YouTube announces price hike in premium services for Czechia-based users

Video and streaming service YouTube Premium has announced a price increase for its popular subscription service for users in Europe, including Czechia, meaning consumers will pay significantly more for the same features as before. 

Effective immediately, the price for a family plan with up to six accounts has jumped from CZK 269 to CZK 389 for Android users. People using devices from technology firm Apple will need to pay even more.

On iOS devices, the family tariff will skyrocket from CZK 359 to CZK 509, equating to an increase of over CZK 1,400 per year. This increase is due to Apple's 30-percent commission on in-app purchases, which YouTube must compensate for.

Google has also started emailing users that they will be increasing their prices from the next billing period, depending on the plan you will pay between 13 percent and 45 percent more. This is therefore translating into increases in YouTube Premium prices.

In addition, individual plans will also see a slight increase, rising from CZK 239 to CZK 269. Despite the price changes, the service itself will remain the same, offering ad-free videos, unlimited music listening, and the ability to download content for offline viewing. You can also play videos while minimizing the application.

In July 2023, YouTube had raised the cost of its Premium service by CZK 45.

However, not all platforms will see a price increase. The YouTube Music Premium service will not be affected on iOS. 

YouTube’s price hike comes as a part of several cost increases from large streaming services. For example, Netflix just last month announced a rise in several of its package prices, and last year music service Spotify hiked up the cost of its Spotify Premium subscription and announced a shift in its payment currency: from euros to crowns.

In related developments, streaming service Disney Plus announced a “password sharing crackdown” starting this month, and other separate packages will become more expensive from the middle of October. 

Max has announced a price increase on the streaming service’s ad-free plans, which also affects users using the service in Czechia.