If you’ve been waiting for a more affordable way to watch YouTube without interruptions, there’s good news: YouTube Premium Lite is officially expanding to more countries, giving viewers a simpler, lower-cost option to ditch ads without committing to the full Premium experience.
What Is YouTube Premium Lite?
Premium Lite is YouTube’s simple subscription plan for those who want just one thing—an ad-free watch. At $7.99 per month (USD or CAD, with some regional differences), it allows you to view most content on YouTube and YouTube Kids without advertising on all your devices—whether you’re on a phone, tablet, smart TV, or computer.
It’s a stripped-down version of the typical YouTube Premium plan, which runs $12.99 to $13.99 per month depending on the nation. The compromise? Less frills. Premium Lite doesn’t offer YouTube Music Premium, background play, or video downloads for offline watching. And although most ads are gone, a few might still pop up—especially in music videos, YouTube Shorts, and while searching or browsing.
A Growing Global Rollout
After first launching as a test in nations such as Germany, Australia, and Thailand, Premium Lite is being rolled out globally. New additions are Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and the UK—Scotland and Wales included. It’s a phased rollout, so check your location for availability. Check availability at youtube.com/premiumlite.
As iPhone in Canada points out, the plan can still be “awaiting rollout” in certain areas, but that will presumably change soon as YouTube carries on worldwide rollout of the service.
Who Is It For?
Premium Lite is designed for those who primarily wish to eliminate ads and don’t care about the additional features provided by the complete YouTube Premium scheme. If you watch mostly standard videos and don’t require music streaming, background playback, or downloads, Lite provides a significant reduction of around $5–$6 a month.
Nevertheless, if you stream music using YouTube, depend on offline watching, or use background play for multitasking, you will need to remain with the full Premium plan.
Reception and Alternatives
The community reaction has been predominantly positive, particularly among those viewers who’ve been requesting an option for a less expensive subscription. All the same, there’s still discussion regarding alternatives. Some users point out that browsers such as Brave are still blocking YouTube ads for free. However, for those who prefer a legitimate, cross-device alternative that does work on all the official YouTube apps and platforms, Premium Lite is a great middle ground.
With more than 125 million paid subscribers on YouTube Premium already, this action indicates that YouTube intends to diversify its content and attract more customers to its subscription platform.
Bottom Line
YouTube Premium Lite isn’t for everyone, but if you’re someone who just wants to cut the ads without paying for all the extras, this plan might be exactly what you’ve been waiting for. As the rollout continues, expect even more countries to join the list soon, giving viewers a flexible new option for a cleaner, more focused YouTube experience.
