Netflix is working on phasing out its Basic plan for subscribers, as revealed in its Q4 2023 earnings call today.
The streaming giant had a solid end of the year, reporting that it managed to bring in 13 million subscribers as its future continues to look bright. As password-sharing crackdowns and advertisement-based tier support rise, the company is looking to do away with its $11.99, ad-free option. The Basic plan, which was made unavailable to new and returning users last summer, is currently available to those who were already subscribed to the tier. It's unclear how current Basic subscribers will be affected when the option is retired.
Basic will start to wash away in different territories over time. First up are the UK and Canada in the Spring, with other locations following from there. Ad-free options will then be limited to two tiers: Standard and Premium. The former costs $15.49 per month while offering full HD streaming, two supported devices at a time, and up to one extra member. The latter is a higher price jump at $22.99 per month with things like Ultra HD support, the option to stream from six devices at one time, and up to two extra members.
It means fewer options for Netflix subscribers as viewers flock to support its ad-based content. Netflix reported increases in ad-supported memberships by 70% quarter over quarter, with ads options now accounting for 40% of all Netflix sign-ups in supported markets.
As the Basic plan’s retirement emphasizes the streamer's focus on ad-based content, the company is moving forward with other reliable endeavors. This includes Squid Game Season 2, which is now officially set to arrive sometime in 2024. Netflix also recently announced a new partnership that gives it exclusive streaming rights to WWE Raw in 2025.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
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