YouTube TV customers got the news that many users of live TV streaming services have received in the past year: their subscription cost is going up. Effective immediately for new customers, and as of April 18 for existing users, YouTube TV is jumping from $64.99 to $72.99 per month.
YouTube TV hadn’t raised its prices since 2020, so it wasn’t terribly surprising to see the increase announced. However, one positive note that came out of the news was the fact that YouTube TV is dropping the price of its 4K Plus add-on. So, instead of $19.99 per month, it will now cost $9.99 per month.
That means that existing users who were subscribed to the 4K plan already are actually getting their service more cheaply now. Their total cost before the changes was $84.99 ($64.99 for YouTube TV, and $19.99 for 4K Plus). Now it has dropped to $82.99, a small decrease to be sure, but a decrease nonetheless.
Ultra-high-definition 4K is essentially the best picture quality available for watching TV. Content broadcast in 4K has a screen resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, which is four times as high as standard 1080p HD. That makes 4K especially excellent for watching live sports and blockbuster movies, but it helps enhance the viewing experience for just about anything. FOX broadcast this year's Super Bowl in 4K, which helped it set a new Super Bowl streaming record.
But why would YouTube drop the price of its 4K add-on? The simple answer is that right now, there just isn’t that much content available in 4K. For users to watch a show or movie in 4K, it has to be produced and broadcast in that resolution in the first place. More networks and affiliates would likely start offering 4K content if they could, but to do so they’d need to make major equipment upgrades, and for most the technology is still just too expensive.
For 4K streaming to work, it also requires a TV that can handle that many pixels. More and more 4K-enabled TVs are hitting the marketplace, but until very recently, the price has been prohibitively expensive for many customers. With so little content available from networks in 4K, it was hard to justify spending so much on a TV whose main feature is so infrequently available. If these factors were leading to low sign-up numbers for YouTube TV’s 4K Plus, it would go a long way toward explaining the price drop.
But 4K technology is spreading, and 4K TVs are cheaper than ever. A tipping point is likely coming, so YouTube TV users might want to snag the add-on now, especially sports fans. YouTube TV becomes the home of NFL Sunday Ticket this fall, and if FOX decides to broadcast any regular season games in 4K, YouTube TV users will be among the only viewers able to enjoy them in UHD.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 60 channels for $72.99/month. This plan includes local channels, 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets. The service includes an unlimited DVR.