YouTube is retesting its Premium Lite subscription, a more affordable alternative to YouTube Premium, in Australia, Germany, and Thailand. This renewed experiment comes after a brief, European-exclusive trial last year.
What’s Changed?
Unlike its predecessor, the new Premium Lite will display limited ads, prompting questions about its value. For $11.99 AUD/month (approximately $8 USD), subscribers will get:
– Limited ads on most content
– No offline or background playback
– No YouTube Music Premium access
In contrast, the full YouTube Premium ($22.99 AUD/month) offers:
– Ad-free experience
– Offline and background playback
– YouTube Music Premium access
– Downloadable videos
A Watered-Down Experience?
Users are skeptical about Premium Lite’s benefits, especially considering the presence of ads. Google clarified that ads may appear on:
– Licensed music content
– Shorts
– Search results
A Mid-Tier Option or Confusing Choice?
YouTube’s move raises questions about the target audience for Premium Lite. Is it for those seeking a compromise between free and premium, or will it cannibalize full Premium subscriptions?