Netflix has finally announced the release date for its cheaper, ad-supported tier along with details on what exactly will be included with this low-priced subscription.
The streaming company has been working on an ad-supported tier for some time now and Netflix finally announced that the new “Basic with Ads” tier will be released on November 3 at 9 am PT.
The new tier will cost $6.99 a month and will be available in the US, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain, and UK.
The Basic with Ads tier will be limited to 720p/HD, the same as Netflix’s Basic plans. The company also says users can expect an average of 4 to 5 minutes of ads per hour that will be 15 or 30 seconds in length. Ads will play before and during shows and films.
Netflix also revealed that some movies and TV shows won’t be available due to licensing restrictions, though says it is working on this front. Furthermore, users will not be able to download titles.
The company has been touting a new ad-supported tier for months following disastrous financial results and shrinking subscription growth. Other streaming services like Peacock and Paramount+ already offer ad-supported tiers, and Disney Plus is also working on rolling out a cheaper, ad-supported plan.
Whether this cheaper offering entices users to Netflix remains to be seen as the company is doing everything it can to find growth again, from cracking down on password sharing, to focusing on core hits.
Matt T.M. Kim is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.
