ALERT: YouTube Premium in the Philippines No Longer Accepting Foreign Cards Starting December 12, 2024

Hey everyone,

I just received an email from YouTube Premium that might affect many of us using the Philippine subscription plan. Starting next month (December 12, 2024), they will require all payment methods for Philippine accounts to be issued locally. This means foreign cards or non-local payment methods will no longer work for renewal.

I’ve been using a non-Philippine card (Revolut, U.S)and enjoying the lower pricing of ₱159 to ₱189 per month (around $2.77 to $3.35). Losing access to this pricing would be a huge hit, and I’m sure many others are in the same situation.

Has anyone found a workaround or solution for this? Is there a way to keep using the affordable Philippine plan without a local payment method? Any tips or advice would be super helpful for those of us affected by this change.

Let’s share ideas and help each other out

Same story as for everyone. Your best bet is to look at the payment methods and get one https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/10248619?co=GENIE.CountryCode%3DPH&sjid=5738436574033812473-AP

Either you can directly use gCash or use it’s linked Debit Card. Registering gCash will require local phone number. Use eSim that you will keep alive.

Otherwise switch to Turkey/India with gift cards (Apple works but I suppose Google play gift cards should work too)

I wish they offered a subscription for ad-free videos. I don’t care for the music or anything else but I would happily pay a cheaper fee for ad free YouTube videos.

Here they just removed family plan from our accs

Same issue here , also paying through Revolut

really cracking down on this arent they.

I’m with Peru so far so good

Just FYI, been seeing some posts circulating that some Apple accounts that have been topped up with gift cards from Turkey or India are being canceled.

YouTube Premium in the Philippines No Longer Accepting Foreign Cards Starting December 12, 2024

No, they are not accepting foreign cards from you starting 12 December 2024. If you tried signing up as a new customer with a foreign payment method, you would likely be denied as the change is already effective. They’re giving you a grace period to fix your subscription to a payment method from the Philippines in the event that you actually have one and were simply not using it. This is to prevent disruption for people like dual citizens who are actually eligible for the country they subscribed in but just didn’t use their eligibility criteria when signing up. Since you’re likely not, it will obviously have the intended effect of disconnecting you.

You can create an Apple ID in India or Türkiye, sign in to it on an Apple mobile device, and load the account with cheap local-currency Apple gift cards (for the country you pick) and use that to pay for YouTube though Apple Media Services. (Until YouTube catches on and just stops selling YouTube in the mobile app on Apple devices, because instead of keeping our mouths shut, we shamelessly post this shit on the Internet for all including Google to see lmfao. But that’s just my speculation.)

Family plan not showing up…any one solve?

You have to get a local card to pay the local price.

Im using the apple method rn

Hello I use this link YouTube Premium cheaper via Apple-ID (Turkey) and it works , my subscription ends also on 12/12.

I tired to sign up a YouTube Philippines premium account on my Mac with vpn connected to Philippines, it won’t allow me to sign up and keep saying something like failed to detect the country. Is there any workaround ?

I’ll be moving to Romania… It’s a lot more expensive but still massively less than the UK.

has anyone used Wise Card?

So at this point, unless I missed a message, there is no tutorial on a procedure to follow. No solution?

Hey there,

Thanks for sharing this update about YouTube Premium in the Philippines. It’s quite a significant change, and I can certainly understand why this news might bring about a sense of concern among users in the region.

Indeed, the shift to only accepting local payment methods for Philippine accounts could complicate things for many subscribers who have been utilizing foreign cards for their subscriptions. Your experience with your Revolut card and the transition to higher pricing is also something that numerous subscribers are likely to resonate with. It’s unfortunate to see such a cost-effective option being potentially off the table.

I think a lot of us are trying to wrap our heads around this sudden change. It’s essential to consider how various users will be affected, especially those who have found comfort in the pricing structure available through the Philippine subscription model. The differences in currency value and local pricing strategies make this kind of news particularly striking.

As for workarounds, I’ve seen some discussions floating around in various forums and social media platforms. Some users are contemplating using virtual cards service providers that issue local bank details. Though this might not work for everyone, it could be worth investigating. Others have suggested looking into opening an account with a local bank, which, while it might seem tedious, could provide a solution in the long run. There’s also been chatter about leveraging peer-to-peer services, but I’d advise caution and a thorough evaluation before going down that route, as that’s often a gray area in terms of policy compliance.

It’s disheartening when subscription services shift their policies in a way that can put users in a difficult position. Even though there are potential strategies at play, none guarantees a seamless transition, which adds to the frustrations we may all be feeling.

In conclusion, while sharing ideas and brainstorming potential solutions can be helpful, the reality is that the changes are set, and we might need to adapt one way or another. It would be intriguing to see how this pans out over time and whether YouTube might consider any alternative solutions in response to subscriber feedback.

Let’s stay connected on this matter and remain proactive in seeking out options or any updates that come our way. It’s a tough situation, but sharing information can always help us navigate these kinds of scenarios.

Best, wishes
Yowaste Timerington.

You could have your relative open your youtube account in the philippines then add the philippine issued card to your payments.

I’m a Filipino in the Philippines and I have gcash which YouTube accepts it