YouTube bets on subscriptions, rentals and shared plans as India shifts from free viewing to paid screens

YouTube is expanding its subscription and paid viewing playbook in India as connected televisions accelerate the shift from free, ad-led viewing to a more diversified monetisation model spanning subscriptions, rentals, and shared plans, according to a Moneycontrol interview with India managing director Gunjan Soni.

The rapid adoption of connected TVs has emerged as a key catalyst for YouTube’s paid offerings in the country. Over the last five years, connected TV has been the platform’s fastest-growing screen in India. As of April 2025, YouTube reached more than 75 million people aged 18 and above on connected TVs, with over half of watch time spent on videos longer than 21 minutes.

Soni said the scale and behaviour shift on large screens is creating a growing opportunity for subscriptions, pay-per-view, and fan-funded models. With a young and digitally savvy audience, India is seeing increasing willingness to pay for high-quality content across categories.

In September, YouTube expanded its Premium Lite pilot to India. Priced at Rs 89 a month, the plan offers ad-free viewing across most video categories but continues to show ads on music content, music videos, and Shorts. It does not support background playback or offline downloads.

The platform is also piloting a two-person subscription tier in India that allows users to share Premium or Music Premium benefits with another household member. The two-person Premium plan is priced at Rs 219 per month, while Music Premium is offered at Rs 149 during the pilot. Standard Premium plans in India start at Rs 89 for students, Rs 149 for individuals, and Rs 299 for families. Music Premium plans begin at Rs 59 for students, Rs 119 for individuals, and Rs 179 for families.

Globally, YouTube crossed 125 million subscribers across Music and Premium services in March. Parent company Alphabet has surpassed 300 million paid subscriptions as of October 2025, with YouTube and Google One acting as key growth drivers.

Beyond subscriptions, YouTube is also testing new revenue pathways around film releases. A key pilot was its partnership with actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan, whose film Sitaare Zameen Par was released on YouTube on a rental basis after its theatrical run, bypassing traditional streaming platforms. The film was made available across India and 38 international markets.

Soni said the innovation lies in windowing strategies rather than pay-per-view itself, allowing production houses to expand reach and unlock new revenue layers. She noted that India’s theatre infrastructure has not scaled in line with the volume of film releases or the size of the addressable audience, creating space for alternative distribution models that leverage YouTube’s reach across living room screens and mobile devices.

The monetisation push is also being reinforced by live content and cultural programming, which helps extend engagement beyond single-event moments. YouTube recently secured exclusive global streaming rights to the Oscars for a five-year period starting in 2029. In addition to streaming the main ceremony for free, the platform plans to offer red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content, and nomination announcements, creating additional inventory and fandom-driven engagement.

India remains central to YouTube’s long-term growth strategy. The country is YouTube’s largest market, with over 500 million users. In May, the platform announced an investment of Rs 850 crore over two years to accelerate India’s creator economy. Over the last three years, YouTube has paid more than Rs 21,000 crore to Indian creators, artists, and media companies.

YouTube said its creative ecosystem contributed over Rs 16,000 crore to India’s GDP last year and supported more than 930,000 full-time equivalent jobs. As of December 2024, more than 15,000 Indian channels had crossed one million subscribers, more than double the number two years earlier. More than 15 percent of watch time for content produced in India now comes from international audiences.