YouTube Premium Lite: Enjoy YouTube Without Ads at a Lower Price
YouTube is expanding its YouTube Premium Lite subscription, offering an ad-free experience at a lower cost than the full YouTube Premium plan. This budget-friendly tier is now available in the United States after initially launching in Thailand, Germany, and Australia, with plans to expand to more countries soon.
What Does YouTube Premium Lite Offer?
For a monthly fee of $7.99, YouTube Premium Lite allows users to watch most videos without ads. However, unlike the $13.99 full YouTube Premium plan, this subscription does not include:
- YouTube Music Premium
- Offline downloads for videos
- Background play (watching videos while using other apps)
- Ad-free music videos
It’s important to note that while most regular videos will be ad-free, music-related content will still have ads.
Why Introduce a Cheaper Subscription?
YouTube is likely targeting users who find the full Premium plan too expensive or those who rely on ad blockers. With Premium Lite, users can support their favorite content creators while avoiding most ads—without paying for features they don’t use, such as YouTube Music.
A Step in the Right Direction, But Not Perfect
For some users, Premium Lite is almost what they need—a way to remove ads at a lower cost. However, the fact that music-related videos still have ads is a major downside. Many users pay for YouTube Premium only to remove ads, and Lite does not fully deliver on that front.
Another concern is background play. This feature used to be available for free through phone settings but is now locked behind a subscription. While it makes sense to keep background play exclusive to full YouTube Premium, some users might have preferred a version of Premium Lite that includes it, even at a slightly higher price.
A Smart Strategy to Gain More Subscribers
YouTube’s strategy is clear: offer an entry-level paid option to attract users who might not have otherwise subscribed while keeping premium features locked behind the $13.99 tier. This prevents full subscribers from downgrading while still converting light users into paying customers.
For those who primarily watch YouTube on their TVs, Premium Lite may be a great option since background play is not a factor. However, anyone who listens to videos while driving or multitasking may still find the full Premium plan worth the cost.
How to Subscribe to YouTube Premium Lite
Users can sign up for YouTube Premium Lite and other subscription plans directly from the YouTube website. As YouTube continues to test new pricing models, it remains to be seen if additional Lite options will emerge in the future.
