Netflix Users Disappointed After Cheapest Ad-Free Plan Gets Phased Out: What's With the Paywall?

With Netflix's cheapest ad-free subscription now phased out, some users are now torn between renewing and canceling their current plans.

A Reddit post from June 28 sparked widespread outrage when one user discovered they needed to upgrade their Netflix plan to access more content.

This revelation set off a chain reaction, with numerous users expressing frustration and sharing their decisions to stop their subscriptions due to ongoing price hikes.

Ad-Supported Plans: A Mixed Bag

Netflix introduced its ad-supported plan in November 2022, priced at $6.99 per month. Available in 12 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, this plan features commercials before or during content.

Despite Netflix's promise to "place ads during natural plot breaks for a more seamless experience," users have mixed feelings.

As The Sun reports, one user commented on a Reddit post that he spent the first forty years of his life watching commercials on TV so ads are not a big deal at all. However, he later realized that he wouldn't have access to the full catalog if he went with an ad-full plan.

He added that he quickly changed his perspective from 'That's a price I'm willing to pay' to 'I guess I'll keep subscribing for one month a year to catch up on things.'

"I've stopped my subscription," another user said, stating that he is now pirating content on other websites.

Limited Access to Content

At launch, the ad-supported plan offered 720p video quality without offline downloads and restricted access to some content. Although video quality has since been upgraded to full HD, certain shows and movies remain locked due to "licensing restrictions."

Notably, Sony and Universal are the biggest holdouts, with some of their content still inaccessible on ad-supported plans.

Industry-Wide Price Increases Are Not Foreign to Users Anymore

Complaints about rising streaming service costs are nothing new. In 2023 alone, major streaming platforms have raised subscription prices.

For example, Max increased prices across its ad-free subscription tiers, with the Basic ad-free plan now costing $16.99 per month, up from $15.99, and the Standard 4K ad-free plan rising to $20.99 per month from $19.99.

Netflix Price Adjustments

Netflix itself announced price increases in October 2023, the first in over a year. While the entry-level ad-supported plan and Standard plan retained their prices, the Basic plan saw a hike to $11.99 per month, up by $2, and the Premium plan increased to $22.99 per month from $19.99.

Phasing Out the Basic Plan

In addition to price hikes, Netflix revealed it would phase out the Basic plan, starting with users in Canada and the United Kingdom in January. This decision has sparked further outrage among subscribers.

One Redditor said that it's annoying to know that Netflix chose to do this with price hikes and ads. He believed that most people wouldn't cancel their plans even though some of them already canceled their accounts.

Netflix Should Listen to Users

As streaming services continue to raise prices and restrict content access, user frustration grows. The more the disappointment grows, the more action Netflix needs to address.

The ongoing backlash on platforms like Reddit highlights the need for companies like Netflix to reconsider their strategies and provide more value to their subscribers. Only time will tell if customer dissatisfaction will lead to meaningful change in the streaming industry.