Netflix is working on plans to discontinue its cheapest ad-free basic subscription tier for now. It has started in the UK and Canada and will surely be discontinued in other countries accordingly.
Netflix has been gradually notifying users with an on-screen message about the last day they will be able to access the service unless they upgrade to a different plan. One Reddit user shared a screenshot of the notification he received from Netflix: “Your last day to watch Netflix is July 13th. Select a new plan to continue watching on cheaper Standard with ads.” Or the more expensive Standard or Premium 4K plans instead.
In the UK, users have been told that the £7.99 per month Basic plan has been discontinued. They can sign up for the Standard plan with ads for £4.99 or pay £10.99 for the Standard plan. The £10.99 plan gives us access to 1080p streaming, viewing on two devices at once, and downloading on up to two devices at the same time. The Standard plan with ads still offers 1080p video quality, but it contains ads.
Earlier this year, Netflix announced that it would be phasing out the Basic plan in some countries where it was implemented. Starting with Canada and the UK in Q2, the plan will then be rolled out.
Netflix also said in May that its ad-supported streaming platform had 40 million monthly active users worldwide, up 35 million from a year ago.