Netflix is starting to phase out its cheapest ad-free plan

Netflix is following through on its plan to phase out its cheapest ad-free tier for existing subscribers. As spotted in numerous posts on Reddit, Netflix is now asking some basic plan subscribers to choose a new plan to stay subscribed to Netflix.

One Reddit user received a notification on their Netflix app, saying “Your last day to watch Netflix is July 13th. Choose a new plan to keep watching.” Subscribers paying $11.99 / month for the basic plan will have to choose either the $6.99 ad-supported tier, the $15.49 ad-free tier, or the $22.99 ad-free 4K premium plan.

Judging by the posts on Reddit, it looks like most users receiving the prompt are located in Canada or the UK, which tracks with Netflix’s plan to phase out the basic tier: in January, Netflix announced that it’s taking away the tier for existing subscribers in the second quarter of this year, starting with Canada and the UK. The streamer’s pricing page in both Canada and the UK says the “Basic plan has been discontinued” and that “you can change your plan at any time.”

Last year, Netflix discontinued its basic plan for new or returning members in the US, Canada, and the UK. Netflix hasn’t said when it will start phasing out the basic plan for existing subscribers in the US. When reached for comment, Netflix pointed The Verge to the statement it made during its earnings call in January.

Like many other streamers, Netflix continues to nudge users toward its ad-supported plan, which, as of May, had grown to over 40 million users.

Disclosure: The Verge recently produced a series with Netflix.

Update, July 2nd: Added comment from Netflix.