Delivering the latest case of streaming sticker shock, YouTube TV is raising prices by another $10 month in January, hitting $82.99 for its basic plan.
“We don’t make these decisions lightly, and we realize this has an impact on our members,” the company wrote in a note to subscribers. “We are committed to bringing you features that are changing the way we watch live TV, like unlimited DVR storage and multiview, and supporting YouTube TV’s breadth of content and vast on-demand library of movies and shows.”
Earlier this year, YouTube TV parent Google said the service had surpassed 8 million subscribers, putting it in the top tier of pay-TV operators. Its growth of late has been spurred by a long-term deal with the NFL to provide Sunday Ticket. YouTube is also commanding an ever-larger share of total viewing on TV sets, enabling the tech giant to acquire customers at a healthy rate.
Unlike conventional pay-TV providers, YouTube TV offered subscribers an easy way to opt out if they felt too frustrated by the new pricing. “We hope YouTube TV continues to be your service of choice, but we understand that some of our members may want to cancel their subscriptions,” the company told them. “As always, family managers have the ability to pause or cancel anytime.”