Netflix Tests Out Weekly Subscriptions In India

Netflix is testing out the ability to subscribe to weekly and mobile-only plans in India, a step toward adopting its model for emerging markets.

The video streaming site has also started testing out cheaper prices in the country, which should allow it to gain market share in a large country with significant mobile media usage.

According to the Economic Times, it has spotted new weekly options for subscriptions and Netflix has confirmed to the paper that tests are currently being tried out.

“We will be testing different options in select countries where members can watch Netflix on their mobile device for a lower price and subscribe in shorter increments of time. Not everyone will see these options and we may never roll out these specific plans beyond the tests” a Netflix spokesperson told the Economic Times.

Currently, Netflix costs between Rs 125-Rs 200 per month, while a mobile-only version is being tested at Rs 65. In comparison, rival Hotstar’s subscription starts at Rs 199 per month, while Amazon Prime Video is priced at Rs 129 per month, with other rivals at a cheaper price.

As of 2018, the most popular online streaming service in India was Hotstar, ahead of both Amazon and Netflix. US rivals have struggled to catch up to Hotstar in India, which it believes is because it has invested so heavily in content.

However, at the end of last year, Netflix committed to a series of Asian originals content, a strategy which it hopes will also see it gain market share over its rivals.―The Drum