Variety reported on Thursday, citing industry insiders, that Netflix intends to introduce its new ad-supported membership option in numerous regions on November 1. The ad-supported tier is expected to go online on November 1 in countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
The streaming behemoth is apparently bumping forward its debut date to compete with the new ad-supported tier of Disney Plus, which will be available on December 8. Previously, it was rumored that Netflix’s new membership option will be available by the end of the year, while sources indicated that a larger rollout may occur in early 2023.
Netflix with advertisements is expected to cost between $7 and $9 per month, or nearly half the price of the company’s current regular package, which costs $15.50 per month. Ads will not be broadcast during children’s programs, as previously reported, and customers will not be able to download material for offline viewing.
After Netflix announced its first membership drop in a decade in April, co-CEO Reed Hastings stated that the firm was considering a lower-cost, ad-supported tier for Netflix after years of rejecting advertising. Netflix also intends to charge for password sharing beginning next year.
The adjustments come amid the so-called streaming wars, which have spawned a slew of other services and alternatives for customers, including Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Peacock, and Paramount Plus.
According to a Netflix spokesperson, the firm is “still in the early stages of considering how to introduce a lower cost, ad-supported tier,” and “no decisions have been made.”
