- YouTube is cracking down on YouTube Premium subscribers using VPN to change their locations to get affordable subscriptions.
- YouTube Premium in Ukraine is 1/6th of pricing compared to the one in the US saving more than $10 every month.
- Beware as YouTube could cancel your subscriptions abruptly or give you a few days of grace to update the billing address.
YouTube is taking measures to cut down on free-loaders left and right. The latest subset of users where YouTube is mowing down is YouTube Premium subscribers who are faking their actual location. Several subscribers on Reddit posted about how their subscriptions on the video streaming platform got canceled abruptly. Although the actual reason remains to be determined, YouTube has officially started scanning subscribers and their actual locations for users trying to get cheaper YouTube Premium using VPNs.
No more playing around VPN with YouTube Premium
How does it work, you might ask? Well, turns out YouTube Premium subscriptions aren’t uniformly priced across the globe. This is particularly a trick that subscribers found out that if you subscribe to YouTube Premium in a country where it is cheaper, you can avail of their premium ad-free experience in their country using VPN. This saves a few bucks on top.
YouTube has realized this trick and the latest move could be to counter the same. A YouTube spokesperson said they have mechanisms in place that can determine if the subscriber’s country of billing and their actual location differs. In case they do, YouTube will prompt the subscribers to update their billing information and possibly pay the difference. There’s no update on whether YouTube will cancel subscriptions of those failing to comply although the recent trend as seen on Reddit hints the same.
A Google support agent said subscribers in question will receive an email and notification to update their billing address. If they fail, their subscriptions will be canceled although how long will it take for YouTube to cancel the subscriptions remains under mystery. I would bet YouTube might cancel it right away or give a few days’ grace period wherein you can alter the billing information and retain the subscription.
Currently, YouTube Premium is $14/mo in the US or $15/mo in the UK for individual plans whereas it is $2.40/mo in Ukraine. Using a VPN to mask actual location allows subscribers to save more than $10/mo which adds up rapidly.
Although YouTube is still gaining premium subscribers, it ultimately results in lost revenue since they are providing services to people, say in the US. This is almost 1/6th of what they would charge otherwise if they use a VPN to change their location to Ukraine.
For now, this will come to a halt as YouTube is showing no mercy on defaulters picking them apart left and right. Be it cracking down on ad blockers, Vanced and Revanced apps, and now VPNs.
It’s high time to get yourself a YouTube Premium subscription!
