YouTube is prepping a new “premium lite” plan, a cheaper ad-free tier the company has been testing in other markets.
YouTube Premium currently costs $13.99 per month, giving users access to YouTube’s content ad-free. According to Bloomberg, YouTube has been testing a cheaper plan in some markets, but my unveil it in the US, Australia, Germany, and Thailand in the near future.
“As part of our commitment to provide our users with more choice and flexibility, we’ve been testing a new YouTube Premium offering with most videos ad-free in several of our markets,” a YouTube spokesperson told the outlet in a statement. “We’re hoping to expand this offering to even more users in the future with our partners’ support.”
As Bloomberg points out, YouTube is facing increase competition in the streaming market. In addition, subscription fatigue is taking a toll on users, with many tiring of the seemingly endless subscriptions necessary to view content or use services.
Given YouTube’s increasing efforts to crack down on ad-blockers, a cheaper Premium plan could be a game-changer for the company.