Well, here’s a lump of coal for your holiday stocking: Google just announced a stiff price hike for YouTube TV starting in the middle of next month.
In an email sent to YouTube TV subscribers, Google said that it will boost the monthly price of its live TV streaming service to $82.99, a $10-a-month increase over the current $72.99 monthly rate.
This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best live TV streaming services.
The price hike will go into effect on January 13, 2025, just a couple of weeks after the new year. Existing subscribers will see the price increase on their first bill following that date.
If you’re currently subscribed to YouTube TV through a lower promotion rate, your discount will be honored until it expires, Google added.
Word of the price hike comes just days after a Verizon promotion mentioning the higher YouTube TV subscription price was spotted on X. The “TeamYouTube” X account quickly commented on the posting, saying that the ad had listed “the incorrect price.”
Well, maybe it was just a matter of semantics—after all, the current YouTube TV price is still $72.99 a month. But whichever way you slice it, a YouTube TV hike is coming.
The impending YouTube TV price hike will be the service’s first since April 2023, when YouTube TV’s monthly rate went up to its current price of $72.99 a month, a $7-a-month increase.
In a support document, Google blames the price hike on “the rising cost of content,” adding that the new pricing is intended to “reflect the complete value of YouTube TV.
Of course, YouTube TV isn’t alone in raising its prices. Just last month, Slive TV boosted its live TV rates by $5.99 a month, citing—you guessed it—”rising costs.”
Back in October, Disney-owned Hulu raised the price for its ad-supported Hulu + Live TV service to $82.99 a month, a cost that now matches YouTube TV’s base rate.
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, TechHive
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he has covered everything from smart speakers and soundbars to smart lights and security cameras. Ben's articles have also appeared in PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men's Fitness, Mobile Magazine, and more. Ben holds a master's degree in English literature.