YouTube Expands Cheaper Premium Lite Tier to More Countries: What You Get and What You Don’t

GLOBAL — If you’ve been hesitating to shell out full price for YouTube Premium, Google’s cheaper “Premium Lite” plan might finally be within reach — depending on where you live.

First launched in early 2025 in the U.S., Australia, Thailand, and Germany, YouTube Premium Lite is now rolling out to 10 more countries in a global expansion effort. New regions now included in the rollout are:

• Turkey
• Poland
• France
• Romania
• Spain
• Italy
• Taiwan
• Singapore
• Chile
• Colombia

Google says the rollout is gradual, so some users may need to wait a few days to see the option appear in their settings.

What You Get with YouTube Premium Lite

Priced at $7.99 USD per month, YouTube Premium Lite is a stripped-down version of the full Premium experience. The main feature? Fewer ads — but not a full ad-free experience.

Here’s what the plan includes:

• Ad-free playback on most standard YouTube videos (excluding music and Shorts)
• Works across devices: mobile, desktop, and smart TVs
• Ad-free viewing for categories like gaming, fashion, beauty, and news

This plan is ideal for viewers who primarily consume regular YouTube content and want to avoid pre-roll and mid-roll ads without paying full price.

What You Don’t Get

The trade-offs with Premium Lite are important to note. Key features missing from this plan include:

• No ad-free music or music videos
• Ads still appear on Shorts, music content, and during searches or browsing
• No background play (you can’t leave the YouTube app and keep audio running)
• No downloads, so offline viewing isn’t available
• No access to YouTube Music Premium

In short, if you’re a music-heavy user, or someone who frequently downloads content or multitasks on mobile, you’ll still need the full YouTube Premium subscription.

Is Premium Lite Worth It?

For casual YouTube viewers who mostly watch standard videos and want fewer interruptions, Premium Lite could be a budget-friendly compromise. But if your viewing habits lean toward music, YouTube Shorts, or mobile multitasking, you may quickly feel the plan’s limitations.

You can check if the plan is available in your country by visiting youtube.com/premiumlite.

Would you pay $7.99 for fewer ads on YouTube, even without music or background play? Share your streaming habits and thoughts on ad-supported models at ChicagoMusicGuide.com.