some users to discover changes through billing alerts, as covered by Fast Company.[cluster:2]

Looking ahead, affected users can expect the new prices on billing dates around June 7, 2026, with options to downgrade, cancel, or switch plans like Lite for savings. YouTube maintains multiple tiers to fit different needs, but the hikes come as streaming services broadly adjust amid rising costs for content and infrastructure.^[1][2] While no immediate backlash is detailed, user comments on reports express frustration over the timing and scale.^[3]