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Netflix has begun notifying legacy base-tier subscribers in Germany that their 9.99-euro monthly plan is being discontinued, forcing users to upgrade to the 15.99-euro standard tier or face automatic account cancellation. The streaming giant is targeting accounts that were previously grandfathered out of the basic tier’s earlier retirement for new sign-ups.
The Bottom Line
- Existing German subscribers on the 9.99-euro basic plan are receiving email notices with deadlines tied to their individual billing cycles.
- If users do not select a new tier before the specified cutoff, their membership is automatically cancelled once the paid billing period ends.
- Netflix is pushing users toward either the ad-supported standard tier at 6.99 euros per month or the ad-free standard package at 15.99 euros.
The End of the 9.99-Euro Tier for German Accounts
The phase-out affects long-standing customers who managed to hold onto the old basic plan after Netflix stopped offering it to new joiners. As first discovered by an iFun reader in mid-October 2026, the streaming service has started sending direct notifications requiring users to switch tiers. Subscribers who fail to act before their deadline lose access at the conclusion of their current billing cycle, with no option to renew the legacy package.
When Netflix originally launched in Germany in 2014, the standard plan cost 8.99 euros. Over successive price adjustments tracked by Statista, that ad-free tier climbed to 15.99 euros. Meanwhile, the premium package for four simultaneous 4K streams rose from an initial 11.99 euros to 21.99 euros. The basic tier, which debuted at 7.99 euros, was eventually pulled for new sign-ups entirely as the company restructured its pricing tiers.
Pushing Subscribers Toward Ad-Supported Streaming
To capture preissensitive audiences amid mounting competition, Netflix introduced a cheaper ad-supported tier in late 2022. That ad-supported standard option launched at 4.99 euros and saw a price increase to 6.99 euros in September 2026. For users determined to avoid commercials without paying the full 15.99-euro standard fee, the ad-supported model serves as the primary alternative.
Statista notes that these continuous price increases are driven by intense competition from local providers alongside free short-video platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Threads. Maintaining lower-priced ad tiers allows the company to retain users against alternative forms of digital entertainment, even as traditional ad-free subscription fees climb.
Rollout Schedule Remains Unclear
While the first wave of notices has reached German users via their account settings and emails, the exact pacing of the transition remains unverified. It is currently unclear whether Netflix is rolling out these cancellation notices to all remaining legacy base-tier users simultaneously or staggering the warnings across upcoming billing periods.
For those who choose the recommended ad-free standard tier, profiles, viewing history, and personal settings remain intact. However, absorbing the six-euro monthly difference represents a substantial shift for households that relied on the discontinued 9.99-euro option.
