Netflix on Monday announced that they will be launching a new free first-of-its-kind Android mobile plan in Kenya that will allow users to watch a limited selection of its catalog, including full seasons of select shows.
The streaming giant said that beginning this week, the new ad-free Netflix mobile plan for Android will give users the option to sign up without having to enter any payment information (though they’ll need to verify that they’re 18 or older and will still need to submit an email address to create a login).
In a statement, Cathy Conk, Netflix’s Director of Product Innovation said that it’s the first time the streamer has offered a free tier.
“At Netflix, we want everyone to be able to enjoy the suspense of Blood & Water, the romance of Bridgerton, and the adventure of Army of the Dead. Now we’re giving audiences in Kenya the chance to experience these stories for themselves — completely free of charge,” she said.
“If you’ve never watched Netflix before — this is a great way to experience our service. We hope it’s a great match and that many of the people who try our free plan love Netflix so much that over time they upgrade to a full, paid subscription so you can enjoy our full catalog on your TV or laptop as well.”
Roughly a quarter of its library will be included in the free plan, and users on this tier will be able to watch entire seasons of shows.
Netflix said it hopes that users who enjoy using the service will eventually upgrade to one of its paid subscriptions, which support streaming from TVs and laptops as well.
Netflix has experimented with free-to-stream content before in an attempt to woo new subscribers. It previously made some of its content available on YouTube, for example, and the company experimented with a free-to-watch portal with a small selection of titles after it permanently axed its free trial period in the US. HBO Max, which also killed its free trial ahead of Wonder Woman 1984’s day-and-date release on the service, has similarly experimented with offering limited episodes for free to boost its subscriber numbers.
Netflix’s free Android plan for users in Kenya launched Monday and will continue rolling out over the coming weeks.
Netflix recently launched a mobile-only plan in Kenya at Sh300 alongside the Basic plan for Sh700, Value Plan at Sh1,100 and Premium plan going for Sh1,450.
