Netflix Discontinues ‘Basic’ Tier in the US and UK

Netflix has now discontinued its ‘Basic’ ad-free plan in the US and the UK. Cord Busters spotted the change today after Netflix previously axed this Basic plan in Canada in June.

“The Basic plan is no longer available for new or rejoining members,” Netflix explained on a support page. “If you are currently on the Basic plan, you can remain on this plan until you change plans or cancel your account.”

Netflix’s Basic plan was priced at $9.99 (£6.99), and it only allowed subscribers to watch content in HD quality on one device at a time. In comparison, Netflix’s Standard with ads plan costs $6.99 (£4.99), and it offers 1080p HD quality and lets users watch content on 2 supported devices at a time. However, some movies and TV shows are not available with this plan due to issues with licensing rights.

To get an ad-free experience on Netflix, new subscribers in the US and the UK now need to choose the Standard plan ($15.49/£10.99) or the Premium plan ($19.99/£15.99) that offers 4K quality, spatial audio, and simultaneous playback on 4 devices. These are also the only two plans that also offer the option to pay for extra member slots for people that don’t live in the same household.

It’s not clear yet if Netflix plans to discontinue its Basic plan in more markets, but the company may share more details on its strategy when it reports its quarterly earnings this afternoon. However, the writing may already be on the wall. In a letter to shareholders published in April, the company explained that its ad-supported plan already had a total average revenue per membership greater than its standard plan in the US.