MSE News
Netflix to launch £4.99 monthly plan but you'll have to watch adverts - here's what's happening
Netflix is to launch a new cheaper payment plan on 3 November, costing £4.99 a month - but you'll have to put up with adverts and initially, you'll have less to watch than other subscribers. Here's what's changing and how the new plan compares.
You can also read our Best streaming services guide and our 18 Netflix hacks for full info on how to stream as cheaply as possible.
Netflix to launch 'Basic with Adverts' plan - what's changing
The new plan, titled 'Basic with Adverts', is designed for those who are after a cheaper deal but who are willing to compromise by watching adverts - a first for Netflix.
At launch, either 15 or 30 second adverts will appear for four to five minutes, on average, every hour. Netflix wouldn't explicitly confirm if advert length or frequency will change in future but said this will most likely evolve. Ads will play before and during content. Newer films will play adverts at the start while older films will have adverts at the start and throughout.
Netflix said ads won't currently be targeted based on your personal data or usage. And it has said that, at launch, it will not show any ads on content aimed at children aged under 13-years-old, regardless of the profile being used.
The new plan will also have roughly 5% to 10% less film and television content compared with the streaming service's existing tiers, due to licensing restrictions. But Netflix said it is working to enable users with the new plan to access all of its content in future.
Netflix's current plans - basic, standard and premium - will remain at their current prices. The only change to existing plans is that basic users will see their picture quality boosted from 480p to 720p on 1 November.
How Netflix's plans compare
Here's how the Basic with Adverts tier compares to Netflix's existing plans:
How Netflix's plans compare
| Plan | Monthly cost | Number of devices you can stream on | Picture quality | Can you download content | Will adverts be played |
| Basic with Adverts (1) | £4.99 | One | High definition (720p) | No | Yes |
| Basic | £6.99 | One | Standard definition changing to high definition (480p changing to 720p (2)) | Yes - on one device | No |
| Standard | £10.99 | Two | Full definition (1080p) | Yes - on two devices | No |
| Premium | £15.99 | Four | Ultra-high definition (4k+HDR) | Yes - on four devices | No |
(1) Only available from 4pm on 3 November 2022. (2) On 1 November 2022.
How to switch to Netflix's new plan
From 4pm on 3 November:
- Existing Netflix customer? Just log in to your Netflix account, under "Plan Details" select "Change Plan" and choose the "Basic with Adverts" option.
- Not a Netflix customer? You can sign up on the Netflix website. Netflix has confirmed it won't offer any free trials of the new service, as is the case with its existing plans.
Netflix recently upped the prices of its plans - but you can cancel penalty-free
The move by Netflix comes after the streaming service upped its prices earlier this year. From March, Netflix subscribers saw costs rise by up to £24 a year. Basic and standard plans rose by £1 a month, while the premium plan increased by £2 a month.
If you're unhappy with the service, all of Netflix's plans - including its new offering - can be upgraded, downgraded or cancelled at any time penalty-free without reason.
If you no longer want an account, you can stop your membership by logging in and selecting "Cancel Membership" in the membership and billing section. If you cancel midway through your billing cycle, you'll be able to carry on using your account until the next billing date.
MSE weekly email
FREE weekly MoneySaving email
For all the latest deals, guides and loopholes simply sign up today – it's spam-free!
Join the MSE Forum discussion
Related Articles
-
Wilko administration – here are your refund and shopping rights
20 September 2023![]()
Your refund and shopping rights as budget homeware retailer Wilko falls into administration. -
Standard first-class stamp prices to rise by 14% from 2 October – here's how to beat the hike
4 September 2023![]()
First-class stamp prices will rise by 14% for standard size letters, Royal Mail has confirmed. From Monday 2 October, the cost of a first-class stamp will be hiked to £1.25. -
Hive to remotely switch off certain cameras and smart devices by 2025 including three this year – here are your rights
1 September 2023![]( "1672762984")
Smart home tech provider Hive is to switch off a number of smart devices, security devices and leak sensors, leaving you unable to use them. Five products have already been discontinued, with three more set to be switched off by 2025. -
Three million Tesco shoppers have Clubcard vouchers expiring on 31 August – here's how to extend them
22 August 2023![]()
Three million Tesco Clubcard holders need to spend £11.5 million worth of vouchers before they expire at the end of this month.
26 September 2023
-
Martin: It's Meter Reading Week
His 9 energy need-to-knows
-
Martin's savers alert
After base rate freeze
-
Grab 1.5yrs' FREE family insurance
Travel, mobile & breakdown
-
FREE Greggs pizza slice & hot drink
Normally up to £4
-
14,000 Vax codes
Incl £400 cordless for £100
-
Mortgage rates are falling
Is now the time to fix?
-
Now FOUR banks pay you to switch
Up to a FREE £210
-
Read the full email
For all the latest deals, guides and loopholes simply sign up today – it's spam-free!
-
E.on Next to cut winter bills by up to 50% for some customers on low incomes – here's what's happening
2 October 2023![]()
E.on Next is launching a new support scheme for some of its existing customers on low incomes or with medical needs. -
EDF Energy to cut bills for some by £30 this winter – Martin Lewis welcomes move but says 'it's not a game-changer'
29 September 2023![]()
EDF Energy will cut bills by £30 for some 260,000 of its customers who get the Government's Warm Home Discount this winter. -
Martin and MSE among organisations calling for energy social tariff as millions expected to struggle with bills this winter
29 September 2023![]()
The Government must urgently introduce an energy social tariff to prevent millions of households from falling into fuel poverty this winter, consumer organisations including MoneySavingExpert have said. -
Train strike refund rights as Northern, Southeastern, Thameslink and more set for week of disruption
28 September 2023![]()
Rail users in England, Scotland and Wales face disruption over the coming week as workers across multiple train operators, including Northern, Southeastern, Thameslink and more, take strike action and refuse to work overtime. -
Mortgage rates fall as Bank of England unexpectedly holds UK rates – so should you fix?
26 September 2023![]()
Interest rates on fixed mortgage deals have been edging down over the past few weeks with some five and 10-year fixes now at below 5%.
-
Martin Lewis: Is it time to ban unnecessary Christmas presents?
11 September 2023![]()
Update September 2017: It’s eight years since I first braved this subject, expecting a snowstorm of protest. Instead, year after year more join in, like Julia who recently tweeted me, “@MartinSLewis, finally took your advice and told my family I can’t afford Christmas presents. What a weight off my mind. Thank you.” One year even the Archbishop of... -
Martin Lewis: Five things all new English university starters should know
4 September 2023![]()
The 2023 academic year is about to start, and it'll see the biggest shake-up to student finance in England for a decade. The changes are both subtle and massive. On the surface they look like a tweak, in practice they will increase the eventual cost of going to university by over 50% for many typical graduates.
Clever ways to calculate your finances
