SINGAPORE — YouTube Premium subscribers in Singapore are about to pay more for going ad-free, with both individual and family memberships getting another price increase.
YouTube has notified Singapore subscribers that its Premium subscription rates are rising, pushing the individual plan to S$15.98 a month, up from S$13.98, while the Family plan will increase to S$31.98, up from S$27.98.
That works out to an additional S$2 a month for individual users and S$4 a month for families — or S$24 and S$48 more per year, respectively.
The latest increase was announced directly to subscribers via email, with YouTube saying the higher prices will help it continue improving Premium and supporting the creators and artists on the platform.
How much will YouTube Premium cost in Singapore?
| Plan | Previous price | New price | Monthly increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | S$13.98 | S$15.98 | +S$2 |
| Family | S$27.98 | S$31.98 | +S$4 |
The individual plan is therefore rising by about 14.3 per cent, while the Family plan is also increasing by roughly 14.3 per cent.
For a Family subscriber, the new price means spending S$383.76 a year, compared with S$335.76 previously.
This is YouTube Premium’s second major Singapore price increase in about two years
The latest hike follows another substantial increase in Singapore roughly two years ago.
At that time, YouTube Premium’s individual plan rose from S$11.98 to S$13.98, while the Family plan jumped from S$17.98 to S$27.98.
That means Singapore’s Family plan has now risen from S$17.98 to S$31.98 since the earlier pricing structure — an increase of almost 78 per cent compared with that earlier rate.
The size of the previous Family-plan increase was already notable, making the latest S$4 monthly rise another blow for households sharing the subscription.
What does YouTube Premium include?
The Premium subscription removes advertising from YouTube videos and also provides features including background playback, offline downloads and access to YouTube Music Premium.
YouTube’s current help information says its Family plan can provide Premium benefits for up to six people in the same household, while availability of other plan types can vary by market.
For heavy YouTube users, particularly those who also use YouTube Music, the subscription therefore functions as both a video and music service rather than simply an ad-removal option.
The increase comes amid a broader global YouTube price push
Singapore is not the only market where YouTube Premium has become more expensive.
In the United States, YouTube increased the Premium individual plan from US$13.99 to US$15.99 a month, while the Family plan rose from US$22.99 to US$26.99. Premium Lite and YouTube Music plans were also affected. TechCrunch reported that existing subscribers were given advance notice of the changes.
Other technology outlets, including Droid Life and The Desk, likewise reported the US increases, with the Family tier taking the largest monthly jump.
However, Singapore subscribers should not assume that the US plan structure or prices apply locally. The Singapore figures are based on YouTube’s subscriber notification reported by CNA.
Why are subscribers paying more?
YouTube’s explanation is straightforward: the company says the additional revenue will allow it to continue improving Premium while supporting creators and artists.
“We don’t make these decisions lightly,” YouTube said in its email to subscribers, adding that the change would help it improve Premium and support creators and artists.
The company did not provide a detailed breakdown of the specific costs behind the Singapore increase in the information reported by CNA.
YouTube says Premium has grown into a major global subscription business, with more than 125 million Premium users worldwide, according to the company.
Is YouTube Premium still worth it?
That will depend heavily on how much a subscriber actually uses YouTube.
For someone who watches YouTube every day and relies on background playback, offline downloads and YouTube Music, the higher price may still compare favourably with maintaining separate video and music subscriptions.
But for casual viewers, the calculation is becoming harder.
At S$15.98 a month, an individual subscriber is now paying nearly S$192 a year for Premium. A household paying for the Family plan will spend almost S$384 annually.
And that is before adding other streaming subscriptions such as Netflix, Disney+ or Spotify.
The bigger question for Singapore users may therefore no longer be whether YouTube Premium is useful — but whether ad-free YouTube is still worth another price increase.
For subscribers who have stayed through previous hikes, this latest jump could be the moment they start looking closely at their monthly streaming bill.
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