When it comes to streaming Netflix, there’s always been one thing that has been constant: no ads.
Well, it always depends on the streaming provider and the plan that you are on. There are several streaming providers that are out there. These entities want to ensure that they are providing quality content and generating the right level of revenue.
There are those that provide a platform that has no ads whatsoever. Netflix is one of these platforms.
The Plans on Netflix
No matter the Netflix membership plan a person chooses, they will never have to endure commercial interruptions while viewing a movie or a TV program. As Netflix CEO Reed Hastings recently noted, the time for free Netflix is drawing to a conclusion. As a result, some users will be able to switch to ad-supported plans, which will be available to all members.
Netflix’s Q1 2022 earnings call highlighted this significant change, and the streaming giant says it will investigate how ad-supported plans would appear “over the next year or two.” Adding advertising was hailed by Netflix COO Greg Peters as an “exciting opportunity,” while Netflix CEO Reed Hastings stated the following regarding this shift in direction:
My preference is for simple subscriptions rather than complicated advertising campaigns. Consumer choice is more important to me than anything else. It is an excellent idea to permit price-sensitive customers who can tolerate advertising to obtain what they want.
The Different Ways Netflix Could go
After Disney revealed that it would create an ad-supported Disney+ tier last week, and HBO Max announced that it would start its commercial-filled plan in May 2021, Netflix has followed suit. Additionally, Netflix will soon join the ranks of other streaming services that provide paid subscriptions in exchange for seeing ads. It’s unclear when these lower-cost subscriptions will be available, but it’s likely to be at least a year or more. Regarding launching its ad-supported plans, Reed Hastings underlined that the business would do it without any data tracking or ad-matching in mind, unlike Netflix’s rivals. He went on to say:
The internet ad industry has matured, if you are going for online roulette or streaming service you no longer need to provide as much personal information about your customers as you formerly did to reap the benefits. Staying out of it and focusing on our members will allow us to provide an exceptional experience for them.
The Various Options
In the present state of affairs, Netflix offers three subscription options: the Basic plan, which costs $9.99 per month; the Standard plan, which costs $15.49 per month; and the Premium plan, which costs $19.99 per month. Customers can watch as much content as they want with these subscription plans. Still, the key differences are in the number of screens that can be used simultaneously, the number of phones and tablets that can download content, and whether you’re streaming in standard definition, high definition, or ultra high definition (UHD). For now, it’s unclear how Netflix’s ad-supported plans will handle these issues and where they’ll land on the pricing scale.
We’ll let you know as soon as new information regarding Netflix’s business plans becomes available. For the time being, Netflix subscribers should check their library to see if any new titles have been added that they’d want to watch.
