YouTube is making its affordable subscription a lot more attractive. The company announced that YouTube Premium Lite – which is about $6 cheaper than the top-tier subscription – is finally getting two of the most-requested features from the full-priced plan: background playback and offline downloads. Previously, these features were only available on the standard $13. 99 “Premium” plan.
“You asked, and we listened! Today, we’re announcing that Background Play and Downloads are coming to YouTube’s Premium Lite subscription service. Starting today, and in the coming weeks rolling out everywhere Premium Lite is available, subscribers will be able to watch most videos ad-free, offline and in the background,” the company said in a post.
This means that users on the $7.99 budget plan will be able to keep their videos running while using other apps and save content to watch without an internet connection. Moreover, users in India will also be getting these two features if they have subscribed to YouTube Premium Lite, which is priced in India at Rs 89 per month.
YouTube Premium Lite: Not completely ad-free
While the new features bring Premium Lite closer to the top-tier experience, there are still major differences between the two plans. With the Lite plan, users will still see advertisements when searching or browsing, as well as within YouTube Music content and Shorts. However, they will be lesser in number as compared to the free plan.
“Last year, we expanded our Premium Lite pilot to more markets and heard feedback about wanting these additional features included in the service. We’re excited for today’s update and to continue testing and building products that best meet our users’ needs,” YouTube added.
If you want a completely ad-free experience across all devices and full access to the YouTube Music app, you will still need to dish out the $13.99 monthly subscription. Other features include watching all videos ad free, offline, and in the background, including music content and YouTube Music Premium.
| Feature | Premium Lite ($7.99/mo, or Rs 89) | Full Premium ($13.99/mo or Rs 149) |
|
Ads |
Completely Ad-Free |
|
|
Background Play |
✅ Included (New!) |
✅ Included |
|
Offline Downloads |
✅ Included (New!) |
✅ Included |
|
YouTube Music |
❌ Not Included |
✅ Full Access Included |
