Twitch Turbo in 2024: Is the Price Hike Worth It?
In 2024, Twitch Turbo subscribers saw a significant price hike, raising the monthly cost from $8.99 to $11.99 in the United States. This jump aligns with broader trends in the streaming industry, where services like Netflix and Disney+ have also raised prices. For regular Twitch viewers, this price increase challenges the perceived value of the service, as the core features of Twitch Turbo have not changed significantly despite the added cost.
What Does Twitch Turbo Offer?
Twitch Turbo provides several unique benefits to its users. The most notable feature is ad-free viewing across the platform, allowing subscribers to watch any stream without interruptions from pre-roll, mid-roll, or banner ads. Additionally, Twitch Turbo offers:
- Extended VOD storage: Streamers can save their broadcasts for up to 60 days, compared to the usual 14 days for non-subscribers.
- Exclusive chat customization: Subscribers can personalize their chat experience with custom username colors and an exclusive badge.
- Expanded emote set: Users have access to extra emotes like glitch and monkey emotes, alongside the standard options.
Is Twitch Turbo Worth the Higher Cost?
Whether Twitch Turbo is worth the new price depends largely on how often you use the platform. For heavy users who watch multiple streams daily, the ad-free viewing alone can justify the higher cost, as Twitch ads have become more frequent and disruptive in recent years. However, for casual users or those who already benefit from Prime Gaming (which includes a free channel subscription but still shows ads), the value may be less obvious.
Twitch Turbo vs. Prime Gaming
Both Twitch Turbo and Prime Gaming offer premium features, but they cater to different needs. Prime Gaming comes bundled with an Amazon Prime subscription and provides users with one free channel subscription per month, exclusive in-game content, and more. However, it doesn't offer ad-free viewing across the platform, which remains Twitch Turbo's key selling point. If avoiding ads is your top priority, Twitch Turbo may still be the better option despite the price increase.
Looking Ahead: Will There Be More Changes?
Twitch has indicated that further updates to Turbo are on the horizon. While details are still sparse, the company has hinted at improving the service to better meet user expectations in light of the price hike. Whether these changes will add enough value to justify the new cost remains to be seen, but it’s clear that Twitch is aware of the mixed reception to the price adjustment.
Conclusion
Twitch Turbo remains a valuable option for those who frequently watch streams and want an ad-free experience. However, with the price increase, users may need to weigh whether the benefits justify the new cost. Twitch’s future updates to the service could help tip the scales, but for now, Turbo’s core appeal lies in offering uninterrupted access to Twitch’s vast streaming content.
