Netflix has never been available as a free service before, but that changed yesterday when the streaming service introduced a free plan in Kenya.
In order to access this new free tier of content, Kenyans need to supply their email address, confirm they are 18 or over, and create a password. No payment information is required, but the only way to watch content is by using an Android smartphone (located in Kenya).
Netflix knows that the majority of people in Kenya haven’t experienced the streaming service before and clearly sees this as a way of enticing future customers. Netflix can also be watched through a TV or laptop in Kenya, but accessing the service on those devices requires a paid subscription. Of course, Netflix is going to make the upgrade as easy as possible for anyone using the Android app to access the free tier.
Although this is the first time Netflix is offering a free plan, the streaming service has experimented with lower pricing in the past. Back in 2018, a $4 mobile-only plan was introduced in Malaysia where the streams were limited to standard definition. In India, an experiment was carried out where the subscription price was cut if you signed up for a whole year.
The number of Netflix subscribers continues to grow every year and hit 209 million in the last quarter according to Statista. This new free plan is being used as a way of introducing the service to an entire country, so it seems unlikely to be rolled out in the US or across Europe. That may change if subscriber growth stalls in the future, though.
