I canceled YouTube Premium for good, convinced it wasn’t worth it anymore. But now, YouTube Premium Lite has me rethinking everything—it’s time to sign up again.
Why I Stopped Using YouTube Premium
YouTube Premium offers several perks over regular YouTube, which is why I previously subscribed. Its key features include an ad-free experience across the platform, downloading videos, free access to YouTube Music, and background play capabilities.
These are all worthy features, but they didn’t stop me from canceling my YouTube Premium subscription. I did it primarily because I didn’t use all of them. For instance, I always have an internet connection available, whether in the house or outside, so I don’t need to download YouTube videos for offline viewing. For music, I don’t need YouTube Music as I’m devoted to Spotify, which also includes videos.
The second reason for ditching Premium was that YouTube continuously increased its subscription prices. By all means, I won’t judge if you continue paying for YouTube Premium despite the price hike.
Why YouTube Premium Lite Is Different
YouTube released its new subscription plan, YouTube Premium Lite, which removes some features from the existing Premium plan and is cheaper. The main selling point is that it allows you to watch most ad-free videos on the platform, like gaming and learning content.
The key exclusion here is ad-free access to music and YouTube Music. You may also see ads in other places, like when you search for something or in YouTube Shorts. Additionally, you won’t be able to play content in the background or download it for offline viewing. As for the price, it only costs $7.99 per month, nearly 50 percent less than YouTube Premium’s $13.99.
Why I’m Finally Willing to Pay for YouTube Again
YouTube Premium Lite is, in essence, a cheaper, limited, ad-free version of YouTube Premium. The plan helps cut down on ads, which is convincing enough because the free version is bloated with ads (my only issue with the platform ever since I ditched Premium).
I could pay for Premium, but it doesn’t make sense to pay full price to get rid of the ads while using none of the other features, especially considering YouTube’s trend of increasing prices. That’s why YouTube Premium Lite is the perfect option for my needs.
