Netflix is slowly removing the last holdouts of its grandfathered Basic plan, which offered ad-free viewing for £3 less than the current Standard subscription for new customers
Six months after it stopped offering its Basic subscription, Netflix might finally close every loophole
If you originally signed up for Netflix with the iPhone app, you’ve been enjoying a more affordable subscription than millions of other viewers worldwide. That’s because Netflix allowed iPhone and iPad owners to keep watching its Basic plan, which was canned last summer.
This subscription cost £7.99 per month and offered ad-free viewing of everything in the Netflix catalogue in 720p HD picture quality. Netflix pulled the subscription for new customers in July 2023, but those already with a Basic plan were allowed to keep it until they either upgraded or cancelled.
Over time, Netflix has slowly withdrawn the Basic plan from its last remaining holdouts, including Sky Stream and Sky Glass viewers and, with the announcement this week, iPhone owners.
If you’ve been paying for your Netflix subscription with the credit or debit card saved with your Apple account (previously iTunes account), you’ll soon have to wave goodbye to the Basic plan.
Netflix confirmed to The Verge that it’s winding down these legacy subscriptions. In a statement, it said subscribers who were paying for a Basic tier via iTunes "will now have to pay the company directly using a credit or a debit card”. Netflix, as well as other companies like Spotify, have blocked customers from subscribing inside iOS apps to avoid paying the 30% commission imposed by Apple.
This overhead cost has been the subject of a huge amount of controversy and lead to Apple allowing third-party app marketplaces to install software on iPhone and iPad in Europe later this year.
Since you’ll be signing-up to a new plan, you’ll have to choose between the current array of subscription options. These are...
Adverts? Yes, before and during shows and films
Full Netflix Library? No, some titles missing
Picture Quality? 1080p HD
Games? Yes, all mobile games included
Watch On Multiple Devices? Yes, up to two
Downloads? Yes, on up to two devices
Adverts? No, never
Full Netflix Library? Yes
Picture Quality? 1080p HD
Games? Yes, all mobile games included
Watch On Multiple Devices? Yes, up to two
Downloads? Yes, on up to two devices
Additional Members? Yes, up to one
Adverts? No, never
Full Netflix Library? Yes
Picture Quality? 4K Ultra HD with Spatial Audio
Games? Yes, all mobile games included
Watch On Multiple Devices? Yes, up to four
Downloads? Yes, on up to six devices
Additional Members? Yes, up to two
It’s not all bad news for longtime Netflix viewers on iPhone. With the current breakdown of Netflix subscriptions, you’ll need to choose between saving £3 each month compared to the cost of the grandfathered £7.99 Basic plan — and putting up with adverts during your favourite boxset binge or blockbuster movie. Or you’ll have to spend an extra £3 each month for the Standard plan.
Both Standard and Standard with Ads offer improved picture quality over the Basic plan. Netflix’s now-defunct subscription was limited to 720p picture quality, Netflix Standard with Ads offers full High Definition (HD) streaming at 1080p.
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You can also watch and download shows and films on up to two devices at a time. That’s a doubling of the limit imposed by Netflix Basic.
Of course, if you really want to treat yourself, the £17.99 per month Netflix Premium plan offers 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, downloads on more devices, and other perks.
