- Netflix is removing the basic ad-free plan and switching to the ad-supported option if no alternative is chosen.
- There are three plans left: with ads (€6,99), Standard (€13,99) and Premium (€19,99) with clear differences in quality and catalog.
- The ad-supported plan is growing rapidly: Netflix claims tens of millions of users and strengthens this model.
- Impact on your wallet: Switching to ads saves €3/month; staying ad-free means paying more and assuming possible future increases.
Netflix has made a significant change to its offering in Spain : the basic ad-free plan is ending , and the company is decisively moving towards an ad-supported model. This move presents many users with a clear choice: pay less and watch ads , or upgrade to a plan to maintain an uninterrupted experience.
The changes have been rolled out in phases. First, the option to subscribe to the basic plan without ads was removed, and now, customers who still have it are being notified by email: if they don't take any action, they will be migrated to the Standard plan with ads . Therefore, there are now three plans with distinct prices and features.
What changes and when
At the end of July, the platform discontinued its basic ad-free plan for new subscribers at €9,99 . As a next step, existing subscribers will be automatically migrated to the Standard plan with ads (€6,99) unless they choose a different plan before the date specified in the email.
Netflix presents the change as a "saving" for those who downgrade to the ad-supported option, but it's worth clarifying: that lower price implies advertising interruptions and a partially limited catalog compared to ad-free plans, in addition to differences in image quality.
Those who wish to maintain an uninterrupted experience will need to upgrade to the Standard plan at €13,99 or the Premium plan at €19,99. In practice, this means paying €4 more per month than the old basic plan to remain ad-free, or even more for the highest quality.
How much does Netflix cost now and what does each plan include?
- Standard with ads (€6,99): includes advertising, Full HD or with a catalog with limitations regarding ad-free plans.
- Standard (€ 13,99): no advertising, Full HD y access to the entire catalog.
- Premium (€ 19,99): no advertising, 4K with image enhancements, spatial sound and reproduction in up to four devices simultaneous.
The discontinued plan (the basic ad-free plan at €9,99) offered 720p HD and several limitations. With its removal, the pricing and features are now more tiered, with options ranging from watching ads to paying more to avoid them . Additionally, if you'd like to learn how to manage your subscriptions and make the most of the available options, we recommend checking out our guide on Netflix money-saving tips.
The difference between the tier with ads and the first tier without them is remarkable: going from €6,99 to €13,99 almost doubles the monthly cost , a gap that explains why the company promotes the plan with advertising as the entry option.
It's worth remembering that Netflix has already made other significant changes in the past, such as ending account swapping in 2023 and introducing the ad-supported plan in 2022. There have also been price increases for several plans, so further price adjustments in the future cannot be ruled out.
Why Netflix is pushing the ad-supported model
Since introducing the ad-supported subscription model, Netflix has seen a surge in adoption : the company reports tens of millions of users on this option, with accelerated growth in recent months. For the business, the calculation is clear: advertising offsets the price reduction through additional revenue per user.
Meanwhile, the streaming sector has experienced cumulative price increases of 30%-50% for many subscriptions between 2020 and 2024. Faced with this pressure and a market saturated with offers, ad-supported subscriptions have become the primary access point for price-sensitive users, while a smaller segment prefers to pay more to avoid any interruptions.
Netflix's pricing structure itself drives this segmentation: on one hand, those who prioritize paying less accept watching ads; on the other, those who value an uninterrupted experience pay higher fees and have full access to the catalog at the highest quality. To understand how to better manage your account, you can consult our Kodi guide for Android.
If you're automatically switched to the ad-supported plan for €6,99 , you'll pay €3 less per month than the old Basic plan (€9,99), but you'll have to accept advertising and a limited catalog . If you prefer to remain ad-free, the Standard plan for €13,99 is €4 more per month (around €50 per year), with an annual cost of €167,88 . Upgrading to Premium for €19,99 adds picture, sound, and device enhancements, in exchange for an increase of €120 per year compared to the discontinued Basic plan.
It's worth remembering that Netflix has already made other significant changes in the past, such as ending account swapping in 2023 and introducing the ad-supported plan in 2022. There have also been price increases for several plans, so further price adjustments in the future cannot be ruled out.
The final decision will depend on your usage and priorities: if you view the platform daily and value the complete experience, the Standard or Premium plan may be the best option; if the priority is to adjust spending , the ad-supported plan offers access at a lower price, assuming the compromises in interruptions and catalog.
With this redesign of its offering, Netflix is consolidating a model with two distinct paths: ad-supported access to expand its user base and ad-free plans for those who demand quality, the full catalog, and zero interruptions. Ultimately, the user decides which path they prefer.
