YouTube to launch ad-free video-only plan for $6 a month

Google LLC will introduce a lower-cost subscription plan called YouTube Premium Lite that allows users to watch YouTube videos without ads for 8,500 won ($6.13) per month, according to a provisional agreement announced Tuesday by Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC).

The new offering separates YouTube’s video and music services, unlike the existing YouTube Premium plan that bundles both.

The Premium Lite subscription—available via Android and the web—will be priced at 8,500 won per month, or 10,900 won via Apple’s iOS platform.

The fee is roughly 56 to 57 percent of the current Premium subscription, which costs 14,900 won (19,500 won on iOS).

The FTC stated that the final decision on whether to approve the proposed agreement will follow a one-month public feedback period. If approved, the new subscription plan could launch before the end of this year.

Until now, Google has only offered the full YouTube Premium package in Korea, which combines ad-free video streaming with access to YouTube Music.

This bundling has raised concerns over market dominance, as YouTube leveraged its video platform leadership to expand into music streaming.

According to market research firm WiseApp Retail, YouTube Music had the highest number of monthly active users among music streaming apps in Korea at 9.82 million as of May, followed by Melon (6.54 million), Spotify (3.59 million), Genie Music (2.63 million), and FLO (1.75 million).