Ever since YouTube debuted its pay-to-make-the-ads-stop service Premium back in 2018, it’s only given subscribers the option to be charged on a monthly basis.
But, as 9to5Google first noticed, sometime in recent weeks YouTube added an option for Premium and Music Premium subscribers to pay on an annual basis.
Through Jan. 23, the new Premium annual plan (which includes YouTube Music Premium) costs $107.99, or roughly $9 per month, compared to the pay-by-month price of $11.99. After the promotional period ends, Premium will cost $119.99, or around $10 per month.
Meanwhile, YouTube Music Premium’s annual plan costs $89.99 ($7.50/month) through Jan. 23, and $99.99 ($8.33/month) after. Music Premium is usually $9.99 per month.
9to5Google did the math and found that by subscribing before Jan. 23, users will save $35.89 per year with the Premium plan, and $29.89 with the Music Premium plan. After Jan. 23, they’ll save $23.89 per year with the Premium plan, and $19.89 with the Music Premium plan.
Both brand-new and current pay-by-month subscribers can sign up for annual plans. Current subscribers will have to cancel their ongoing plans and resubscribe using the annual option.
Per the plans’ terms of service, they are non-recurring (meaning subscribers will have to manually subscribe each year) and there are no refunds, partial or otherwise.
Annual plans are available to YouTube users in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, Turkey, Germany, Thailand, India, and Japan.
It’s worth noting that yesterday, YouTube revealed plans to shutter its in-house content production arm, YouTube Originals. The platform used to promote Originals as one of the major draws for Premium subscriptions, because at the time, YouTube-made series like Cobra Kai were pay-gated and could only be watched by Premium subscribers. After YouTube decided to make all Originals free to watch in November 2018, its Premium marketing shifted to emphasize that subscribers aren’t served any ads, have background play on YouTube’s iOS and Android apps, and have access to YouTube Music.
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