YouTube TV hikes price by $15 a month, becomes most expensive cable alternative

Syracuse, N.Y. — YouTube TV is hitting subscribers to its streaming television service with a hefty $15 price increase.

The 3-year-old Google-owned service told subscribers in an email Tuesday their monthly bill will rise from $49.99 to $64.99, a 30% increase. The new rate began immediately for new subscribers and will start on or after July 30 for existing customers.

“We don’t make these decisions lightly, and we realize how hard this may be for our members,” the company said in the email. “This new price reflects the rising costs of content, and we also believe it reflects the complete value of YouTube TV.”

Along with the price hike, the service added more ViacomCBS channels, including BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, TV Land and VH1. It now carries more than 85 live channels. It also provides, at no extra cost, unlimited cloud-DVR storage with content saved for nine months.

The price increase makes YouTube TV the most expensive cable TV alternative, ahead of AT&T Now ($55 for 45-plus channels), Hulu + Live TV ($54.99 for 65-plus channels), Fubo TV ($54.99 for 109 channels) and Sling ($30 for Blue package of 30-plus channels, $30 for Orange package of 50-plus channels and $45 if you subscribe to both). Philo has the cheapest offering at just $20 for 60 channels, but it does not carry any sports or news channels.

Streaming television services started out offering a low-cost, slimmed-down, no-contract alternative to bloated and expensive cable TV packages, but their prices have been rising as they add more content. YouTube TV started out at $35 a month and has now almost doubled that price.

YouTube TV indicated it expects to lose some subscribers because of the price increase, which comes during record unemployment because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We hope YouTube TV continues to be your service of choice, but we also understand that some members may want to cancel their service,” the company told subscribers.

It said customers have the option of pausing their service, in which case their DVR recordings will be kept and made available when and if they resume the service.

Rick Moriarty covers business news and consumer issues. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact him anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148