You can now share YouTube Premium plan with another person
What's the story
YouTube is testing a new subscription model, giving select users in India, France, Taiwan, and Hong Kong the option to share their Premium or Music Premium membership with another household member.
The move comes as part of Google's larger strategy to diversify its revenue streams beyond advertising.
The two-person YouTube Premium subscription tier is being tested here at a monthly cost of ₹219.
Service
A look at the plan
During this trial phase, the Music Premium subscription tier comes at just ₹149/month.
To be eligible for these plans, both members should be 13 years or older, have a Google account, and be part of the same Google family group.
YouTube Premium provides ad-free experience, background video playback, offline downloads of videos for later viewing as well as early access to some experimental features on the platform.
Current offerings
YouTube's subscription plans in India
In India, YouTube Premium already offers monthly plans at ₹89 (Student), ₹149 (Individual), and ₹299 (Family).
Similarly, Music Premium plans start at ₹59 for students, ₹119 for individuals, and ₹179 for families.
The new two-member plan would be ideal for couples or any two individuals sharing a household looking to cut down on subscription costs while keeping their accounts separate.
Revenue strategy
Google's efforts to boost YouTube's revenue
Over the last few years, Google has taken several steps to increase YouTube's subscription revenue. This includes a worldwide crackdown on adblockers and raising the prices of its Premium subscriptions in many markets.
In India, prices were hiked in August 2024 by 12-58%, depending on the tier.
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google parent Alphabet, recently said subscriptions are a big part of YouTube's business and that they will continue to diversify their subscription options.
Subscriber growth
YouTube's global subscriber base
Back in March, YouTube had announced that it garnered over 125 million subscribers worldwide across Music and Premium services. Overall, Alphabet has crossed over 270 million paid subscriptions, with YouTube and Google One being the key drivers.