‘BASIC WITH ADS’

Netflix Subscribers Can Now Get Half Off by Sitting Through Ads

The streaming giant will begin offering the new service on Nov. 3 in the U.S.

Starting next month, U.S. customers will be able to enjoy their favorite Netflix shows for less than half the current price—provided they’re willing to sit through commercials. The Silicon Valley-based streaming service will roll out its ‘Basic with Ads’ tier on Nov. 3 for $6.99 a month, a price that’s significantly cheaper than the current “Standard” $15.49 plan. Viewers can expect about four to five minutes of ads per hour, says Netflix COO Greg Peters. New movies will only feature a slew of ads in the beginning in order to “preserve that sort of cinematic model there,” Peters says. Older movies, meanwhile, will have a more “traditional” combination of pre-roll and mid-roll ads with “less frequent” breaks than those on TV shows. Ad categories like politics, smoking, and guns will not be allowed on the service. Canada and Mexico will get the new ad-supported plan two days earlier, on Nov. 1. Disney+, meanwhile, will roll out its $7.99 add-supported version on Dec. 8.