Netflix’s lowest-priced ad-free plan is no longer available in the UK and Canada, as users have been informed of deadlines to upgrade or accept ads. Co-CEO Greg Peters stated that the price hikes are aimed at helping the company invest in a wider range of content options.
In Canada, a user posted on Reddit that they had been informed that the Basic plan had been discontinued and offered new plans starting at $5.99 with upgraded features. In response to a similar message in the UK, one user jokingly stated that they chose to save 100% on their new plan by opting for ads instead of paying for an ad-free option.
Although Netflix stopped offering the Basic plan to new and returning users last year, existing subscribers in the US are still able to remain on their plan until it is changed or canceled. The starting price for the new Standard plan with ads in Canada is $5.99, while the ad-free option costs $16.49, replacing the Basic plan which cost $9.99.
Netflix is not alone in raising prices as ten of the top streaming services have done so at least once in the past year. The latest hike from Max took effect on Thursday. It’s worth noting that Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Business Insider’s parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member
