YouTube Premium vs. YouTube Premium Lite: Are the upgrades worth the $6 difference?
Source: ZDNet
You might be inclined to purchase YouTube Premium to bypass ads. YouTube Premium includes perks such as picture‑in‑picture streaming and a bundled YouTube Music membership for $14 / month. YouTube also offers a mid‑tier YouTube Premium Lite plan that limits ads and provides picture‑in‑picture streaming at a lower price.
Also: YouTube launches cheaper Premium Lite plan – but are the trade‑offs worth it?
Here’s everything you should know before deciding.
Specifications
| Feature | YouTube Premium | YouTube Premium Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7.99 / month | $13.99 / month |
| Ad‑free videos | Yes (most videos) | Yes (most videos) |
| Background play | Yes (most videos) | Yes (most videos) |
| Music subscription included | Yes | No |
| Download and play offline | Yes (most videos) | Yes (most videos) |
You should choose YouTube Premium if…
1. You want to bundle videos and music
A YouTube Premium subscription gives you ad‑free video watching and a YouTube Music subscription. If you’re willing to cancel an $11 / month Apple Music or $13 / month Spotify plan, you can switch to YouTube Premium for $14 / month.
- Unlike Apple Music, YouTube Music lacks lossless audio and Dolby Atmos.
- Unlike Spotify, it doesn’t have a comprehensive audiobook library.
The subscription lets you watch music videos ad‑free and enjoy several popular podcasts without ads.
2. You can’t stand ads – period
If ads are a deal‑breaker, especially when you watch more YouTube than Netflix or Hulu, Premium removes ads from all videos on YouTube and YouTube Kids, lets you download videos for offline playback, and allows background play with the screen locked.
Also: How to download YouTube videos for free – 2 easy and reliable methods I always use
YouTube ads range from political spots and local business messages to obscure mobile games and AI‑generated promos. Some can be skipped after 30 seconds, while others run for 60 seconds or more; on mobile you often encounter two unskippable ads per video.
You should choose YouTube Premium Lite if…
1. You can’t justify $14 / month
If you dislike ads but don’t want to pay $14 / month, Lite costs about $8 / month. However, not all videos are ad‑free. According to YouTube, ad‑free playback is limited to gaming, fashion, beauty, and news videos. Music content and Shorts may still contain ads.
Lite also lets you download videos for offline viewing and continue playback with the screen locked, but these features are limited. Shorts, official music videos, and user‑generated content that includes songs from YouTube’s partners cannot be downloaded or played in the background under this tier.
2. You don’t want to switch from Spotify or Apple Music
If you’re not ready to abandon Spotify or Apple Music, Premium Lite offers a middle ground: you upgrade your YouTube experience without paying for unused music‑streaming features.
Also: Spotify vs. YouTube Music: I paid for both services, and this one was more worth it
While a full Premium + YouTube Music bundle is more cost‑effective than pairing Spotify or Apple Music with Premium Lite, you might sacrifice some favorite features to save a few dollars each month.
If most of the videos you watch fall within Lite’s ad‑free categories, the plan may be sufficient. Plus, Lite also supports picture‑in‑picture mode, a feature previously exclusive to the higher‑priced tier.
Writer’s choice
I watch a lot of YouTube and have never been able to justify paying for full YouTube Premium, despite the annoyance of ads. I’d be far more willing to pay for YouTube Premium Lite, since most of my videos would be ad‑free, I wouldn’t be forced into a YouTube Music subscription I don’t use (I’m loyal to Apple Music), and the cost is only about $8 / month.