YouTube is discontinuing a lesser-priced advertisement-free option that may have gone unnoticed by users.
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According to reports, YouTube is discontinuing its YouTube Premium Lite service.
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In certain markets, there was a more affordable option for an ad-free YouTube experience.
YouTube Premium was not the sole authorized method of obtaining ad-free viewing on YouTube. The company also tested a less expensive option in select countries. However, it has been revealed that YouTube is discontinuing this lower-priced tier.
YouTube has sent an email to their customers (h/t: The Verge) to confirm the discontinuation of the YouTube Premium Lite feature.
“We want to inform you that starting from 25 October 2023, we will no longer provide the Premium Lite version. However, we will continue to develop other versions of Premium Lite based on user feedback. This suggests that the Lite plan may potentially be reintroduced in a different form.”
In 2021, YouTube launched a trial version of Premium Lite in select European nations. It costs €6.99 per month, whereas Premium has a monthly fee of €11.99. This version provides ad-free viewing but does not include additional Premium benefits such as background playback, offline downloads, and a YouTube Music membership.
In any case, we are hopeful that Google will eventually provide a more affordable option in the future, as YouTube Premium is currently quite expensive in Europe and the US.
