YouTube's new Premium Lite offers ad-free viewing on most videos for $8 per month

YouTube has introduced a new subscription option called Premium Lite, which offers ad-free viewing for $8 per month, compared to the $14 per month Premium plan. The new plan is rolling out in the US and will be available in Australia, Germany, and Thailand in the coming weeks. Most videos, including podcasts, gaming, fashion, beauty, and news content, will be available without ads under Premium Lite. However, music content and music videos will still have ads, as well as Shorts. The company's chief product officer, Johanna Voolich, stated that the idea for Premium Lite came from users who want an ad-free streaming service without a music service. Premium Lite subscribers will still see ads while browsing and searching YouTube. Downloads and background play, key features of the Premium plan, will not be available to Premium Lite subscribers. YouTube began testing a lower-cost subscription plan in several markets in October 2024, which offered most content without ads, except for music content and Shorts. The platform is still treating Premium Lite as a pilot and plans to expand the tier to more countries later this year. YouTube also plans to introduce more ways for users to get the most from their subscriptions.