YouTube has introduced a more affordable subscription tier Premium Lite, aimed at providing users with a cheaper way to have an ad-free experience on the platform.

The plan, priced at $7.99 (A$12.40) per month, is a lighter version of YouTube’s regular Premium plan, which costs $13.99 (A$21.60) per month. The Premium Lite offering is being expanded in Australia, along with the US, Germany, and Thailand, as part of a wider global pilot program.

While Premium Lite eliminates most video ads, it does come with some limitations. Users will no longer have to sit through ads on content in categories like gaming, fashion, beauty, and news. However, the plan does not include offline downloads or background playback, two features available with the standard Premium plan. Additionally, music videos and YouTube Shorts may still display ads, as well as ads appearing during searches or browsing.

YouTube’s aim with Premium Lite is to make it easier for viewers to enjoy ad-free content without committing to the full range of Premium features. The company also hopes the new plan will attract users who don’t need offline access or background playback but want to avoid the frustration of frequent ads.

The launch of Premium Lite comes as YouTube’s Premium and YouTube Music services continue to grow, reaching over 125 million subscribers worldwide, including trial users. The new tier is billed as an affordable middle ground for users who want fewer interruptions while watching content on YouTube, particularly those in markets where YouTube usage is highly popular.

Premium Lite is set to roll out to more countries later this year, with YouTube promising to continue refining the plan based on user feedback.