YouTube Testing Two-Person Premium Subscription Plans in India

YouTube is testing a two-person subscription plan for its Premium service. The company said that they are piloting the new tier in four countries, including India. The new plan is expected to roll out to all users eventually. The two-person Premium plan is being seen as a move to push YouTube’s subscription growth. Notably, individual, family and student subscription options were already available to users. Much like the Spotify Duo plan, the two-person YouTube Premium membership will allow two individuals to share a subscription. 

YouTube Testing Two-Person Premium Membership Plan

The video-streaming platform owned by Google is testing a two-person YouTube Premium membership plan. The new tier was initially spotted by MoneyControl. The new subscription offer is now listed on the YouTube India website.

However, the two-person YouTube Premium subscription is available to a select few people in the country currently, as it is a pilot program, the MoneyControl report noted. The new tier is being tested in France, Taiwan, and Hong Kong as well. It is expected to be available to all users eventually.

The report added that YouTube claims that it’s experimenting with new ways to offer more “flexibility and value” to YouTube Premium subscribers. The two-person plan is priced at Rs. 219 for a month, and is cheaper than the Family plan, which costs Rs. 299 a month.

The student and individual YouTube Premium plans are currently available at Rs. 89 and Rs. 149 per month, respectively. Notably, YouTube increased the pricing for Premium subscription in India last year in August. 

To access the new two-person YouTube Premium plan, both members are required to be aged 13 years or above. They need to have a Google Account and reside in the same household as well, YouTube clarifies. 

YouTube’s move to pilot the new two-person YouTube Premium subscription plan is being seen as one to boost its subscription revenue and reduce its reliance on advertising sales. This plan allows any two individuals sharing a household to share the Premium membership benefits at a lowered subscription cost, while also enjoying separate accounts.

YouTube Premium users can enjoy an ad-free experience, download videos for offline playback, and the ability to play videos in the background. Recently, the company introduced the Premium Lite plan in select countries like the US, Australia, Germany, and Thailand. It is a cheaper alternative to standard Premium plans and allows limited Premium benefits.