With ad blockers gaining ground, YouTube is testing a potentially game-changing option: a cheaper way to cut out ad time, YouTube Premium Lite. As YouTube cracks down more and more on ad blockers, we wonder: Is there a more affordable YouTube package for those who’ve gotten fed up with the constant interruptions?
In a handful of countries, YouTube Premium Lite is currently testing this new version of the service (although only partially), giving skeptical users a chance to check out a reduced ad service for less than full price. Though it’s still unclear if Premium Lite will extend beyond Australia, Germany, and Thailand, we’ve seen a version featuring it rising that’s not truly ad-free anymore.
What’s changed in YouTube Premium Lite?
However, unlike the full Premium plan, YouTube Premium Lite didn’t include features like offline downloads or YouTube Music and cost over half as much. Now, Google is testing a modified version that could feature “limited ads” instead of fully eliminating them at a lower price.
Some have reported different prices in Australia; one version is priced at AUD 11.99 and another at AUD 8.99 per month, far cheaper than the full AUD 22.99 Premium subscription. It is a reboot of the service, which Google discontinued last year, but it differentiates itself from it.
This test plan is very relevant at a time when users are increasingly using adblockers to avoid ticks and free. However, as YouTube moves to block this software on the platform, a lower Premium Lite plan could be a way for people not to want all the extras but still have a better experience.
Will it expand to other regions?
YouTube Premium Lite is also being tested globally, although there’s no word yet on whether or not it will launch in the U.S. or other areas. None of Google’s services have ever been shut down because their novelty failed to live up to expectations, and the Premium Lite experiment never even made it beyond the limited testing stage. Still, many people hope the version sticks around longer. Time and time again, Google has been experimenting with Premium Lite in other regions, so a more affordable YouTube package may be available, too. It didn’t perform as expected, and the original version of Premium Lite never made it past its limited testing phase. That said, many are hopeful that this version will stick around longer.
While it’s uncertain whether the more affordable YouTube package will expand, Google is again experimenting with Premium Lite in different regions, showing that it recognizes the need for options. Still, after all that, users are pushed towards ad blockers at the cost of full Premium plans, and a more shrugged-off subscription could be a plausible solution.
Even on YouTube, this might extend outwards. As other companies also deal with their economic challenges, they consider similar strategies. For instance, Meta lays off workers by department to cut costs. None of these companies have gone as far as Meta regarding layoffs, but maybe these are a response to broader tech industry economic trends.
Why YouTube Premium Lite might be the right move
Users do not want to pay the full price of YouTube Premium but would like fewer ads. While this new plan would frustrate ads-hating users if they didn’t want all the Premium features that the full plan has to offer if you are still using ad blockers, this could be a great way to get users to stay on YouTube and generate revenue.
However, Google has not announced whether this plan will expand to other regions or even the final pricing model, leaving users in other countries in the dark. If this test works, it may become a Premium Lite fixture in more YouTube lineup regions.
It also comes as other major tech companies start to tighten their belts. Meta, for example, laid off workers and changed its business strategy. Even though YouTube is very different, offering great services at a cheaper rate with so little ‘cutting’ could be a way to maintain competition in the tough market.
All eyes are now on Google to see if it can solve ad blocker fatigue with YouTube Premium Lite and, more importantly if it will roll out to other countries very soon.
Image credit: Furkan Demirkaya/Ideogram
