YouTube Premium Lite might be making a surprise comeback

Google is known for shutting down its services, and once a service is discontinued, it’s rare to see it make a return. Last year, Google axed its YouTube Premium Lite plan after limited testing in a few countries, without ever expanding it to the US. However, it seems the fan-favorite plan could be making a comeback, as Google has reportedly started testing YouTube Premium Lite again in select regions.

Google confirmed to Android Authority that it’s testing a “different version” of YouTube Premium Lite in Australia, Germany, and Thailand. Some users in these regions may see an option to sign up, though Google didn’t share specifics about what has changed or whether the service will expand to other areas.

A handful of countries are testing a new YouTube Premium Lite plan

For those unfamiliar, YouTube Premium Lite is a scaled-back version of the full Premium subscription. It only removes ads from videos, while other perks like YouTube Music access, offline downloads, and background playback aren’t included. This new version may introduce “limited ads” rather than eliminating them entirely.

YouTube Premium Lite was popular among users as it eliminated the most annoying part of YouTube — ads — at nearly half the price of the full subscription until Google killed it. Now, in Australia, Google seems to be testing two different versions of the Premium Lite plan (via 9to5Google). Some users are seeing the plan priced at AUD 11.99 per month, which is about half the AUD 22.99 standard price, while others are seeing it for as low as AUD 8.99 per month.

Related

5 reasons why YouTube Premium is worth the subscription

If you’re a YouTube regular, Premium is worth the investment

It’s still uncertain whether the new YouTube Premium Lite plan will eventually launch in the US or even roll out fully in the countries where it’s currently being tested. However, we’re hopeful that Google will follow through this time. While the company has been gradually offering some Premium features to free users, the cost of a full YouTube Premium subscription continues to climb in many regions.

A more affordable option like Premium Lite could give users a cheaper way to enjoy an ad-free experience on YouTube without all the extra features.