YouTube is preparing to launch Premium Lite, a more affordable subscription tier designed for users who primarily watch non-music content and seek an ad-free experience.
This new offering is expected to roll out soon in the United States, Australia, Germany, and Thailand, providing a budget-friendly alternative to YouTube Premium.
YouTube initially piloted a version of Premium Lite in select European countries in 2021. This offered ad-free viewing for most videos. However, the company discontinued that plan in 2023.
In October 2024, YouTube resumed testing a revised version, introducing limited ads on certain content, such as YouTube Shorts and music videos, while maintaining an ad-free experience for general videos.
Pricing and Features
While official pricing details for the upcoming launch have not been disclosed, previous tests in Australia offered Premium Lite at $8.99 AUD per month for web users and $11.99 AUD for iOS users, compared to the full Premium subscription priced at $16.99 AUD and $22.99 AUD, respectively.
Key features of Premium Lite include:
- Ad-free viewing for most videos, excluding music content.
- No offline downloads: users must stay online to watch content.
- No background playback: videos won’t continue playing when the app is minimized.
- No YouTube Music Premium access: this tier is strictly for video consumption.
A YouTube spokesperson commented on the development, stating, “As part of our commitment to provide our users with more choice and flexibility, we’ve been testing a new YouTube Premium offering with most videos ad-free in several of our markets. We’re hoping to expand this offering to even more users in the future with our partners’ support.”
YouTube’s move to introduce YouTube Premium Lite reflects a broader strategy to cater to user needs and budgets. While the full premium subscription remains the top-tier offering, this new plan provides an alternative for users who want an ad-free experience but do not require additional features like music streaming or offline viewing.
YouTube Premium Lite could set a new standard for flexible, user-centric streaming services. More details, including launch dates and region-specific pricing, are expected soon.
