YouTube Premium Lite: Affordable Plan With Limited Ads Nears Launch

Google has reportedly been developing a Lite version of YouTube Premium, which appears to be nearing its launch, according to Bloomberg. A new and more affordable subscription plan is expected to be introduced in countries such as the U.S., Australia, Germany, and Thailand, catering to users who prefer watching non-music video content without committing to the full premium experience.

Previously, YouTube tested an ad-free plan under the name “Premium Lite,” but it was discontinued in 2023— However, in October of the same year, Google confirmed to The Verge that it was working on an improved version of this offering. Paul Pennington, a YouTube representative, previously stated that the company aims to introduce a new subscription tier with mostly ad-free video content while planning to expand its availability in the future. However, details on the launch date, availability, and exact pricing remain unclear.

Premium Lite coming back?
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According to leaks, YouTube Premium Lite is expected to cost $11.99 per month, which is half the price of the full YouTube Premium subscription ($22.99). Unlike the standard Premium plan, the Lite version may still include ads in licensed music videos, YouTube Shorts, and search/browsing results.

Additionally, Premium Lite will not include access to YouTube Music Premium, video downloads, or features like offline playback, background play, and screen-off listening. For comparison, the previous YouTube Premium Lite was completely ad-free but was only available in select European countries, including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.

Filed in Cellphones >Computers >Web. Read more about YouTube.