YouTube is discontinuing its Premium Lite subscription plan, which offered ad-free video viewing at a lower cost. The plan was first launched in select European countries in 2021, but will no longer be available after October 25th, 2023. Existing subscribers of Premium Lite will have two options: watch YouTube with ads or upgrade to the more expensive YouTube Premium, which includes YouTube Music. YouTube will offer Lite subscribers a one-month free trial of YouTube Premium, regardless of whether they have had a trial before.
The discontinuation of YouTube’s Premium Lite has disappointed many subscribers, as evident from emails received by The Verge and discussions on the ResetEra forum. While the service may have been relatively unknown to those outside of the select European countries, it was considered the ideal level for those who wanted ad-free viewing without additional features like offline downloads or YouTube Music. YouTube acknowledges the disappointment and states that it will continue developing different versions of Premium Lite based on feedback from users, creators, and partners.
In conclusion, YouTube is ending its Premium Lite subscription plan, leaving subscribers with the choice of watching ads or upgrading to YouTube Premium. Premium Lite offered ad-free viewing at a lower cost but lacked additional features. The discontinuation has led to disappointment among subscribers, who appreciated the Goldilocks level of ad-free viewing provided by Premium Lite. YouTube plans to work on new versions of Premium Lite in the future based on user feedback.