Netflix quietly dropped its most affordable ad-free plan in the US and UK today, raising the price of ad-free streaming options.
In the US, the basic plan was priced at $9.99 per month, and with its removal, ad-free streaming now starts at $15.49 per month. Netflix subscribers can opt for the “Standard with Ads” plan for $6.99 per month, but that price includes ads.
New customers who want an ad-free streaming experience will now have to pay $5.50 more without the basic plan. as pointed out cable huntersThis change will put more emphasis on Netflix’s ad-supported plan, and it’s a move the company has already tested in Canada starting last month.
After saying for years that it had no plans to introduce ads, Netflix debuted an ad-supported tier in late 2022. Netflix opted out of ads after losing subscribers for the first time in 10 years in early 2022. That prompted Netflix to roll out a cheaper ad. compliant level and crack down on password sharing across multiple households.
The ad-supported tier shows four to five minutes of ads per hour, with ads ranging in length from 15 to 30 seconds. Ads are played before and during TV shows and movies.
Existing Netflix customers who had already signed up for the basic $9.99 plan can keep their plans for now, and the change is limited to new or returning members. Netflix says customers can stay on the basic plan until they change plans or cancel their accounts.
The standard $6.99 per month (US) with ads plan offers “all but some movies and TV shows” and allows customers to watch them on two compatible devices in Full HD, which is 1080p. Does not include offline downloads.
The $15.49 standard plan includes all TV shows and movies, supports streaming on two devices at once, and also offers 1080p streaming quality. Content can be downloaded for offline viewing on two compatible devices, and there’s the option to pay an extra $7.99 to add an out-of-home person to the plan.
Netflix’s $19.99 per month Premium tier offers support for streaming on four devices at once (in the same household), and is the only plan that provides 4K content. Netflix is still the only streaming company that charges extra for higher streaming quality.
The Premium plan also includes downloads on six devices, spatial audio from Netflix, and the option to add two additional non-household members to a plan for $7.99 per month each.