The basic subscription, which Netflix has long offered as the cheapest entry, can no longer be booked since October 23rd. This means that users’ fears have come true. Many of them are thinking about canceling Netflix. This was the result of a current TECHBOOK survey.
A few months ago, reports emerged that suggested that the basic Netflix subscription in Germany would soon end. After the streaming provider initially took this step in Canada, the USA, Great Britain and Italy, Spain, Japan, Mexico, Australia, Brazil – and also Germany followed this week. Customers in this country are anything but enthusiastic. According to a current TECHBOOK survey, the majority see termination as the only logical consequence of losing a subscription to Netflix.
80 percent of Netflix users are considering canceling
The strong reactions are not surprising, because the end of the basic subscription comes at a very bad time. The basic subscription was the only Netflix subscription intended for use by a single person, apart from the recently launched ad-supported access. It was also the only option that Netflix offered without advertising for under 10 euros a month. Since Netflix drastically stopped account sharing – i.e. sharing access with people who do not live in their own household – the basic subscription has been a way for many users to book their own access cheaply.
After the option has been removed, opinions are correspondingly clear. In a survey, TECHBOOK wanted to know from its readers how they would react to the cancellation of the basic subscription. More than 31,000 readers voted – with a very clear result. More than 25,000 participants and therefore good 80 percent said they would cancel Netflix to want.
According to the survey, there is little interest in alternative Netflix subscriptions
However, only a fraction of those surveyed in the survey were comfortable with the alternative options. At least there are still a little over 2,500 readers – good 8 percent – stated after the cancellation of the basic subscription to switch to the standard subscription. This costs 12.99 euros per month, offers full HD and can be used on up to two devices in parallel.
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For an additional monthly fee of 4.99 euros, one can be purchased Add an additional person to your subscription. Around 1,600 of those surveyed (approx. 5 percent) as an alternative to the basic subscription. If two users who do not live together shared the standard subscription in this way, each participant would pay 8.99 euros per month – one euro more than with the previous basic subscription. For the premium subscription, the price would be 11.49 euros per month. However, since you can stream on up to four devices in parallel, several people could share this access. With three participants in the subscription, the monthly price would drop to 9.30 euros and with four people to 8.24 euros.
The ad-financed subscription that Netflix launched in Germany on November 3, 2022 costs 4.99 euros per month. Here Netflix displays advertisements before and while streaming films and series. According to the provider, a total of around four to five minutes of advertising is broadcast per hour, with individual commercials each being 15 to 20 seconds long. While the advertising subscription is quite successful in the USA, it is less well received in Germany. This was already shown by a TECHBOOK survey in the spring. And the results currently show that there are just over 2,000 survey participants and therefore around 6 percent can imagine that Ad-financed Netflix subscription as an alternative to the basic subscription to book.
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Reaction from Netflix
Netflix did not want to give us a statement about the results of the survey. However, the company gave an explanation as to why it decided to remove the basic subscription:
Because there are more entertainment choices than ever before, we’re simplifying our pricing: Starting October 23rd, we’re updating our plans so that our members can now choose between our standard subscription with ads and our ad-free standard and premium plans. The basic subscription will no longer be offered from this point onwards.
However, it is important to mention that the basic subscription is currently no longer available as a booking option. Those Netflix users who have already subscribed to the subscription can continue to use it as usual. So nothing changes for them. However, it remains to be seen what effect the numerous adjustments at Netflix will have in the long term. The third quarter figures published on October 18th suggest that Netflix’s strategy is working. The streaming provider recorded 8.76 million new subscribers, bringing its current total to 247.15 million paying customers. At the same time, profits and sales also increased compared to the second quarter. However, the current Netflix figures do not take into account the effects of the loss of the basic subscription in Germany.
*Note on the methodology: During the voting, each option could be voted once per device (computer, smartphone, etc.). The voting is not representative.