Netflix to Launch Ad-Supported Plan for $6.99/Month in November, Raises Video Quality Up to 720p/HD for Basic Plans

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Image: Netflix

Netflix has announced that it will be launching Basic with Ads, a lower priced, ad-supported plan, on November 3. The plan will be available in 12 countries and cost just $6.99 per month in the U.S., making it $3 cheaper than the Basic plan, which costs $9.99 per month. Video quality is also being raised up to 720p/HD for both Basic with Ads and Basic plans, starting next month.

Netflix Plans

Basic with ads
(available November 2022)
BasicStandardPremium
✓ Watch on 1 supported device at a time✓ Watch on 1 supported device at a time✓ Watch on 2 supported devices at a time✓ Watch on 4 supported devices at a time
Some movies and TV shows unavailable (learn more), unlimited mobile games✓ Unlimited movies, TV shows, and mobile games✓ Unlimited movies, TV shows, and mobile games✓ Unlimited movies, TV shows, and mobile games
✓ Watch in HD✓ Watch in HD
(available November 2022)
✓ Watch in Full HD✓ Watch in Ultra HD
✓ Ad-free TV shows and movies✓ Ad-free TV shows and movies✓ Ad-free TV shows and movies
✓ Download on 1 supported device at a time✓ Download on 2 supported devices at a time✓ Download on 4 supported devices at a time

Netflix on the differences between Basic and Basic with Ads:

  • What stays the same: A wide variety of great TV shows and movies; personalized viewing experience; available on a wide range of TV and mobile devices; change or cancel your plan at any time.
  • What’s different: Video quality up to 720p/HD (now for both our Basic with Ads and Basic plans); average of 4 to 5 minutes of ads per hour; a limited number of movies and TV shows won’t be available due to licensing restrictions, which we’re working on; no ability to download titles.

Netflix on ads and the opportunity they represent for advertisers:

  • Ad Format: At launch, ads will be 15 or 30 seconds in length, which will play before and during shows and films.
  • Advertiser Controls: To help advertisers reach the right audience — and ensure our ads are more relevant for consumers — we’ll offer broad targeting capabilities by country and genre (e.g. action, drama, romance, sci-fi). Advertisers will also be able to prevent their ads from appearing on content that might be inconsistent with their brand (e.g. sex, nudity or graphic violence).
  • Verification Tools: We have partnerships with DoubleVerify and Integral Ad Science to verify the viewability and traffic validity of our ads starting in Q1 2023.
  • Audience Measurement: To enable advertisers to understand how Netflix can reach their target audience, Nielsen will use its Digital Ad Ratings (DAR) in the U.S. This will become available sometime in 2023 and eventually be reported through Nielsen ONE Ads.

Netflix also pointed out that it was able to launch its ad-supported plan just six months after it was first announced, something that was made possible by its “extraordinary” partnership with Microsoft. The plan will be available in more countries over time.

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Tsing Mui
News poster at The FPS Review.

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