YouTube is bringing new features to YouTube Premium Lite subscribers. Starting today, the Premium Lite plan will allow Background Play and Downloads.
The Premium Lite tier is the more affordable paid YouTube plan, at a price of $7.99 per month. The tier launched in the U.S. in March 2025, after testing in other locations.
The benefit of upgrading from a free plan to Premium Lite is that most videos are ad-free. Users will still get ads on some content, including music videos. Upgrading to the Premium tier for $13.99 per month gives you a completely ad-free experience and additional features including jump ahead, queueing, continue watching, and more. Until today, background play and downloads were only available on the Premium tier.With background play, you can continue watching your videos whether your screen is off or you’re using other apps.
With background play, you can continue watching a video even if your screen is off or you’re using other apps. Downloads allow users to download videos to watch anytime, without needing internet access.