YouTube is set to test its ‘Premium Lite’ subscription plan, which was brought back as a substitute for the current ‘Premium’ subscription plan, which offers several benefits. This reimagined pack is being tested in selected regions including Australia, Thailand, and Germany, according to Android Authority.
The relaunch of this pack targets users who prefer an ad-free viewing experience on YouTube.
The Premium Lite subscription plan previously cost nearly half the price of the regular Premium subscription. Anyhow, the plan was withdrawn in 2023.
The original Premium Lite subscription has initiated testing in Europe in 2021. The test lasted only a few years, with the video platform expelling the option in October 2023. Google confirmed that the time to continue testing, which was in Thailand, that the plan never fully deceased. The subscription’s only benefit was removing all ads, but lacking the offline or background viewing options of the regular Premium offering.
The original version of this plan provided an ad-free video-watching experience. However, this offer lacked some other benefits such as background video playback, YouTube Music perks, or offline video downloads.
The reimagined Premium Lite pack now provides a limited ad-supported experience, which means you will be seeing fewer ads than usual. However, this version is somewhat similar to its earlier versions, that doesn’t hold any extra benefits.
The plan charges nearly half the price of the standard Premium subscription. The pricing model in Australia is $9 a month for Premium Lite, compared with $17 a month for full Premium access. The current cost of a YouTube subscription is $14 a month for an individual or $23 a month for the family option so having a mid-level choice will be much more alluring.
In India, the YouTube Premium plan costs ₹149 per month for individual users on a monthly basis. The Premium Lite plan is expected to cut down the price to affordable range. A few months ago, German users could enjoy the option, which roughly cost half of the original plan, down to €5.99/ month.
The launch of Premium Lite recommends YouTube is exploring ways to cater to users who value ad-free content but may not be interested in the additional features of the full Premium plan.
With the launch of this new plan, viewers from the selected region for the test can explore more flexibility when choosing a subscription plan. This plan may be a compelling option for those who choose YouTube for just watching videos and don’t recommend background playback or access to YouTube Music.
As of earlier this year, YouTube Premium which includes YouTube Music, crossed 100 million subscribers. In spite of this growth, YouTube continued to up subscription prices, even for legacy or long-time users, which sparked concern among some subscribers about the rising costs of streaming ad-free and music services offered by YouTube.
YouTube hasn’t officially confirmed the pricing or ad limitation of Premium Lite. So, as of now, wider information about this plan is not available.
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