YouTube launches subscription service for $9.99
YouTube is rolling out a subscription service that will allow subscribers to watch ad-free videos.
Called YouTube Red, the service is $9.99 per month and is initially only available in the US. Besides providing ad-free viewing, it will also let users save videos to watch offline and will let them play videos in the background while they’re doing other things on their phone or tablet.
In a company blog post, YouTube said that starting as early as next year, YouTube Red subscribers will have access to original shows from YouTube stars like PewDiePie and Lilly Singh.
PewDiePie is starring in a reality-adventure series from the creator and executive producers of The Walking Dead where he will “encounter terrifying situations inspired by his favorite video games,” while Lilly Singh will star in a movie called A Trip Unicorn Island.
The announcement marks a definitive shift for YouTube as it attempts to monetize its videos in a new way and create its own content to compete with the likes of Hulu and Netflix.