YouTube’s Premium Lite pilot program is expanding to the U.S. nearly four years after the Google-owned streamer began testing the pilot service in Europe. With this rollout, YouTube says it is testing out the option for US users after offering Premium Lite in Germany, Thailand and Australia.
“Premium Lite gives viewers a new, more affordable way to enjoy most videos on YouTube ad-free for $7.99 per month,” YouTube’s official blog site states. The more expensive tier, YouTube Premium, costs nearly twice that amount at $13.99 monthly and gives ad-free access to video content and YouTube Music.
So what do you get with Premium Lite? Simply put, the service tier gives you access to all sorts of creator-made content, from cooking, gaming and fashion to makeup editorials and educational videos all without ads.
Chief Product Officer Johanna Voolich revealed in an episode of Creator Insider’s Release Notes that this is precisely what a large portion of YouTube’s user base wants. “When we talked to our users, what we found is there are a whole swath of people who want an ad-free, uninterrupted streaming service but they don’t necessarily want a music service.”
So, yes, YouTube Music and premium features like background playback and the ability to download titles for offline viewing are not included with Premium Lite. If you want to stream music, podcasts and audiobooks, stick with Spotify — this isn’t a replacement for that sort of entertainment. However, for YouTube viewers who wish to enjoy watching videos without advertisers regularly interrupting them, this plan may be right for you.
For more details about Premium Lite, head over to the plan’s page.
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