YouTube Premium was called YouTube Red when I subscribed. Several binge-worthy exclusive series lured me in, but the ad-free experience sealed the deal, and I’ve never looked back. Premium isn’t cheap, but life is too short to spend watching advertisements on your phone, tablet, or one of the best Google TVs.
I feel the time to switch subscriptions is near. The recently announced YouTube Premium Lite doesn’t have all the perks bundled with Premium, but it is shaping up as a better deal at almost half the price. While I don’t have access to YouTube’s new tier yet, I’ll be switching as soon as I do. Here’s why.
I gave up YouTube Premium and struggled at first, but it was ultimately worth it
It’s painful to adjust, but I’ve learned to live without YouTube Premium
Premium Lite is much cheaper with almost no ads
Except in music videos and Shorts
Thanks to advertisements, YouTube can afford to stay free and support its content creators. But ads are annoying, which is why I choose to pay for Premium. However, Premium Lite is almost half the price and shows few ads. In the US, it costs $8 a month, which is $6 less than the full Premium experience at $14 a month. That amounts to $72 saved in a year, or about as much as you’d spend on some of the best power banks.
With Lite I’ll get almost the same distraction-free Premium experience at a lower cost. Ads only appear on music videos and between Shorts, which I rarely watch.
I find Spotify better than YouTube Music Premium
YouTube should step up its podcasts game
I canceled my Spotify Premium subscription soon after I got YouTube Premium. The latter is bundled with YouTube Music Premium, and paying for two music streaming services didn’t make much sense. YouTube Premium Lite does not include Music Premium, but I am okay with that. I believe many Premium subscribers are happy to have the option not to pay for a music service they don’t want or need.
While YouTube Music gets the job done, Spotify is still superior, in my opinion. For starters, it has a proper and official desktop app, unlike YouTube Music, which runs in a web browser tab. I’m also disappointed with YouTube Music’s shuffle and recommendation algorithms. However, the main reason I keep going back to Spotify is its selection of podcasts. Some of my favorites aren’t available on YouTube Music. If it wants me back as a customer, YouTube’s service should take a page or two out of its rival’s playbook.
7 basic features that are MIA on YouTube Music
YouTube Music should level up its offerings for a better music experience
What I’ll miss about YouTube Premium
Minor benefits with big impact
YouTube Premium has a long list of minor perks, but none are available with a Lite subscription. Background playback is one I wish I could keep. Doing chores around the house won’t be the same without a background video playing through my favorite wireless earbuds.
I also like to let a video run in PiP mode while playing board games online. These often require waiting for other players to take their turn, and exiting the game while you wait is not an option. Having a YouTube video playing in its own floating window makes time go by super smoothly.
As for the option to download videos, that’s one YouTube Premium feature I’m ready to part with. Offline YouTube is awesome when traveling, but when I do, I’m behind the wheel and unable to enjoy it. Frequent flyers may miss it.
Bye, YouTube Premium! Hello, Premium Lite!
Streaming service subscriptions are getting more expensive. YouTube Premium is no exception. It received a $2 price hike in the US in 2023 and up to 50% more expensive internationally in 2024. I will not be surprised if, by expanding Premium Lite, YouTube aims to win back lost paying subscribers or offset losses from users with ad blockers.
In any case, I applaud YouTube for bringing Premium Lite to a wider audience. A $14 monthly subscription is hard to justify when it includes a music service some may not want, while all of YouTube is still available with occasional ads. $8 a month, on the other hand, is a more reasonable figure.
Who is YouTube Premium Lite not for?
As much as I’m excited about YouTube Premium Lite, it is not the ideal plan for everyone. YouTube Premium Family is the better choice for households of three or more people, and up to six accounts can enjoy its benefits. On the one hand, it is more expensive at $23 a month. On the other hand, even when shared among just three family members, that’s under $8 per user. That’s a good deal considering that every account gets all the Premium benefits and a great one compared to Netflix’s $18-a-month fee, which some subscribers can’t live with anymore.
