Earlier this week, Netflix launched their ad-supported plan in Canada and Mexico. On Nov. 3, it will roll out in nine additional countries, including the United States. In the U.S., the Netflix Basic with Ads plan will cost $6.99 per month, $3 cheaper than the current ad-free version of the Netflix Basic plan.

While you will forgo a few features like offline downloads and should expect about four minutes of ads per hour, there is one other thing that you might miss — select pieces of content. Netflix says that some TV shows and movies aren’t available to watch with the Basic with Ads plan because of licensing restrictions.

But, how will you know when you can’t watch a show on the Netflix Basic with Ads plan? Those pieces of content will have a “lock icon” when you search or browse Netflix. This seems a lot better than the alternative, which would be to just hide it if you don’t have access to it.

In our tests of the Netflix Basic with Ads plan, we didn’t see a ton of content that was unavailable on the Basic Plan. Earlier today, the Wall Street Journal reported that Netflix had not yet finalized licensing agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Television, Warner Bros. Discovery, or Lionsgate, with WBD being the studio closest to an agreement.

The limited Disney content we searched was available with the ad-supported tier, but that’s because most Kids content will be played without ads. “House of Cards,” which was distributed by Sony Pictures Television, despite being labeled a Netflix original was locked (at least in Canada, where the ad-supported plan has launched).

With the Netflix Basic plan launching in the U.S. on Wednesday, we should have a better idea of exactly what content you can and can’t watch with the ad-supported plan very soon.

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Netflix

Netflix is a leading subscription-based video streaming service that offers on-demand access to an extensive library of over 3,000 movies, 2,000+ TV shows, and a growing collection of acclaimed Netflix originals. Renowned for producing groundbreaking content, Netflix has become a cultural powerhouse with hit originals like “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday,” “Squid Game,” “The Crown,” “Tiger King,” “Bridgerton,” “The Witcher,” and “Black Mirror.”

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The platform constantly updates its catalog, introducing fresh content alongside timeless classics and international hits. Netflix’s commitment to storytelling has also earned critical acclaim, with award-winning exclusives such as “Roma,” “Marriage Story,” “The Power of the Dog,” “Mank,” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” In 2023, their animated film “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, further solidifying Netflix’s reputation for high-quality content.

Recently, Netflix has expanded beyond standard movies and TV titles with the addition of video podcasts, and is also exploring a digital store that would offer third-party streamers within the app.

Netflix offers three plans – stream on 2 devices in HD with the “Standard with Ads” ($8.99) plan, on 2 devices in HD with the “Standard” ($19.99) plan, and 4 devices in up to 4K on the “Premium” ($26.99) plan.

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