Last year, Netflix released its “Basic with Ads” plan, giving you a slightly cheaper Netflix experience if you’re willing to sit through occasional advertising. Unfortunately, the company is now starting to push more people to sign up for the ads plan.
In the United States, Netflix has four plans: Basic with Ads for $6.99/month, Basic (which drops the ads) for $9.99/mo, Standard (higher resolution and two simultaneous streams) for $15.49/mo, and Premium (4K and six streams) for $19.99/mo. Netflix in Canada had the same structure, except new subscribers can no longer sign up for the Basic plan. That means putting up with ads and paying $5.99 CAD for each month, or nearly tripling the monthly cost for a $16.49 CAD Standard plan.
The support page only states, “The Basic plan is no longer available for new or rejoining members. If you are currently on the Basic plan, you can remain on this plan until you change plans or cancel your account.”
Netflix previously used Canada as a testing ground for its password sharing changes — the new restrictions rolled out there in February ahead of the May rollout in the United States. If recent history is anything to go by, it wouldn’t be surprising if Netflix decides to kill the Basic plan in the United States and other countries soon. The Basic option is already hidden when you sign up for a new plan until you click “See all plans” on the website.
If the same change rolls out in the US, you’ll have to pay at least $15.49/mo for Netflix if you want to avoid ad breaks, along with an extra $7.99 for each member outside your home. That’s a lot of money, and it’s clearly intended to push more people to the Basic with Ads plan, where Netflix might be able to generate more revenue through advertising. It’s no wonder that there’s renewed interest in sailing the high seas — if you go that route, make sure you have a VPN.
Source: Netflix Canada, TechCrunch
