Netflix begins phasing out its cheapest ad-free plan in select markets

Last summer, Netflix officially discontinued its Netflix Basic plan for new subscribers. Previously, this tier was just $10 a month, though it had gone up to $11.99 towards the end of its life. This plan only allowed for one stream at a time and was limited to 720p, but it gave you full access to the entire Netflix library, completely ad-free. Until now, legacy subscribers could still keep the ad-free Basic plan, but Netflix is finally phasing it out for good.

As first spotted by The Verge, there have recently been several Reddit posts from users who have received notices from Netflix that they must choose a new plan if they wish to keep watching. The actual date for discontinuation seems to vary depending on your billing date and other factors. So far, nearly all these notices have been for Canadian or UK subscribers.

It looks like the US has yet to be hit with notices, and I can personally vouch that I’ve yet to receive one as I currently use the ad-free Netflix Basic plan as well. This lines up well with Netflix’s previous announcement earlier this year, which indicated it was taking away access for legacy subscribers in the second quarter of 2024, starting with Canada and the UK.

Bottom line, though, if you’re on Netflix Basic without ads, you’ll soon have to make a switch. The remaining options are either to move over to the $6.99 ad-supported plan or to pay at least $15.49 a month for ad-free service.

The good news is that all the remaining plans support at least two streams and 1080p video, though the more expensive $22.99 Premium plan bumps this number to four streams and delivers 4K video quality. It’s worth noting the ad-supported plan also has a few other limitations, such as a slightly smaller library due to licensing restrictions. You’ll also have to watch ads at the beginning and during select TV shows and movies, though some content will only have a few ads right before the content starts.