Netflix removed its Basic ad-free plan for new subscribers in the US and UK last year. Before the shutdown, it was the cheapest way for subscribers to watch Netflix content without ads. Now, the change is said to be rolling out to existing users as well, according to claims on social media. The development comes amid reports that the video streaming service may introduce a free but ad-supported plan in certain regions.
Basic plan stopped
In a after On the Netflix subreddit, user @MeltedInk8624 shared a screenshot showing a notification from Netflix asking them to switch plans. The Basic plan seems to be missing from the list, while the ‘Standard with ads’ plan is the most affordable option to watch Netflix, priced at $6.99 (approximately Rs. 580) per month.
The user wrote on the post: “So you’re telling me that even after having a monthly paid subscription they put certain shows behind a paywall??! I [sic] I already pay for this service, why should I pay more?!”
If users don’t want to see ads, they can subscribe to the more expensive Standard or Premium plans, which cost $15.49 (roughly Rs. 1,300) and $22.99 (roughly Rs. 1,900) per month in the US, respectively. While the Standard plan offers streaming in Full HD with support for watching on two devices simultaneously, Premium plan subscribers can watch on up to four devices simultaneously in 4K.
Netflix says its ad-supported plan is the most popular option among users. According to Amy Reinhard, Netflix’s President of Advertising, the ad-supported plan currently has 40 million active users worldwide, up from 5 million users last year. Additionally, in countries where it’s available, 40 percent of all Netflix signups come through the ad-supported plan.
The Basic plan is still visible to existing Netflix subscribers in India, which may indicate that the change has not yet been rolled out in the country.
Free Netflix subscription
The development comes amid a report that Netflix may introduce an ad-supported free-to-view plan in certain regions. The video streaming platform has reportedly discussed offering a free plan in Asian and European markets where other TV networks also have free plans. The report suggested that the move was aimed at growing the streaming platform’s audience, citing people familiar with the matter.
If it does launch, it would mark the second time Netflix has experimented with free-to-view subscriptions, following the introduction of a similar plan in Kenya in 2021 for Android smartphones. However, that plan was rolled back a year later.
