YouTube has officially introduced YouTube Premium Lite in India, offering users a stripped-down, lower-cost tier that provides ad-free streaming of most videos. The new plan is priced at ₹89 per month, significantly cheaper than the full YouTube Premium subscription.

What Premium Lite Offers

Under the Premium Lite plan, users can watch most YouTube content without ads across categories like gaming, entertainment, news, beauty, education, and more. However, the plan excludes several features that come with the full Premium tier:

• No background play
• No offline downloads
• No access to YouTube Music’s ad-free service
• Ads may still appear in Shorts, music videos, and during browsing/search sessions

The service is being rolled out gradually, and will work across devices including smartphones, laptops, and smart TVs.

Why YouTube Introduced This Tier

YouTube says the Premium Lite option is designed to serve users who prioritize an ad-free viewing experience but don’t require the full suite of Premium features. It also reflects YouTube’s strategy to expand its subscriber base in price-sensitive markets like India. Globally, YouTube’s combined Music and Premium subscriber count has surpassed 125 million, and the company is now seeking new ways to convert more of its ad-supported users into paying customers.

By launching a more affordable tier, YouTube hopes to attract viewers who found the standard Premium cost prohibitive, while also offering creators additional revenue stability through subscriptions.

How It Compares to Full Premium

• Full YouTube Premium in India includes ad-free video, background play, offline downloads, and access to YouTube Music.
• Premium Lite delivers the core benefit — ad-free viewing — but omits the extras.
• The cost difference is significant: Premium Lite is nearly half the price of the full Premium plan in India.

What This Means for Indian Viewers & Creators

For many users, Premium Lite will be an attractive compromise: paying a modest fee to eliminate most mid-video ads while foregoing advanced features. Over time, this could shift more viewers into the paying ecosystem.

For creators, more subscribers means more stable revenue streams beyond ad impressions alone. As more users adopt subscription models, creators may benefit from a steadier income share tied to viewer subscriptions.