YouTube is expanding its low-cost subscription offerings with the launch of Premium Lite in India. Announced on September 29, this move is designed to increase the platform’s subscriber base in the country. At Rs 89 per month, Premium Lite provides users with ad-free viewing for content such as gaming, comedy, and educational videos. However, ads will still be present on music-related content, music videos, and YouTube Shorts. Additionally, background playback and offline downloads are not included. The new subscription tier is expected to become available nationwide in the upcoming weeks. YouTube initially introduced Premium Lite in March, testing the service in markets like the United States. This is part of YouTube’s efforts to diversify its subscription options, with subscriptions playing a critical role in the platform’s growth. It’s possible that a two-person Premium subscription tier will soon be available, priced at Rs 219 per month. YouTube Music Premium is also being offered at Rs 149 during the pilot phase. The existing YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium plans include Student, Individual, and Family options, with all plans facing a price increase of between 12% and 58% in August 2024. YouTube has reported over 125 million subscribers worldwide for its Music and Premium services. Its parent company, Alphabet, has exceeded 270 million paid subscriptions, driven primarily by YouTube and Google One. The goal of Premium Lite is to broaden the reach of premium features to a wider range of users in India.
