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YouTube is testing combo premium plan for two, in India price to start at Rs 219

YouTube is testing combo premium plan for two, in India price to start at Rs 219

India Today06-05-2025
YouTube is reportedly testing a new subscription option that lets two users share a single Premium or Music Premium plan — and India is among the few countries selected for this test. If you and someone in your household have been thinking about getting Premium but found the family plan a bit much, this two-person combo could be the sweet spot. The plan is aimed at offering better value while keeping accounts separate, and it's now live for select users in India, France, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The Premium two-person plan starts at Rs 219 per month in India, while the Music Premium version is priced at Rs 149.advertisementAccording to Moneycontrol, both users need to be at least 13 years old, have Google accounts, and belong to the same Google Family Group. While this isn't the same as a full-fledged family plan (which costs Rs 299 a month and allows up to five members), it offers a cheaper alternative for two people living together — whether that's couples, siblings, or flatmates.
Image source: Moneycontrol
YouTube has confirmed the experiment, saying it's exploring new ways to offer more value and flexibility for subscribers. A spokesperson told Moneycontrol, 'We're experimenting with new ways to provide greater flexibility and value to our YouTube Premium subscribers, including offering a two-person Premium plan option, allowing two people to share a subscription at a reduced cost.'
The current individual Premium plan costs Rs 149 a month in India, while the student and family plans are priced at Rs 89 and Rs 299 respectively. On the Music Premium side, individual plans are Rs 119, family plans Rs 179, and student plans Rs 59 per month.advertisementThe new two-person model could directly compete with Spotify Duo, which also offers a joint subscription for two users under one plan. This could appeal to cost-conscious users who still want a premium experience without paying for a full family tier.In recent months, YouTube has made it clear that it's serious about growing its subscription base. Google increased the price of YouTube Premium in India last August, with hikes ranging from 12 per cent to 58 per cent, depending on the plan. The platform also rolled out Premium Lite in markets like the US, Germany, and Australia — this version removes ads but doesn't offer downloads or background play, and music-related content still includes ads.As of March 2025, YouTube had crossed 125 million subscribers globally across Premium and Music Premium services. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google's parent company Alphabet, noted during the April 2025 earnings call that subscriptions are now a big part of their business. In total, Alphabet has over 270 million paid subscriptions across services like YouTube and Google One.
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