If you are thinking of getting Netflix and don’t want ads, will now need to pay more as Netflix has removed its cheap Basic plan. This $9.99 a-month plan offered 720p video without ads but is now a thing of the past, as spotted by Cord Busters.
Cord Cutters News first reported that Netflix was hiding the plan back in June, but now the plan has been completely removed, and no new customers can signup for the cheap ad-free plan. This means that customers who want an ad-free Netflix experience will need to pay at least $15.49 in the United States.
If you have the Basic plan, Netflix says you will be grandfathered in to keep your plan. If you switch to a different plan, you won’t be able to go back to the $9.99 a month Basic option.
Now when Netflix brings you to the choose your plan page, it only shows the $6.99 with ads option, the $15.49 standard option, and the $19.99 premium opinion.
Recently Netflix has cracked down on account sharing to drive up subscriptions. According to the Wall Street Journal, signups for Netflix have jumped higher than they were when the pandemic lockdowns started.
Netflix account holders can add “extra members” to their plan for $7.99 per month in select countries. In an e-mail to customers, Netflix states that users outside a household can either create a new membership or transfer their profile to another account, or pay the above mentioned fee to add an extra user on top of the regular monthly membership fees. Monthly prices range from $6.99 to $19.99, depending on the selected plan.
Now it seems that thousands of Netflix customers have decided to signup for new subscriptions every day as they find themselves locked out of their accounts.
According to Netflix, 100 million people around the world access Netflix through a friend or family member’s account.
Since enforcing its password sharing ban limiting account use only to people within the same household, Netflix has seen a massive increase in new memberships. According to a Bloomberg Second Measure report tracking consumer transaction data, new Netflix accounts grew 236% between May 21st and June 18th. Now it seems Netflix wants these new customers to sign up for more expensive TV plans.