Netflix's Cheaper Option Drops November 3

The change that Netflix has long resisted is almost here: The platform will roll out a cheaper version of its offerings with ads next month. Starting Nov. 3, people will have the option of paying $6.99 a month for a service known as "basic with ads," reports the Wall Street Journal. Those who subscribe will see four to five minutes of ads per hour, with each ad 15 or 30 seconds long, per CNBC. The move comes as the world's largest streaming service (with 221 million global subscribers) tries to goose flagging subscription numbers of late.

The new option is $3 cheaper than Netflix's basic subscription, though the platform also offers more expensive tiers ($15.49 and $19.99) with more bells and whistles such as higher-quality streams and simultaneous-viewing options. The new service will be high-definition, however. Netflix notes "a limited number of movies and TV shows won't be available due to licensing restrictions, which we’re working on," and there's no option to download titles. Netflix will come in a little cheaper than similar ad-supported offerings available or soon to be available from rivals including Disney Plus ($7.99), Hulu ($7.99), and HBO Max ($9.99).