YouTube launches ‘Premium Lite’ in the US: Get ad-free viewing at a lower subscription price

YouTube has introduced its Premium Lite plan in the US, offering an affordable ad-free experience for most content, excluding music. Here's what you need to know.

YouTube launches Premium Lite in the US with a budget-friendly, ad-free experience on most videos. (Pexels)

YouTube has launched its Premium Lite subscription plan in the United States. This new option provides a more affordable way for users to enjoy an ad-free experience on most of the platform's content. The subscription is priced at $7.99 per month, significantly lower than the regular YouTube Premium subscription, which costs $13.99 per month. Premium Lite removes advertisements from a wide range of videos, including those in categories like gaming, fashion, beauty, and news. However, it does not apply to music content, meaning subscribers will need to pay for the standard Premium plan to access ad-free music videos.

Limited Features for a Lower Price

The Premium Lite plan is designed primarily to eliminate ads from the YouTube experience without offering additional features like offline downloads or background playback, which are available with the standard Premium subscription. This move comes after years of testing the Premium Lite concept in select markets, with reports dating back to 2021. YouTube's global subscriber base for YouTube Music and YouTube Premium now exceeds 125 million, including trial users.

YouTube Premium Lite: Global Expansion and Future Plans

In addition to its launch in the US, YouTube has also announced plans to expand Premium Lite to other countries, including Thailand, Germany, and Australia, in the coming weeks. The service will be made available to more regions later this year. Despite some limitations, such as the exclusion of YouTube Music and the absence of additional playback features, Premium Lite could appeal to those primarily concerned with reducing the number of ads they encounter.

YouTube has tested different versions of the Premium Lite plan in the past, and during recent trials, the company made it clear that subscribers might still encounter "non-interruptive" ads while browsing or searching. Despite some gaps in the offering, the more affordable price point could attract viewers who previously hesitated to pay for YouTube's premium services. For users already subscribed to services like Spotify, Premium Lite may be an ideal solution, as it removes ads without adding extra features they might not need.

With Premium Lite, YouTube aims to provide a compelling option for viewers who are primarily interested in ad-free content at a lower cost.