This week, Netflix announced that it has plans to retire the no-ads Basic plan, also known as the “Old Netflix” we used to know and love. The news comes just days after Netflix’s Q4 earnings reported that ad-tier membership grew almost 70%. So, to keep the momentum going, the streamer doesn’t want to give you any other option but to check out its flashy new ads.
The basic plan will disappear in Canada and the U.K. in the second quarter of 2024, and possibly more regions later in the year. This means that the lowest tier available will be the $6.99 ad-supported plan. In the ad-supported tier, you can expect to see an “average of 4 to 5 minutes of ads per hour” ranging in everything from car ads to L’Oreal night cream commercials before your viewing of Emily in Paris.
Netflix ensures customers that with the ad plan, they get a “better plan than Basic, more streams, higher resolution with downloads. And of course, the real benefit is they get access to all these amazing stories at a lower effective price.” Amazing stories indeed!
This is just the latest change for Netflix — last year, the streamer jacked up prices again after luring everyone in with Suits. Who knows what show they will revive next?
