YouTube Premium Lite: More Ads Incoming!

Just months after its U.S. debut, YouTube’s budget-friendly Premium Lite subscription is facing a significant change: more ads. Subscribers are reporting that the ad-free experience they signed up for is about to get a little less ad-free.

Premium Lite: A Change in Tune

YouTube introduced Premium Lite as a cheaper alternative to its full-fledged Premium service. While the standard Premium plan eliminates ads across the platform and unlocks features like YouTube Music and background play, Premium Lite initially promised ad-free viewing only for non-music videos.

However, according to reports, Premium Lite subscribers are receiving notifications from YouTube that ads will soon start appearing on even more content, including Shorts.

Ads on Shorts: A Deal Breaker?

A user on the TWiT.community forum shared an email indicating that, starting June 30, 2025, ads may appear on Shorts, as well as on music content and during searches and browsing. This information has been corroborated by German website DeskModder.

While Premium Lite costs $7.99 per month, significantly less than the $13.99 for regular Premium, the increase in ads, particularly on Shorts, could push heavy users to upgrade.

YouTube’s Ad Strategy Evolves

This change is just the latest in YouTube’s evolving ad strategy. In 2024, the platform introduced ads on pause screens, and many users have complained about the prevalence of inappropriate ads. Furthermore, YouTube is exploring AI to strategically place ads during moments of high emotional engagement.

Will this change drive users to upgrade to the full Premium experience, or will they seek alternative platforms? Only time will tell.

Read more about YouTube’s latest updates and changes on Dexerto.