TL; DR
- Netflix is testing free trials again after ending them globally between 2019 and 2020.
- Eligible Indian users see 30-day or 15-day offers automatically when creating a new account.
- AutoPay is enabled by default, so cancel before the trial ends to avoid being charged.
Netflix killed its free trial in 2019, so it’s been six years since the company stopped serving content to free users. It was the UK that the free trials ended first, while the change rolled out globally by 2020.
At the time, it made perfect sense for the platform, as it was adding tens of millions of subscribers a quarter without offering any incentive. Six years later, market dynamics have shifted slightly, and Netflix appears to be acknowledging it.
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Netflix Brings Back Its Free Trial in Select Markets
The company is now testing a return of free trials for new subscribers in select markets outside the US and UK. This development has been confirmed directly by a Netflix spokesperson to What’s on Netflix: “We regularly test promotions to help prospective members experience the value of Netflix.”
In India, users creating new accounts are reportedly seeing offers ranging from “Try 30 days for Rs. 0” to 15-day trials. It looks like the platform is running A/B testing rather than a committed global relaunch of its free-trial programs in order to lure in more customers in regions where the subscription rate is low.
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How To Check Eligibility For Free Netflix Subscription
To check eligibility, create a new Netflix account with an email address that isn’t previously registered on the platform. If you are eligible, the offer appears automatically during sign-up (confirmed via a Netflix India support page). If it does not appear, there is no manual way to force it.
For context, Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video also offer free trials in India, though the duration and eligibility vary.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say that this is a panic move from the company. Most recently, Netflix crossed 325 million global subscribers. Furthermore, the company is currently profitable. What it is, though, is an acknowledgment that the holdout-and-hesitation problem is real.
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A significant segment of potential subscribers in markets like India, where Amazon Prime Video, JioCinema, and JioHotstar have competed fiercely on pricing and bundling, has yet to convert. Lowering the upfront cost and letting the customer try the experience temporarily is a low-cost way to increase the subscriber base.
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