Streaming on a budget may have become more of a reality for Australians, with Netflix set to release a cheaper plan in November.
Known as ‘Basic with Ads’, the new plan, which is expected to be available on November 4, 2022, will cost $6.99 per month – $4 cheaper than the current Netflix Basic Plan – but will come with ads to offset the cheaper cost.
Australia is one of 12 countries that will have the new plan in November, with Canada, Mexico, the US and the UK some of the other locations set to experience the new viewing option, with no word as to whether the plan will be rolled out further.
There will be no changes to current plans or current subscribers, with subscribers expected to sign up or switch plans as they would have done in the past.
“With the addition of our new plan at $6.99 a month, we’re really excited to be able to offer that wide range and offer a price and plan for every Netflix fan”, said Netflix Chief Operating Officer, Greg Peters.
The introduction of a cheaper plan is off the back of Netflix’s weakest annual growth in 2021, a price rise in November 2021, and investigations into password sharing amongst current subscribers, in addition to an increasingly crowded and competitive streaming market.
What will the Netflix Basic with Ads plan feature?
The Basic with Ads Netflix plan will feature five minutes of adverts for every hour of viewing, although not every title will include ads, with ads also dependent on each country’s advertising laws.
New movie releases will showcase adverts at the beginning of the title, reflecting the traditional cinema experience, while older titles and TV shows showcasing the ads in the middle.
The Basic with Ads is expected to still give subscribers access to the full Netflix library of content, although subscribers won’t be able to download content to watch on the go.
Netflix is also expected to increase the resolution on the existing Basic plan from 480p to 720p, or High Definition, as an additional bonus off the back of the new plan announcement.
Below is a breakdown of the current costs and features of Netflix plans.
| Basic Plan | Standard Plan | Premium Plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $10.99 | $16.99 | $22.99 |
| HD available | |||
| Ultra HD available | |||
| No. of screens you can watch on at the same time | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Prices taken from Netflix website. Accurate as of October, 2022.
Sign up to Disney+
Keen for something different? Why not check out Disney+? There are two plan options to choose from – a monthly subscription, or prepay for a year. Both plans include the same features, with unlimited downloads and the ability to stream on up to four screens at the same time.
| Brand | Subscription Type | No. of Screens/same time viewing | Advertised Cost^^/month or year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $13.99 over one month |
4 | $13.99 |
Get Deal |
|
min. cost $139.99 over one year |
4 | $139.99 |
Get Deal |
 |
^^View important information | |||
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