Netflix Canada launches ad-supported tier for $5.99 on November 1
TORONTO — Netflix is offering Canadian viewers the option of a cheaper monthly subscription — as long as they’re willing to sit through commercial breaks.
The streaming giant says it’s marked November 1 to launch its new ad-supported streaming tier in Canada for $5.99 per month.
The price is significantly lower than Netflix’s ad-free plans which start at $9.99 and go up to $20.99 per month.
In exchange for the savings, Netflix says subscribers will spend an average of four to five minutes of ads per hour streaming before and during their TV shows and movies.
However, not everything in the Netflix library will be available on the ad tier, and subscribers will not be able to download titles for remote viewing.
Netflix says the pricing of its existing packages will not be affected by the introduction of the advertising tier.
The company’s new streaming option comes as the service seeks to attract cost-conscious customers and find a new revenue stream from advertisers it says will have access to « younger viewers who no longer watch. » in addition to linear television ».
In the United States, several Netflix competitors have already launched ad-supported tiers that trade occasional commercial breaks for a lower subscription price.
HBO Max, Peacock and Paramount Plus are among the companies that have the option in the US, while Disney Plus has announced plans to start offering its own version in the coming months.
Netflix rolls out the advertising arm in Canada two days ahead of most other major markets. It will introduce the option in countries like the United States, Brazil, France and the United Kingdom on November 3.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on October 13, 2022.
David Friend, The Canadian Press
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