Youtube Premium: VPN profiteers go to the collar
20.6.2024
Translation: machine translated
YouTube's Premium subscription is not equally expensive in all countries. So far, costs could be saved in high-price countries via VPN. YouTube is now stopping this trick - and is trying a new one.
For some time now, YouTube has been taking increasingly rigorous action against ad blockers. The company wants you to either watch adverts - this is a means of financing the portal - or buy a premium account. This currently costs 15.90 francs per month in Switzerland.
Sophisticated users have found another workaround: they buy a premium account but log into their YouTube account via a virtual private network (VPN) to make the purchase. VPNs can be used to trick a target site into believing that you are logging in from another country.
Source: Florian Bodoky
This results in different plan prices. And it is hardly surprising that the fees are usually lower than in Switzerland. In Croatia, for example, you only pay the equivalent of 9.12 francs per month. In Bulgaria, it's only around 4.50 francs - or even just 1.23 francs in Egypt.
Source: Florian Bodoky
YouTube has made it easy for its users so far: To cancel the plan, you only need to log in once via VPN. After that, the plan also works without a VPN and even with a Swiss credit card.
Youtube checks the trick
But that's all over now. For a few days now, users have been receiving pop-up messages when logging in. "Your Premium membership has been cancelled because we believe the country of registration is incorrect," it says.
Source: Florian Bodoky
Despite this, YouTube will keep the subscription running until the end of the billing period - at least if you have purchased a monthly subscription. After that, the membership expires.
Foul trick with the price
You can also seamlessly renew your Premium membership if you enter the correct country. There is already a button for this in the message
Source: Florian Bodoky
However, caution is advised: If you click on "Register again", you will be shown a higher price than usual. Instead of the usual 15.90 francs (or 23.90 francs for a family account for up to five people), you are offered a plan for 19.90 francs or 30 francs per month. It is not clear why YouTube is doing this.
Source: Florian Bodoky
If you are one of the users caught "VPN-ing", close the banner and renew your Premium membership via the normal "Purchases and Memberships" menu. The normal prices will be displayed there.
Header image: Shutterstock
I've been tinkering with digital networks ever since I found out how to activate both telephone channels on the ISDN card for greater bandwidth. As for the analogue variety, I've been doing that since I learned to talk. Though Winterthur is my adoptive home city, my heart still bleeds red and blue.