"Netflix to Retire Cheapest Ad-Free Plan, Prepares for Price Hikes"

Netflix plans to phase out its cheapest no-ads Basic plan in some countries where it has introduced ad-supported tiers, starting with Canada and the U.K. in the second quarter of 2024. The company reported strong subscriber growth and highlighted the success of its ad-supported plan, which accounted for 40% of sign-ups in markets where it's available. Netflix aims to drive more customers to the ad-supported plan by offering a better overall value than the Basic plan, with more streams and higher resolution. The move comes after Netflix stopped offering the Basic plan to new subscribers in certain markets and increased its price in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.