YouTube Premium Lite, the cost-effective subscription option that provided an ad-free video viewing experience, is bidding farewell after two years of experimentation. The platform has decided to discontinue this offering.
In an email dispatched to users, YouTube disclosed that starting from October 25, 2023, the Premium Lite plan will cease to exist.
This particular plan, priced at €6.99 per month, was initially introduced in select European countries back in 2021. These countries included Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. Premium Lite granted subscribers ad-free viewing across various YouTube apps and formats but did not encompass other Premium perks like offline downloads, background playback, or YouTube Music benefits.
Existing Premium Lite subscribers are presented with two options: revert to ad-supported YouTube viewing or upgrade to the pricier YouTube Premium plan, which also encompasses YouTube Music. In the email notifications about these changes, YouTube is extending an offer to Lite subscribers—providing them with a free one-month trial of YouTube Premium after October 25, regardless of whether they’ve previously used a trial. To avail of this, subscribers can either cancel their Lite subscription or wait for it to automatically cancel.
YouTube acknowledges that the discontinuation of Premium Lite may cause some dissatisfaction among users but assures that they will continue to explore different variations of Premium Lite based on feedback from users, content creators, and partners. This move signifies YouTube’s commitment to delivering an optimal user experience while adapting to evolving preferences and needs.
