YouTube working on ‘Premium Lite’ subscription plan

YouTube is working on a ‘Lite’ version of its Premium subscription plan, one that offers an ad-free experience but with fewer of the other benefits.

On 1 August, a ResetEra user in the Netherlands spotted the option while they were trying to cancel their YouTube Premium subscription.

Subsequently, YouTube confirmed to The Verge that it was working on the new offering.

It is testing the new subscription plan in several Nordic countries and Benelux, which includes Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

According to a company spokesperson, the plan costs 6.99 Euros. In Europe, a YouTube Premium plan costs around 11.99 Euros.

In South Africa, the plan currently costs R71.99 per month. The company offers a free one-month trial after scheduled payments start.

What could YouTube Premium Lite include?

Premium Lite includes ad-free viewing on the YouTube app. This includes the apps available on Android, iOS, smart TVs, and video game consoles.

However, it does not include other Premium features such as background playback or offline downloads. It also does not include features such as ad-free listening on YouTube Music.

YouTube told The Verge that the current Lite plan is in an experimental phase and did not say when it would become available in other countries.

It added that it will roll more subscription plans out based on audience feedback.

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Feature image: Unsplash/Sara Kurfeß