Netflix is retiring its cheapest subscription plan – and warns you may have to "pay a little extra" in future

Netflix has announced that it will be retiring its cheapest subscription plan, while simultaneously warning that its subscribers may have to pay “a little extra” in future.

In a Q4 2023 shareholder letter obtained by The Verge, Netflix revealed it would be sunsetting its ad-free 'Basic' plan for subscribers.

'Basic', which allows streaming only up to 720p, was previously raised to $11.99/month. It will be removed first in Canada and the UK in Q2 2024, before following suit elsewhere.

"As we invest in and improve Netflix, we’ll occasionally ask our members to pay a little extra to reflect those improvements," the letter also reads, suggesting that a further price increase – on top of those from last year – may follow in future.

Last October, the premium plan went up from $19.99/month to $22.99/month, while those in the UK are now paying £17.99/month for premium.

This all follows on from Netflix striking a $5 billion deal for the exclusive rights to stream WWE programming on its service. Its flagship show – Monday Night Raw – will air weekly from January 2025 in the US, while international subscribers will get Raw, SmackDown, and Premium Live Events, moving forward.

Netflix, though, has enjoyed a strong start to 2024: Harlan Coben’s Fool Me Once has stormed to the top of streaming charts, plus the likes of Bridgerton season 3 and Avatar: The Last Airbender are coming later this year.

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