BBC Studios is extending its US subscription model from BBC.com to the BBC app, aiming to give paying users a seamless “read, watch and listen” experience across both platforms.
From 7 January, subscribers in the United States can access more than 1,600 hours of documentaries, global news and premium features for $49.99 (€42.80) a year or $8.99 (€7.70) a month, which BBC Studios says works out at under $1 (€0.86) a week.
The bundle includes full-length news articles and feature stories, a 24/7 livestream of the BBC News channel, and additional benefits promised in the coming months such as early-release podcasts, exclusive newsletters and more premium content.
Non-paying users in the United States will continue to get access to selected breaking news, BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service livestreams, BBC World Service Languages sites, plus a range of free newsletters and podcasts.
BBC Studios said the change does not affect users in the UK or elsewhere, adding that UK licence fee payers travelling to the United States can continue to use the BBC News app as normal, provided they have downloaded the latest version from the UK app stores before travelling.
The company said BBC.com and the BBC app are commercially funded and operate separately from BBC platforms in the UK, with access determined by device geolocation to comply with local laws and content rights restrictions.
BBC Studios launched the US pay model on BBC.com in June 2025 and says the site has since delivered double-digit audience gains, including a record September in the US with 77 million visitors and a Comscore ranking of #13. It also highlighted the launch of a dedicated Health vertical on BBC.com, with the monthly audience for health features in North America up 40% year-on-year.
