What the Tech? Netflix Subscriptions Changes
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(ABC 6 News) – Without warning or even an official announcement, Netflix eliminated its cheapest ad-free subscription plan. It’s a big change for Netflix subscribers who are fine with watching on only one device and those who didn’t want to pay for higher-priced plans.
Netflix offered 4 subscription plans: The no-longer-available Basic is, or was, $10 per month and allowed subscribers to watch Netflix content on only one TV or device.
The video was in 720p, the lowest high definition with a good-quality picture.
The Standard tier, for $15.49/month is full 1080p HD and can be viewed on two TVs or devices at the same time and content can be downloaded on two devices.
Premium is $20 a month for 4K and UHD and subscribers can watch on 6 devices simultaneously.
Netflix announced that it will eliminate the "Basic" package which costs $10 a month.
The cheaper, ad-supported subscription was introduced last year. The “Standard with ads” is $7 per month and the video is in 1080 HD. Like free streaming options such as Tubi, Pluto, and Freevee, you’ll have to sit through advertisements on both movies and TV shows. But, the video quality is in full HD. Netflix says it’s about 4 minutes of commercials per hour.
Another catch with the ad-supported plan is that not all shows and movies are available. Netflix says the majority of its content can be watched on the ad-supported plan but some titles are blocked.
If you already have a Basic subscription you can keep it until you cancel, or switch to another plan. Then, there’s no going back.
Netflix appears to be pushing its ad-supported package since it likely makes more than enough in ads to make up for the extra $2 a month of its basic plan. And the company isn’t paying as much to distributors for content.