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YouTube is preparing to roll out a more affordable version of its Premium subscription service, dubbed “Premium Lite,” according to a report from Bloomberg. This new tier is designed to appeal to viewers whose primary interest lies in ad-free viewing of non-music video content. According to Bloomberg, the initial launch is slated for the US, Australia, Germany, and Thailand.
While pricing details remain undisclosed, the move points to YouTube’s ongoing efforts to diversify its subscription offerings and cater to a wider audience, especially those interested in video podcasts. Bloomberg’s report highlights that this new tier will specifically target those who are less interested in the music-centric features of the standard YouTube Premium. But it doesn’t confirm whether or not it will include other Premium features like offline downloads and background playback.
This isn’t YouTube’s first foray into a “lite” version of its premium service. The company previously piloted a no-ads tier in several European countries starting in 2021. However, that particular iteration was discontinued in 2023. Undeterred, YouTube confirmed to The Verge last October that it was experimenting with a “different version” of Premium Lite.
“As part of our commitment to provide our users with more choice and flexibility, we’ve been testing a new YouTube Premium offering with most videos ad-free in several of our markets,” a YouTube spokesperson told Bloomberg in a statement. “We’re hoping to expand this offering to even more users in the future with our partners’ support.”
As of right now, a subscription to YouTube Music Premium in the US will cost you $10.99 per month, and YouTube Premium will set you back $13.99 per month. Back in October of 2024, The Verge found screenshots of a YouTube Premium Lite subscription for $8.99 AUD per month. For comparison, YouTube Premium in Australia is $16.99 AUD per month.
Overall, this upcoming launch raises several questions for me. How will this new tier be positioned against the existing YouTube Premium? What specific features, beyond ad-free viewing of non-music content, will it include? And, perhaps most importantly, how will it be priced in each of the launch markets? We’ll have to wait and see on these questions but what I can say is that a new tier for those with an existing music subscription could attract a whole new segment of users.
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