YouTube Set to Launch Its Ad-Free Subscription in October: Report

YouTube is set to soon launch its long rumoured subscription-based Video-On-Demand service. The firm recently sent an email to YouTube content owners, revealing the plans and asking them to agree with the new terms by October 22 this year. Not agreeing with the terms would result in the removal of the videos from the portal.

"To give fans more choice we will be launching a new ads-free version of YouTube, available to fans for a monthly fee. This service will create a new source of revenue over time that supplements your advertising revenue," stated the email first shared by Re/code. "As you heard in our previous emails, we want to ensure that fans who choose to pay for an ads-free experience can watch all the same videos that are available on the ads-supported experience. That's why we're asking you to update your agreement to reflect the updated terms for the ads-free service."

Industry sources have revealed to Re/code that this subscription-based content viewing might launch towards the end of October. It has also been said that YouTube might bundle two different services in one single offer. While the first service would be an upgrade to YouTube's Music Key service, which was launched as beta last year, the second would be viewing videos without any ads.

The report added that, Google plans to charge subscribers $10 per month for the offer featuring the two services. The details regarding how Google plans to make money from the offer is yet to be known as previous reports have suggested that its Music Key service was supposed to cost $10 in itself.

For years, YouTube's fans have been telling us they want more - more choice when watching their favourite content, more ways to support their favourite creators and, above all, the option to watch their favourite videos uninterrupted.

To give fans more choice we will be launching a new ads-free version of YouTube, available to fans for a monthly fee. This service will create a new source of revenue over time that supplements your advertising revenue. That's why an overwhelming majority of our partners - representing over 95% of YouTube watchtime - have asked for and signed up for this service.

As you heard in our previous emails, we want to ensure that fans who choose to pay for an ads-free experience can watch all the same videos that are available on the ads-supported experience. That's why we're asking you to update your agreement to reflect the updated terms for the ads-free service.

To accept, simply log into YouTube.com as "pakafka" from a desktop or laptop and follow the prompts by October 22nd.

If you haven't signed by that date, your videos will no longer be available for public display or monetization in the United States. That outcome would be a loss for YouTube, a loss for the thriving presence you've built on the platform, and above all, a loss for your fans. We remain committed to working with you, as we always have. And of course, at any time, you can accept the updated terms which will make your videos public and monetizable again. Common FAQs can be found here.

We believe these new terms will greatly strengthen our partnership for the future. We went through a similar process three years ago when we began distributing and monetizing your content on mobile devices. Today, mobile represents over half of all watchtime and mobile revenue is up 2x in just the last year. Just as with mobile, we're confident this latest update will excite your fans and generate a previously untapped, additional source of revenue for you.

If you have questions or encounter technical difficulties, we're here to help: reach out to us for support here.

The YouTube Team