Getting access to live TV through a streaming service keeps getting more expensive. On Dec. 12, YouTube announced that it was raising the price of YouTube TV from $72.99/mo. to $82.99/mo., effective immediately. Existing customers should see the update to their billing starting around Jan. 13. The company attributes this rise in prices to “the rising cost of content and the investments we make in the quality of our service.”
YouTube TV is at the high end of this market, $82.99/mo. is the same price that Disney is currently charging for its Hulu + Live TV bundle, which does include Hulu. Sling TV, which has long been the most affordable option, also recently raised its prices by $6.
YouTube’s justification for the price increase may sound more like gouging to some, but the company has indeed found itself in frequent carriage disputes with everyone from Disney to NBC Universal, and those continued negotiations have forced the price higher and higher. And, even as YouTube TV has gained more channels, it has also lost a bunch of regional sports networks.
YouTube TV last raised its price in March of 2023 to $72.99. Before that, the service cost $65/mo. and $50/mo. before that. Even as YouTube announced the price hike, though, they were also quick to assure users that none of the service’s core offerings will be changing. There are still more than 100 channels, unlimited DVR with cloud storage, six user accounts per household, and the ability to watch three different things simultaneously. Obviously, users are not too pleased with the price hike, especially given that the last one was less than two years ago.
