YouTube Premium Lite now launching in India — what it is, what you get (and don’t), who it’s for, and whether it’s worth it.
What Is YouTube Premium Lite?
YouTube has introduced a lower-cost “Premium Lite” tier in India.
The key focus: ad-free viewing for most YouTube videos.
It’s a pilot rollout — not yet “for all users” everywhere, but YouTube says it will become more widely available “in the coming weeks.”
Pricing
₹ 89 per month for Premium Lite in India.
For comparison, the regular YouTube Premium plan in India is ₹ 149/month for individual users.
What You Get (And What You Don’t)
✅ What You Do Get with Premium Lite:
Ad-free viewing on most YouTube videos.
Works on smartphones, laptops, and smart TVs.
❌ What You Don’t Get:
YouTube Music: No ad-free music streaming with Lite.
Offline downloads: You can’t download videos to watch offline.
Background play: Videos won’t keep playing in the background when you leave the YouTube app.
Ads in certain places: Ads may still appear in YouTube Shorts, in music content, and during searches or browsing.
Who Is Premium Lite For?
Premium Lite makes the most sense if:
You mostly watch long-form videos (news, gaming, beauty, education) and want to remove ads there.
You don’t care about music streaming, offline viewing, or playing YouTube in the background.
You want a budget-friendly way to reduce ads, without paying for full Premium.
You use YouTube on mobile, TV, or laptop and want a smoother ad-free experience across devices.
Pros & Benefits
Affordable ad-free experience: At ₹ 89, it’s much cheaper than full Premium.
More revenue for creators: With more people subscribing, creators may earn more from subscriptions.
Flexibility: Gives users more choice — not everyone needs all Premium features.
Accessible across devices: You don’t have to be on mobile; it works on TV and desktop too.
Drawbacks / Limitations
Still not totally ad-free: Ads remain for Shorts, in search, and in music.
No music features: If you like listening to songs or music videos, Lite may feel too limited.
No downloads: Without offline play, you’re always dependent on an internet connection.
No background play: Can be inconvenient if you want to multitask on mobile.
Comparison: Premium Lite vs Standard YouTube Premium
| Feature | Premium Lite (₹ 89) | YouTube Premium (₹ 149) |
|---|---|---|
| Ad-free Videos | ✅ Most videos | ✅ All (videos, music) |
| YouTube Music | ❌ Not included | ✅ Included |
| Offline Downloads | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Background Play | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Device Support |
Why YouTube Is Launching Premium Lite in India
Price-sensitive market: India has a large base of users who might avoid paying for full Premium but would pay a little for fewer ads.
More flexibility: Offering a tiered subscription helps YouTube cater to different user needs.
Boosts creator revenue: Subscriptions create another source of income for creators beyond ads.
Is It Worth It?
Yes, if you:
Watch lots of long-form content on YouTube
Don’t mind not having Music or offline play
Want to pay less for a smoother viewing experience
Maybe go for standard Premium if you:
Use YouTube Music a lot
Need offline downloads
Want background playback on mobile
How to Subscribe
Open the YouTube app or go to YouTube website
Go to Settings → Purchases & memberships
Look for Premium Lite (₹ 89/month)
Subscribe using your Google account and preferred payment method
Once active, enjoy ad-free video playback on supported content
Final Take
YouTube Premium Lite is a smart move by YouTube in India — it addresses the demand for a more affordable, leaner subscription option, focusing on removing ads without the full bells and whistles of Premium.
For many users, this is likely the sweet spot: paying a modest fee to watch most videos without ads, while skipping features they might not use anyway.
If you want a subscription that just makes your YouTube viewing smoother, Lite is definitely worth considering.