Ads are coming to Netflix, and they’re coming earlier than expected. Netflix has set the official date for the new ad-supported plan (called “Basic w/ Ads”) to launch on November 3rd in the United States.
This is earlier than originally thought, as Netflix said in a July letter to shareholders than its ads would be coming in the “early part of 2023.” That puts the launch of their ad-plan more than a month earlier than its competitor, Disney+, who will launch an ad-supported plan of their own in December.
Here we’ve compiled all the details you need to know.
The Launch
There will be a tiered roll-out by country at the beginning of November as follows:
- November 1st “Basic w/ Ads” will launch in Canada and Mexico at 9AM PST.
- November 3rd “Basic w/ Ads” will launch in the United States, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and the UK at 9AM PST.
- November 10th “Basic w/ Ads” will launch in Spain at 9AM PST.
The Price
The new “Basic w/ Ads” plan will cost $6.99 a month in the United States.
How do the ads work?
There will be ads either 15 or 30 seconds in length. These will play before and during shows and movies. They promise no more than 4-5 minutes of advertising per hour.
Are there any other differences between “Basic w/ Ads” and the other plans?
There are certain movies and shows that will NOT be available on the “Basic w/ Ads” plan. Netflix has yet to offer specifics on which shows and movies will be excluded.
The “Basic w/ Ads” plan will also not allow for offline downloads.
Do the other plans change?
No. They stay the same, with the exception that the current “Basic” plan will now have a resolution of 720p HD, up from its previous 480p.
Here are the other plans that will be joined by “Basic w/ Ads:”
- Basic: $9.99/mo. (US), 720p HD resolution, offline downloads, no ads.
- Standard: $15.49/mo. (US), 1080p HD resolution, offline downloads, no ads.
- Premium: $19.99/mo. (US), 4K+HDR resolution, offline downloads, no ads.
Current customers can keep their current plans with no downgrade in features or increased billing.
Final Thoughts
What do you think about this new, cheaper plan? Will you be switching to it? Keeping your existing plan? Let us know in the comment section below!
