YouTube hikes prices in Israel
YouTube is updating its subscription rates in Israel. Monthly fees will increase by 20% to 25% depending on the selected plan.
If you thought the wave of price hikes in the streaming market would skip YouTube, think again, because Google's streaming service is updating its subscription rates in Israel, and subscribers are going to feel it in their credit card charges.
A higher increase than in the United States
YouTube has notified its subscribers that it is raising the price of their monthly subscription starting this coming October. The price update includes an increase of 20%–25% in the monthly payment, depending on the plan. In an email sent by YouTube, the company stated that the hike is being done "to continue to provide a great service and new features" and "will allow us to continue to improve Premium and support the creators and artists you watch on YouTube."
So what does this mean in practice? The price of an individual subscription will jump from 23.9 NIS to 29.9 NIS per month — an increase of 25%. For those who opted for the family subscription, the price will rise from 45.9 NIS to 54.9 NIS per month — an increase of 20%. The price of the discounted student subscription for YouTube Premium will also rise, from 15.9 NIS to 18.9 NIS — an increase of about 20%.
Unlike subscriptions for services like Netflix and Disney, without which you cannot watch their content, this subscription is "alongside" the content and only improves your viewing experience. However, anyone who has suffered while watching a long video because of ad breaks knows that this service quickly becomes necessary to truly enjoy YouTube.
It is important to note that we are not the only market that Google has targeted with a price hike. The company already raised prices in the United States in April, but there the increases were more moderate — less than 20% for various plans. In addition, the dollar has fallen by 12% over the last year, which might have been expected to lower subscription costs, as Google, which receives payment in shekels, can convert them into more dollars.
For new subscribers, the higher prices are in effect now, while for existing subscribers, the price will be updated starting from October.
