Why am I paying more for YouTube premium through Apple?

When you subscribe to services like YouTube Premium via the Apple App Store, the price may be higher than if you subscribe directly via the service's website. This price difference is generally due to the commission Apple levies on in-app purchases made on its platform. Apple levies a 15-30% commission on transactions carried out in the App Store, including subscriptions. To compensate for this commission, service providers can increase the price of their subscriptions when purchased via the App Store.

Solution to the problem

To avoid paying this surcharge :

Cancel your YouTube Premium subscription via the App Store: Start by cancelling your current subscription on your Apple device. Be sure to follow the correct procedure to avoid being billed for another billing cycle.

Re-subscribe directly via YouTube: Once your current subscription has been cancelled and expired, go directly to the YouTube website or use the YouTube app on a non-Apple device to re-subscribe to YouTube Premium. By subscribing directly via YouTube, you should be able to enjoy the standard rate at no extra cost.

Annimatorm wrote:

So paying google 13.99 for youtube and then paying google the $5 they are charging me to use apple payment. Still $5 i could not pay, paying direct for the product.

You are correct. Google gives you a discount to let them handle your financial information. Of course you realize that Google is an advertising company that makes the majority of their revenue on selling your personal information to advertisers.

It costs Google $4.20 for the subscription through Apple for the first year and $2.10 each additional year. Since they are charging you an extra $5 to use Apple payment processing every year, it just shows how much they want your data.

Annimatorm wrote:

Youtube set the price at $13.99/month. That is the price I am looking to pay. Who knows I may be back to apple, or i may just not do premium. For now, just not paying $5 just to be able to pay the $13.99 for the service. I don’t care if it is google or apple, they don’t need that $5 /month more than i do.

The choice is yours. Google sets the price for each plan. The only difference is who you want managing your payment information and where you will be cancelling if you decide you want to quit the service. If you are comfortable with Google having your financial info along with your personal data, then it would make sense to choose that option. When using Apple for payment, Google will not have your financial information.

Here:

(screenshot taken from vergeDOTcom)

Ask YouTube, they are the ones charging you. Apple doesn't charge more to subscribe through them.

3rd party apps pay additional fees for payment through Apple App Store. Some 3rd party apps pass those costs onto you.

Yip. You're figuring it out.

But it's not Apple that sets the price, it's the 3rd party.

Some of these 3rd party's have started doing it from their own website and then linking your account payment to the app on your phone.

Apple isn’t charging you.

Google is charging you.

Apple is merely the payment processor, Google sets the price.

No, Google is charging you more to go through Apple, again, Apple doesn't set the price. Google is charging you more to make up the cost that Apple is charging them.