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Netflix may offer a completely free regional subscription plan. It seems the streaming giant is keenly interested in making inroads in new regions while battling saturation.
What will the new Netflix free regional plan offer?
According to Blomberg, Netflix is contemplating an entirely free regional subscription plan for its streaming service. The plan won’t demand any subscription fees, but it would have ads.
Netflix already has a basic plan with ads. It is currently the lowest-priced subscription for the streaming platform. The new regional subscription plan, if deployed, won’t ask subscribers for any money.
Netflix is reportedly considering a “free plan with ads”, according to @Bloomberg 🔴👀
This won't be available in the US; instead, they are targeting Europe and Asia.
Netflix previously tested a free plan in Kenya in 2021, which ended in October 2023. pic.twitter.com/9EwIIzjaTD
— ㆅ (@howfxr) June 25, 2024
It is not clear if Netflix would offer its entire catalog of shows and movies in the free plan. Some reports suggest Netflix might heavily curate the content.
Incidentally, this is not the first time Netflix has experimented with a completely free regional subscription plan. The streaming giant tested a free plan in Kenya and Vietnam back in 2021.
Netflix is ending its free plan.
Two years ago, Netflix introduced a free plan and soft-launched it in Kenya and Vietnam. This plan was designed to provide access to some Netflix original films but not other shows, which was actually quite cool. However, starting from November… pic.twitter.com/S5HPZYFULf
— LOVE AND LIGHT (@d2brang) October 3, 2023
The free regional plan Netflix tested, included personalized recommendations, parental controls, and profile creation options. However, this plan had a highly limited bouquet of shows and movies.
Interestingly, back then, Netflix didn’t stuff advertisements in the subscription. Needless to say, the streaming company quietly discontinued the plan.
Why is Netflix offering a completely free subscription?
Netflix has been steadily gaining subscribers. The company has been cracking down on password sharing and other methods used to access the service without paying. Interestingly, in the long run, the company managed to gain new subscribers instead of losing them.
It appears Netflix is now concerned about saturation. Simply put, Netflix may be experiencing stagnation in terms of subscriber growth.
Netflix could be reaching peak potential with its current plans. Hence, it would have to come up with new ways to gain subscribers. Needless to say, offering something for free is one of the best tactics to attract new users or subscribers.
Some reports suggest Netflix would experiment with a free regional streaming plan in markets where it hasn’t grown well. Affordability and lack of online payment platforms could also be barriers that Netflix may want to circumvent. Some reports also point out Netflix could be targeting regions where there are highly popular free TV networks such as Germany and Japan.