YouTube May Soon Launch a Cheaper ‘Premium Lite’ Tier in the US
Credit: Szabo Viktor
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Like all streaming services these days, YouTube Premium has been getting more expensive. However, there may be some good news for fans of the service, as Google is reportedly on the verge of announcing another new and more affordable “premium lite” package.
Sadly, it may not be available everywhere at first. According to Bloomberg’s Ashley Carman, the new package is slated to be “announced soon” in the US, Australia, Germany, and Thailand. While no reason is given for why Google chose to go with these four countries first, it’s hopefully just using these as a test bed ahead of a wider launch.
It’s not the first time YouTube has offered a Premium Lite subscription plan. European users were able to enjoy a version of the plan for two years, but this was a pilot program, and Google killed it off in October 2023.
The original Premium Lite of that era offered ad-free viewing but lacked offline downloads, background playback, and access to YouTube Music. A year after that went away, The Verge reported that it was in limited testing for “some users” in Australia, Germany, and Thailand — presumably by invite only.
At the time, YouTube spokesperson Jessica Gibby told The Verge that it had no plans to share about a broader rollout, and there was certainly no word about it coming to the US back then. However, it appears the US will be included in the full launch.
Despite sharing the same name, the new YouTube Premium Lite will be a bit different from Google’s first kick at the can. During the testing phase, YouTube Premium Lite still had “limited ads” appearing on music content, Shorts, as well as “non-interruptive ads” while searching and browsing in the app (i.e., banner ads).
That strategy will likely continue with the full launch. Google isn’t going to cut its lite users off from watching music videos, but they’ll still have to sit through ads for those unless they pay for the full Premium package.
As Carman notes, Spotify’s encroachment on YouTube’s turf may have partly inspired this move. Last month, the music streaming giant began removing dynamic ads in its video content in some territories, with the Swedish company saying more than 70% of eligible creators and networks opted into the program. With many podcasters hosting their shows on both Spotify and YouTube, Google may be concerned about fans abandoning its video streaming platform to opt for a commercial-free version on Spotify.
One thing that hasn’t been confirmed yet is how much YouTube will charge for Premium Lite. A post shared on Threads last fall by one trial user in Australia showed YouTube Premium at $16.99 AUD per month (~$11 USD), with Premium Lite at $8.99 AUD (~$5.75 USD).
YouTube Premium currently goes for $13.99 in the US, assuming you sign up directly on YouTube’s website; the service charges more for in-app subscriptions as it passes Apple’s 30% commission on to its customers. A Family YouTube Premium plan costs $22.99 monthly and allows you to add up to five family members in your household. Student plans are also available for $7.99 per month.
The full YouTube Premium plan includes several perks beyond just an ad-free experience. Subscribers also get background audio and video playback, including picture-in-picture support on the iPhone and iPad, higher 1080p streaming quality, and downloads for offline access. It’s unclear if any of these benefits will be included in YouTube Premium Lite.
