Balking at sky-high price tag for NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube? We can’t blame you. Even with last-minute discounts and a new monthly installment plan, the price for a season of NFL Sunday Ticket is daunting, to say the least. Luckily, there’s a way to get Week 1 for free, but know what you’re getting into first.
The first week of the 2023-24 NFL season is already underway, and the first round of Sunday games is slated to kick off this weekend on September 10. That means NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube is finally set to debut.
The normal price of NFL Sunday Ticket is $349 a season for YouTube TV subscribers, or an eye-popping $449 a season via YouTube Primetime Channels. (YouTube is currently offering $50 off NFL Sunday Ticket prices until September 19; here’s a complete breakdown of YouTube’s NFL Sunday Ticket plans.)
YouTube made the pill a little easier to swallow last month by unveiling a monthly installment plan, which lets you pay for NFL Sunday Ticket in four monthly payments. That means if you sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket through YouTube Primetime Channels, you’ll be paying $99.75 each month for four months (a price that takes into account the current $50-off discount).
But even better, YouTube is now offering a free trial for NFL Sunday Ticket. If you sign up now, you’ll get the first seven days–so basically, a full Sunday of NFL action–for free.
Sounds like a plan, right? But before you sign up for the NFL Sunday Ticket free trial, here are three important things to keep in mind, particularly if you’re eyeing the monthly payment option:
You’ll be locked into NFL Sunday Ticket if you don’t cancel before the free trial ends
At the end of your free trial, YouTube will charge your credit card for the full season of NFL Sunday Ticket–and once that happens, you can’t cancel it.
That condition includes both those who sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket through YouTube Primetime Channels and as an add-on to YouTube TV. (And remember, if you cancel YouTube TV before the NFL season is over, you’ll lose access to the NFL Sunday Ticket add-on).
If you sign up for the NFL Sunday Ticket free trial, you won’t be eligible for the monthly installment plan
Here’s a sticking point that’s easy to miss. Look closely at YouTube’s NFL Sunday Ticket offers, and you’ll see that you can opt for either four monthly payments or a 7-day free trial, and then one big annual payment.
So if you decide to keep NFL Sunday Ticket following the free trial, be aware that your next credit card bill will be a big one.
Your NFL Sunday Ticket subscription will automatically renew for the next season unless you cancel
If you sign up for the NFL Sunday Ticket free trial and wind up paying for the full season, you’ll automatically be charged for the following season unless you cancel before your next billing date.
You likely won’t be billed for the 2024-25 NFL season until closer to next fall, but don’t forget to cancel before the renewal date hits.
Updated shortly after publication with a correction: The first Sunday of the 2023-24 NFL seasons hits on September 10, not September 11. Our apologies for the error.
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he covers smart speakers, soundbars, and other smart and home-theater devices. You can follow Ben on Twitter.