People subscribing to the cheapest ad-free tier of Netflix will soon have to choose between ponying up more or paying less and having to watch advertising.
Multiple users on Reddit have reported getting notifications via email and on their televisions telling them that their current plan, the “basic” tier, was being phased out shortly and that they needed to pick a new payment option.
Some of the users reported that the notification blocked their screens, not allowing them to peruse the Netflix catalog until they selected a new plan even if they still had time left on their basic subscription.
Netflix had already stopped offering the basic tier, which allowed for users to watch ad-free on one device, to new and rejoining customers in summer 2023. The price of the basic tier for existing customers was then bumped up to $11.99 a month from $9.99 a month in fall 2023, according to Business Insider.
Once users are phased off of the basic tier, they will have to choose between three options.
The standard tier with ads has most of the catalog’s movie and television offerings, can be watched in 1080p quality, and offers streaming and downloads on two compatible devices at a time. It costs $6.99 a month.
For $15.49 a month, consumers can buy the standard tier without ads. Unlike with the ad-supported tier, customers on this plan have access to the entire Netflix catalog and can also add one extra member to their account for an additional $7.99 a month.
The premium tier, at $22.99 monthly, lets users watch on four devices and download to six in “Ultra HD” 4K quality. It also comes with Netflix’s spatial audio and lets users add two extra members for $7.99 a month each.
“We know that this is a change for our basic members, but we think we’ve got a strong offering for them. They’re going to get more for less, two streams versus one, we’ve got higher definition, we’ve got downloads, all at a lower price. And of course, it goes without saying hopefully that members can always choose our ads-free plans as well if they prefer,” Netflix Co-CEO Greg Peters said in April during the company’s first-quarter earnings call, as transcribed by Seeking Alpha.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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