Canceling Netflix When They Take Away Your Basic Subscription? What Are the Best Alternatives?
Soon, customers will have to pay at least $15.49 per month if they want to stream Netflix without ads.
Well, it’s official. As has been telegraphed by the company for months, Netflix warned domestic customers on Thursday that it would be discontinuing the ad-free Basic plan for customers in the United States in the near future. The move was announced as part of the company’s second-quarter 2024 earnings report and presumably is being done to drum up even more customers for its ad-supported tier. Viewers will either have to choose another Netflix plan or allow their subscription to expire. So, if you are leaning toward the latter option, I’ll lay out which streamers offer ad-free plans for less than what you’ll have to pay to stay ad-free on Netflix!
Key Details:
- Netflix’s cheapest ad-free plan after the elimination of “Basic” will cost $15.49 per month.
- Disney+ is the best Netflix alternative for families with kids.
- Peacock, Paramount+, and Prime Video all make sense for viewers who want to replace different aspects of their Netflix service.
Best Netflix Basic Replacement for Families with Kids: Disney+
Disney+ is the best way to go if you want to replace your Netflix subscription and have something for the whole family to enjoy. Ad-free Disney+ Premium is $13.99 per month by itself, $1.50 cheaper than Netflix’s Standard plan at $15.49. Kids of all ages will love the service, with its new episodes of “Bluey,” classic Disney animation, and even new movies like “Inside Out 2,” which isn’t available yet but will be a Disney+ exclusive when it’s ready to stream.
Parents will love the streamer for its Marvel and Star Wars sections, old favorites like “The Simpsons” and “Doctor Who,” and a ton of nature content from National Geographic, alongside all of the kids programming that will make the service popular with children. Disney+ has something for everyone, and bundle options allow subscribers to add Hulu and ESPN+ if they wish as well.
Best Netflix Basic Replacement for Movie Lovers: Prime Video
If movies were your go-to when you turned on your Netflix Basic subscription, you’ll want to look into Prime Video as a replacement when you cancel. This streamer’s ad-free plan is $11.99, the same price you were paying for Basic until it was discontinued.
Anyone who has ever scrolled through Prime Video’s library knows it has a huge inventory of shows and movies available with a subscription, but data released by ReelGood earlier this year found that Prime Video has more than 11,900 movies available. That’s nearly three times as many as Netflix, and viewers with a Prime Video subscription can also rent or purchase movies like “The Bikeriders” and “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” which are not available to stream on-demand with subscriptions yet.
Best Netflix Basic Replacement if You Want General Entertainment: Paramount+ with SHOWTIME
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME is a great choice for Netflix Basic subscribers who are looking to replace the general entertainment inventory found on that streamer. The price of Paramount+ with SHOWTIME increases from $11.99 per month to $12.99 in August, but that will still be cheaper than trying to stay with Netflix ad-free.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME is well-stocked with general entertainment. It’s got a great back-catalog stocked with shows like “Frasier” and “Cheers,” ongoing franchises like “Star Trek” and “NCIS,” and even prestige TV series from SHOWTIME like “Yellowjackets” and “The Chi.” If you love watching TV, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME is an excellent platform.
Best Netflix Basic Replacement with More Live Sports: Peacock
Peacock’s Premium Plus ad-free plan recently saw a price increase of its own, jumping from $11.99 per month to $13.99. But that’s still less than the Netflix Standard plan, and a Peacock subscription will get you plenty of TV and movies, from old favorites like “Community” to new epics like “Those About to Die.”
Where Peacock truly stands out, however, is its lineup of live sports. Netflix made huge headlines when it added “WWE Raw” and a package of Christmas Day NFL games at different points this year, but Peacock has more football and more wrestling to offer. In addition to an exclusive opening-week NFL game in Brazil, Peacock will stream “Sunday Night Football” each week of the season and is also home to all WWE premium live events like WrestleMania. It also hosts English Premier League soccer, Big Ten football and basketball, Big East basketball, Notre Dame football, golf, tennis, auto racing and much more, putting Netflix’s still-growing live sports inventory to shame.