Google wants to make YouTube Premium more affordable for couples
Google is testing out a YouTube Premium tier designed for two people, especially for couples living in India, France, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
The company confirmed its plans to test the new YouTube Premium tier on Monday, according to finance outlet MoneyControl. The tier will allow two people in the same Google family group to access everything YouTube Premium has to offer, including zero ads, at a more affordable price than they would if each person had a separate YouTube Premium account or are part of a family plan for five people.
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In India, the monthly cost two-person YouTube Premium tier Rs 219, while the family version costs Rs 299. That's equivalent to $2.60 USD and $3.55 USD, respectively, which is not exactly the best comparison to make. Although the actual cost of family tier of YouTube Premium is $22.99 a month, the two-person tier would be in the neighborhood of $16 a month if it gets offered in the U.S.
YouTube said they're testing the two-person YouTube Premium tier in an effort to expand subscription offerings for its users at a great value, which comes a month after millions of YouTube Premium users experienced a price hike on their subscriptions after paying low costs for a decade. Individual plans jumped from $11.99 a month to $13.99 a month, while annual plans increased from $119.99 to $139.99, and student plans ticked up to $7.99 a month from $6.99. The student plan costs that same as YouTube Premium Lite, which launched in March.
The two-person YouTube Premium tier not only benefits couples, but college roommates, friends, and even single parents of teens can take advantage of that plan, helping each other save money when one of them can't otherwise afford a Premium plan of their own. It's unknown when that tier will be rolled out to the U.S., as testing has only just begun in the aforementioned regions.
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