Yesterday, NBCUniversal announced a new multi-year deal that would grant YouTube Premium users free access to the ad-supported Peacock Premium service, beginning early 2027 in the US. I would definitely categorize this as unexpected good news for us, ad-free YouTube subscribers.
For the uninitiated, the YouTube Premium subscription currently includes ad-free viewing, the ability to play videos in the background, downloading videos for offline consumption, and access to YouTube Music. Google recently increased its YouTube Premium pricing back in April to $16 monthly, and this helps justify the higher price while providing more value. This also makes it cheaper than subscribing to both Peacock and YouTube Premium services separately.
The company also stated that it wouldn’t boost the price of its premium subscription plan when users gain Peacock access next year. A YouTube rep told Variety that “we will continue to introduce additional offers and options that allow subscribers to easily customize their viewing preferences and select the plan that works for them.”
Also included within the deal, NBCUniversal will stream several live sporting events on NBC Sports’ YouTube channel while extending its distribution with YouTube TV. Peacock Premium will also be available as an add-on through YouTube Primetime Channels later this summer.
