Google aims to make YouTube Premium more budget-friendly for couples.
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends
Google is currently trialing a YouTube Premium subscription tier aimed at pairs, particularly for couples in India, France, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
The company announced on Monday, via the financial publication MoneyControl, that it is testing this new YouTube Premium tier. This option will allow two individuals within the same Google family group to enjoy the full benefits of YouTube Premium, including an ad-free experience, at a more economical rate than what they would pay if they each had individual accounts or belonged to a five-person family plan.
In India, the monthly fee for the two-person YouTube Premium tier is Rs 219, whereas the family plan is priced at Rs 299. This is roughly equivalent to $2.60 USD and $3.55 USD, respectively, which may not be entirely useful for comparison. While the current family tier costs $22.99 monthly in the U.S., the two-person tier would likely be around $16 a month if it is introduced there.
YouTube stated that the testing of this two-person YouTube Premium tier aims to broaden subscription offerings for users at an appealing price point. This comes on the heels of a recent price increase for many YouTube Premium subscribers after years of lower rates. Individual plans rose from $11.99 to $13.99 per month, annual plans saw an increase from $119.99 to $139.99, and the student plan went up from $6.99 to $7.99 monthly. The student plan is priced similarly to YouTube Premium Lite, which was launched in March.
The two-person YouTube Premium tier not only caters to couples but also benefits college roommates, friends, and single parents with teens, enabling them to share costs and help those who might struggle to afford their own Premium subscriptions. The timeline for its rollout in the U.S. remains uncertain, as testing is only just beginning in the specified countries.
Cristina Alexander is a gaming and mobile writer at Digital Trends, providing balanced coverage of topics in the gaming industry.
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