YouTube has expanded its Premium Lite pilot program to users in the United States, a version that offers viewers a new, cheaper way to enjoy most of the platform’s videos without advertising for $7.99 per month (7.40 euros at the current exchange rate).
Google’s video platform already had a YouTube Premium Lite option, which it launched in 2021 as an alternative to the more expensive version, but which did not include features such as downloading for offline listening or background playback.
This subscription level reached some countries, such as Belgium, Finland, Norway or Sweden, but Google ended up eliminating it in October 2023. At that time, it indicated that it would continue working on “different versions of Premium Lite”, although it did not specify further details.
At the end of last month, Bloomberg published that sources related to the company had confirmed that the new version of Premium Lite would be aimed at users who consume other types of content, different from music videos. These users would therefore be able to access the entire library of podcasts and videos without advertising.
Google has now introduced YouTube Premium Lite in the United States, a “new and more affordable” way to enjoy most YouTube videos without advertising, for $7.99 a month, as the company has specified on its website. It has also announced that in the coming weeks it will make Premium Lite available to all users in its current pilot countries, which are Thailand, Germany and Australia.
The company has recalled that this expansion of its service occurs when YouTube Music and Premium reach more than 125 million subscribers, including global tests, and that it has made this service available to users. It has done so after testing it to ensure that it has “the right balance of functions and benefits for those viewers who want to watch most videos without advertising”, whether they are games, comedy, cooking or learning.
In this regard, Google has recommended the Premium plan for those who want to listen to ad-free music on YouTube and YouTube Music, as well as enjoy offline and background playback of content.
YouTube has finally indicated that it will continue to expand its Premium Lite pilots to more countries this year and that it will present more ways for people interested in its services to “make the most of their subscriptions.”
