Netflix begins testing cheaper mobile-only subscription plan

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75% of Netflix users have no plans to jump ship to Apple TV+ (right away)
Cheaper plans could help Netflix add a ton of subscribers.
Photo: Stock Catalog/Flickr CC

Binging your favorite Netflix shows might be about to get a lot cheaper.

Netflix is currently testing a new mobile-only subscription plan that costs about half the price of the next-cheapest package. The option is currently only available in Malaysia but it’s coming to more markets soon.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said last week that the video streaming giant would soon experiment with cheaper plans. The rollout of those test tiers might come even sooner than expected.

A Netflix rep confirmed the new mobile-only tier in Malaysia to TechCrunch. The company also revealed that similar trials are running in a few other countries. However, Netflix did not specify what areas will get the mobile-only plans.

U.S. customers might wait a while for a mobile-only plan option. A whopping 79 million of Netflix’s 137 million subscribers live in the United States. The company needs to make its service more affordable in international markets, where it faces competitors that undercut it on price.

Netflix could soon face some tough competition from Apple as well. The iPhone-maker has more than 20 TV shows in development and reportedly plans to give the content away for free to iPhone, iPad and Apple TV owners. Disney and AT&T are also working on their own streaming services.

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