YouTube is testing a renewal of its Premium Lite subscription tier. User circulated on social media this week, and today a Google representative later confirmed to multiple other outlets that the plan is being tested in Australia, Germany, and Thailand. This new version would have “limited ads,” which the fine print describes as most videos being ad-free, “but you may see video ads on music content and short clips, and non-stop ads when you search and browse.”
The original Premium Lite subscription started in Europe in 2021, but only lasted a few years, with the video platform becoming available in October 2023. The only benefit of the plan was the removal of all ads; It didn't offer the offline or background viewing options of the regular Premium offering.
We were able to confirm that the pricing model in Australia is $9 per month for Premium Lite, compared to $17 per month for full Premium access. That's in line with the costs of the original Lite, which were about half the price of a regular plan. With the current costs of a YouTube subscription (for an individual or family option), having a mid-tier option could certainly be attractive.
