Netflix May Soon Offer A Cheaper Subscription Option, But There's A Catch

During a time not too long ago, if you wanted to watch a television show or movie and you couldn't find a physical copy, you were at the mercy of cable. Sure, on-demand channels that certain packages offered gave you some semblance of freedom, but more often than not, what was on was what you watched. Then came the advent of streaming, which for a small monthly fee, would give you access to a host of films and TV shows at your fingertips. Netflix – once predominantly a mail DVD rental service — led the initial push, ascending to the top of the streaming mountain in no time.

Now a global juggernaut, Netflix remains one of the most prominent names in the streaming world. Aside from a steady supply of incredible movies, small screen dramas, and more, it has even begun to dabble in original content. Viewers have it to thank for the immensely popular "Stranger Things," the adaptation of Neil Gaiman's "The Sandman" (that has an exciting vision for), and loads of other titles. To access the whole smorgasbord, you have three plans to choose from to accommodate your budget and viewing preferences: basic for $9.99, standard for $15.49, and premium for $19.99.

Word has gotten out that a fourth, cheaper tier is on the way, but it comes with a catch. Here's what we know.

As reported by Variety on August 26, 2022, Netflix may have plans to unveil an even cheaper subscription level than those currently available in the coming months. The streaming giant is considering a monthly price between $7 and $9, which sounds great on paper, but that discount doesn't come without some kind of cost. This tier would implement advertisements — approximately four minutes worth per hour — except on kids' programming and original movies. Elsewhere, Bloomberg notes ads would be unskippable.

So, if this concept becomes a reality, when can we expect to see it? Well, for those of you one of the "handful of markets where advertising spend is significant," as Netflix representatives recently explained to investors, you can likely check it out in early 2023. Additionally, it looks like some content could be missing from the ad-supported version that's otherwise available to watch on the ad-free one. However, the minutiae of such a situation have yet to be ironed out by the specific parties involved.

If you don't mind the occasional ad break and wouldn't mind saving some cash every month, then perhaps this ad-supported Netflix subscription would be right up your alley. Hopefully, more information about it will come to light as 2023 inches closer.