Premium Lite Rolls Out in the United States: YouTube’s Affordable Ad-Free Viewing Option

YouTube officially announced the expansion of its Premium Lite pilot in the United States on Wednesday, marking a step forward in providing users with a more budget-friendly way to enjoy videos without ads. Jack Greenberg, YouTube’s Director of Product Management for Premium, shared that the introduction of Premium Lite aligns with the platform’s ongoing efforts to enhance user experience while also acknowledging the milestone of YouTube Music and Premium surpassing 125 million global subscribers, including trial users.

Highlighting YouTube’s commitment to offering multiple ways for users to engage with content, Greenberg emphasized that the expansion of Premium Lite is part of a broader strategy to ensure diverse viewing preferences are met. He also pointed out that this initiative helps create additional revenue streams for content creators and partners, making it a beneficial move for both users and the YouTube community at large.

The concept behind Premium Lite is to offer ad-free viewing for those who prioritize uninterrupted video playback. Whether users enjoy gaming content, educational tutorials, cooking videos, or comedy sketches, this plan allows them to watch their favorite videos without constant ad interruptions. However, Greenberg clarified that for those who prefer additional perks such as ad-free music streaming, background play, and offline downloads, the full YouTube Premium subscription remains the better option.

Despite removing ads from most videos, YouTube specified that certain content will still feature advertisements under the Premium Lite plan. Music-related videos, YouTube Shorts, and certain ads appearing on search and browsing pages will not be covered by this new subscription tier.

The pricing for Premium Lite has been set at USD 7.99 per month (approximately Rs. 695), making it a more affordable alternative to the standard YouTube Premium plan, which costs USD 13.99 per month (approximately Rs. 1,217). This new plan is compatible across devices, ensuring users can benefit from an uninterrupted viewing experience no matter where they watch.

YouTube confirmed that in the coming weeks, Premium Lite will be expanded to its current test markets, including Thailand, Germany, and Australia. Furthermore, Greenberg revealed that YouTube is working on extending the service to even more countries within the year while also exploring new ways to enhance user subscriptions in the future.