Those of you hoping to catch Adam Sandler’s Hubie Halloween, David Fincher’s Mank, or Volume 2 of Unsolved Mysteries are going to have to pony up the dollars, or borrow your mom and dad’s password. Earlier this month, Netflix ended its 30-day free trial offer for new customers.
Variety reported the news after receiving confirmation from a Netflix spokesperson. “We’re looking at different marketing promotions in the US to attract new members and give them a great Netflix experience,” said the spokesperson.”
There are still ways to consume some Netflix content for free via its Watch Free site, which launched back in August. The sampler site offers films including Birdbox, Murder Mystery, and The Two Popes, as well as pilot episodes of Stranger Things, Love Is Blind, and When They See Us.
The move to end the free trial promo in the US isn’t entirely surprising. Netflix has been phasing out the offer worldwide over the last two years, beginning with Mexico.
Other streamers have changed their own promotional offerings over the last few months, as well. Disney+ no longer offers free trials, though you can bundle it with Hulu and ESPN+ at a discount. Hulu itself has a 30-day free trial for new subscribers, while Hulu + Live TV can be tested for seven days. Amazon offers a 30-day trial of Prime Video, while the relatively nascent HBO Max has a 7-day offer.
Apple has been offering a full 12 months of Apple TV Plus free to those who purchase new devices. Just last week, they announced free subscriptions set to expire between November 1st, 2020 and January 31st, 2021 will be extended through February of next year.