Last year, Netflix introduced its ad-supported plan in an effort to attract more subscribers. This plan, which Netflix calls "Basic with Ads," had a big caveat that users didn't appreciate much. You see, the ad-supported tier, which costs $6.99/month, was limited to 720p. However, this is about to change! Continue reading below to know more.
I tried Netflix with ads for a week – here's what you need to know
The ad-supported tier for Netflix works like all other OTT platforms' ad-supported tiers. You get access to most of its content library while dealing with occasional ads. However, users were not happy with the limitation of video streaming quality. To justify the cost of $6.99 per month, Netflix limited its video quality to sub-par 720p, along with the exclusion of some important key features on the platform. This did not sit well with most users. Especially when other OTT platforms like Apple TV Plus and Disney+ support 4K resolution by default.
Considering the user experience and feedback, Netflix will finally upgrade its ad-supported tier to 1080p. The best part is that you don't have to pay anything extra for it! According to Netflix's Q1 2023 Investor letter, the company will soon implement the change to its existing Basic with ads plan. Additionally, the concurrent streams will also go up from one to two.
However, the ad-supported plan still doesn't allow you to download content for offline viewing. You'll still get an average of 4-5 minutes of ads per hour, lasting 15-30 seconds. You will still see ads at the beginning and during a show and movie. Netflix has also not shared any information regarding changes to the presence of Digital Ads Ratings in the US.
