Singapore subscribers set to pay more for YouTube Premium plans

SINGAPORE – YouTube Premium users in Singapore will soon have to pay more for the service, the video platform announced on Aug 21.

Individual membership will now cost $15.98 a month, up from $13.98, while those on the family plan will have to pay $31.98, up from $27.98.

The family plan allows a user to share the plan’s benefits with an additional five members in the same household.

YouTube Premium users enjoy perks that include ad-free and downloadable videos, background play and uninterrupted access to more than 300 million tracks on the YouTube Music app.

In an e-mail to subscribers on Aug 21, YouTube said the price hikes will allow it “to continue to improve Premium and support the creators and artists you watch on YouTube”.

Existing users will be charged the new monthly rate during their first billing cycle, which will be at least 30 days after the price increase. New users from Aug 21 will be charged the new price when they sign up.

News of the fee hikes has led some YouTube Premium users to reconsider continuing their subscription.

“I’ve already unsubscribed (from) Premium the moment I got the e-mail,” said one user on Reddit.

“$31.98/month... That’s more than my 10Gbps sub I’m paying to my ISP (internet service provider). It’s like paying for internet twice,” said another.

However, there were also others who saw the benefits.

“YouTube Premium Fam provides the most value for my money,” a comment said.

“All my family members get to watch their content without any ads... The amount of hours I’ve spent on YouTube content alone is vastly more than any other subscription content.”

YouTube Premium last increased its prices in September 2024.

The individual membership was increased to $13.98, up from $11.98, while the family plan was hiked to $27.98 from $17.98.

YouTube Premium was launched in Singapore in November 2019. It has more than 125 million users worldwide, according to its website.