YouTube tests duo subscription model, following Spotify’s successful playbook

Streaming services are increasingly tailoring subscription plans, aiming to capture a wider audience by moving beyond one-size-fits-all models toward more flexible, targeted options. YouTube is the latest major player testing these waters with a new plan for pairs.

New duo option: YouTube has reportedly begun piloting a two-person Premium subscription tier in India, France, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. MoneyControl first reported the test last week and found that the plan allows two individuals within the same Google family group to share full Premium benefits, including ad-free viewing, YouTube Music, and offline downloads, mirroring successful strategies from other platforms.

Spotify’s playbook: Spotify previously set a precedent with its Duo plan, launched in July 2020 across numerous markets. Spotify Duo targets two people living together, offering them a shared subscription at a cost lower than two individual plans. YouTube’s test indicates recognition of this market segment.

Pricing the pair: In India, the YouTube Premium Duo pilot costs ₹219 per month (roughly $2.50 USD). This price fits between the individual plan and family plan, offering a clear intermediate option for users not needing a full family package. Both users must be at least 13 years old and have Google accounts.

Diversifying tiers: The Duo experiment is part of YouTube’s wider strategy to expand subscription offerings. These already include Premium Lite, an $7.99 per month ad-free-only tier available in markets like the U.S. Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai noted on a recent earnings call, “subscriptions are now a big part of the business. We continue to diversify subscription options.”

YouTube Premium and Music already count over 125 million paying subscribers globally as of early 2025, and the success of the soft international launch will likely inform decisions about a broader rollout.