Netflix’s Ad Tier Hits 70 Million Users, Spurred by Password-Sharing Crackdown and Price Shifts

As a seasoned gamer with countless hours spent navigating various digital landscapes and streaming platforms, I must say that the latest developments at Netflix have left me both intrigued and a tad disheartened.


After a long period of maintaining that its service would be free from advertisements, Netflix introduced an advertising tier about two years ago. Simultaneously, Netflix also intensified its efforts to stop unauthorized password sharing, another characteristic feature of the platform. It appears that, along with strategic adjustments in pricing, the ad-supported tier has proven successful for Netflix.

Over the past year, Netflix has seen a significant surge in the number of users for its ad-supported plan. Originally reaching 15 million monthly active users last November, this figure has now grown exponentially to an impressive 70 million users. Additionally, Netflix has taken stricter measures against account-sharing and raised the prices of its ad-free offerings. Furthermore, they’ve phased out the grandfathered Basic plan for many of their users.

It appears that a significant number of previous long-term subscribers may have switched from their original plans to Netflix’s ad-tier plan instead of paying for password sharing. As Deadline pointed out last year, it seems that many subscribers chose the ad-supported plan rather than paying the new fee for password sharing. Given that Netflix’s ad-free plans are almost twice as expensive as its current ad-supported tier, it’s not unexpected that users might opt for the more affordable choice when they need to alter their viewing method.

It appears that a trend persists in the world of streaming, which mirrors the television and movie industry: advertising brings in revenue. Initially, streaming services aimed to disrupt the conventional system, but now they’re revisiting their origins. This shift could mean an increase in advertisements, price increases, and stricter measures against password sharing for viewers trying to enjoy their favorite shows.

2023 rolled around, and there was some fantastic news for me as a Netflix user! They were working hard to boost the member experience, and part of that effort involved upgrading our ad-supported plan. Instead of the standard 720p quality, we’ll now be able to stream in crisp 1080p! Plus, we can run two streams simultaneously, and by the end of this week, downloads will become available for us too. That means I’ll soon be able to save my favorite series and movies for offline viewing – something only ad-supported streamers like Netflix offer! It’s a real game-changer to have downloads back as an ad-tier user.

Beyond this, Netflix mentions the creation of a “binge ad-free format (wt)”. In simpler terms, once viewers watch three episodes consecutively, they can access the fourth episode without any ads. This seems beneficial for those who prefer watching an entire series uninterruptedly in one go.

With the unveiling of this year’s advertising tier, no additional benefits were disclosed. As Netflix navigates through its streaming escapades, it remains intriguing to observe if these recent advancements can be maintained in the long run. Remarkably, so far, this shift for Netflix appears to have proven quite beneficial.

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2024-11-12 19:33