Yahoo Mail users to start paying monthly, as firm cuts free storage to 20GB

The company sent out a notice on Tuesday urging users to check their current storage usage and consider upgrading to a paid plan if they are nearing or above the new cap.

Once a user hits the 20GB limit, they will no longer be able to send or receive emails, though access to the inbox itself will remain available. This gives users time to either delete older emails or subscribe to one of Yahoo’s new storage plans.

The updated pricing tiers include:

• 100GB for $1.99/month

• 1TB for $9.99/month

In addition, Yahoo is pushing its Mail Plus subscription, which includes 200GB of storage, an ad-free interface, and other premium features. However, both the 100GB and 1TB plans will still show ads — a move that’s already drawing criticism from users, who question why advertisements remain even with a paid subscription.

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While Yahoo’s new 20GB free plan is still more than the 15GB offered by Google (shared across Gmail, Drive, and Photos), Yahoo’s allocation is solely for email. That might benefit users who rely heavily on email alone, but the sudden cutback from 1TB to 20GB is jarring for many longtime users.

Reactions across forums and social media platforms have been largely negative, with users calling the change “drastic” and “exploitative,” especially considering the lack of prior warning. For those who’ve used Yahoo Mail as a long-term archive, the new limits could force tough decisions or unexpected costs.