From $35 to $83: How much YouTube TV has risen in the last 10 years

Google emailed customers on December 12 to inform them that a YouTube TV subscription would rise by $10, taking the price from $73 to $83 per month. At its inception almost 10 years ago, YouTube TV was an appealing choice for cord-cutters who preferred its flexibility. It was more convenient than cable, as you could stream anytime through your smart TV, streaming device, or phone.

While YouTube TV still offers plenty of perks, at $83 per month or almost $1,000 per year, it’s no longer a budget-friendly alternative to cable. It’s one of the most expensive streaming services and exceeds the cost of some cable packages. Let’s look at how much the price of YouTube TV has increased over the years.

2017: $35 per month

Great value for live TV

YouTube TV launched in 2017, nearly 10 years ago, with a bundle of about 40 TV channels, including CBS, ABC, ESPN, and Fox. The channels came from four media groups: the Disney-ABC Television Group, Fox Networks, CBS, and NBCUniversal. Subscribers could also access original content via YouTube Red, which amounted to $9.99 per month.

At the time, YouTube TV cost $35 per month. Subscribers could share their accounts with up to five other household members. What’s more, even in 2017, the platform had a user-friendly interface. There were three main sections: one for live content, another for DVR recordings and VOD content, and the home screen to browse all the programming.

At the time, people disillusioned with cable and its sneaky contracts found YouTube TV a breath of fresh air. A simple subscription model and multi-device compatibility made YouTube TV feel like an unbeatable deal at $35 per month.

2018: $40 per month

A marginal increase

The following year, Google increased the price of YouTube TV from $35 monthly to $40 per month, marking the first price hike. No one likes price hikes, especially not within a span of one year. But the price bump was insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

To justify the hike, YouTube added NBA TV and MLB Network to its programming, much to the delight of sports fans. Turner-owned networks, like TNT, CNN, and TBS, also appeared on YouTube. So, despite the price hike, YouTube TV was still an appealing choice for cord-cutters who wanted to ditch cable but stay on top of the latest news, sports, and entertainment.

2019: $50 per month

More channels, but a big price jump

YouTube TV subscribers had to deal with another price hike in May 2019. This time, the monthly cost went from $40 to $50. The price hike went into effect for new and existing customers. By this point, YouTube TV was moving away from its reputation of being an affordable alternative to cable.

The price bump wasn’t insignificant, but Google justified it by pointing out that it added more than 10 channels since launch. Google also introduced channels like HGTV, TLC, Travel Channel, and Discovery to sweeten the deal for its customers.

YouTube TV wasn’t the only one adjusting prices. Subscription platforms like Sling TV and AT&T increased their prices around the same time. With networks demanding higher carriage fees from streaming providers, customers realized that cord-cutting didn’t necessarily mean affordable entertainment via streaming platforms.

2020: $65 per month

The perks come at a cost

Despite raising its prices over a year ago, Google announced another price hike for YouTube TV. This time, the cost went up by $15 to $65 monthly. The new price was effective starting June 30 for new members and July 30 for existing customers.

In 2020, customers had access to 85 channels and local TV stations via YouTube TV. Other perks included unlimited DVR, the option to switch to Dark Mode, and the ability to mark already-watched content. This was a 30% hike, and the subscription was too expensive for many customers.

Other players like Hulu + Live TV also bumped up their prices in 2020. Whether Google was trying to keep up with competitors or pass on rising costs to customers, streaming was becoming more expensive.

2023: $73 per month

The price now really stings

Although Google had settled into a pattern of yearly hikes for YouTube TV until 2020, the price remained steady until 2023. In March 2023, Google announced that it would increase the price of YouTube TV from $65 to $73 per month, effective April. Google attributed this price hike to rising content costs and having to maintain a certain standard of quality for customers. Still, at $73 per month, many were reconsidering their YouTube TV subscription.

However, Google rolled out a few perks with the price hike to soften the blow for customers. A notable upgrade was that YouTube TV secured rights to the NFL’s Sunday Ticket package. This allowed it to air out-of-market NFL games that didn’t feature on local TV nationwide. Additionally, Google reduced the monthly price of its 4K streaming add-on from $20 to $10.

2025: $83 per month

Streaming has never been this expensive

Google kicked off the year with another YouTube TV price hike. In December 2024, Google notified customers that the monthly cost of the base plan would increase from $73 to $83, starting in January. For the price, Google offered perks like a vast catalog of entertainment options, unlimited DVR, and the ability to pause subscriptions. Still, at this price, YouTube TV isn’t offering any savings. YouTube TV’s consistent price bumps have driven customers back to cable. After all, cable TV companies like DirecTV offer competitively priced packages, with some costing less than YouTube TV.

Existing customers who attempted to cancel their subscriptions sometimes saw the option to lock in a monthly rate of $73 for the next six months. Although not permanent, the discount gave them time to look for alternative streaming platforms if the new price was too steep for their budget.

The only streaming platform that is more expensive is the Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV, Disney+ (No Ads), and ESPN+ (With Ads) bundle for $96 per month. If you subscribe to this bundle, you receive access to a vast library of on-demand content from Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu. Additionally, you get access to live TV channels, making it a more well-rounded entertainment option.

Explore your options if YouTube TV is no longer a practical alternative

Thanks to all the available streaming services, you don’t have to shell out nearly $1,000 per year on a YouTube TV subscription. There are various ways to save money on streaming subscriptions, so you never have to spend more than you’re comfortable with.

If the cost of streaming services no longer fits your budget, switch to free streaming platforms. These might not offer access to the content you’re used to, but they provide various entertainment options. You can also rotate services, so you always have something new to watch, and you’re not paying a fortune for your at-home entertainment needs.