Netflix stops offering free trials as it looks for new ways to make people sign up

In some regions, like South Korea, free trials are still available

(Charles Deluvio)

Netflix has cancelled its free trial offering in the United States.

“Free trials are not available, but you can still sign up and take advantage of all Netflix has to offer”, reads a statement on its website.

“You have the freedom to change your plan or cancel online at any time if you decide Netflix isn’t for you.”

In the United Kingdom, Netflix is currently offering new subscribers their second month  free, rather than the first.

Netflix has said that the decision is because it is experimenting with ways to attract new users.

“We’re looking at different marketing promotions in the US to attract new members and give them a great Netflix experience”, the company said in a statement.

In the UK, free Netflix trials had been phased out since December 2019.

Recently, Netflix has made some of its original TV shows and movies free to watch without a subscription.

In September, first episodes of shows including Stranger Things, and movies like Birdbox, were available to watch globally.

Netflix said at the time that it was “looking at different marketing promotions to attract new members and give them a great Netflix experience.”

This offering is not mentioned on the free trial help page.

Netflix began phasing free trial promotions out two years ago in some areas, while others such as South Korea still offer limited free trials, Variety notes. 

Other competing services, such as Disney Plus, launched using free trials, while other companies like Apple and its Apple TV Plus offering is made more attractive by subscribers also having access to Netflix on the streaming box.

Netflix has been looking for ways to get new users onto its platforms.

In 2019, despite adding 2.7 million customers globally to its service, it still only gained half the subscribers it was predicted.

It is also facing competition from other mediums, such as video games; Netflix has previously said that Fortnite is a bigger factor to its success than HBO.