Disney+ with Ads Plan Lands in Canada on November 1 [Update]

Disney+ is set to broaden its reach in Canada by launching an ad-supported subscription plan on November 1. This move comes after the successful introduction of a similar tier in the U.S.

“Our goal is to offer subscribers both value and choice. This ad-supported plan is a testament to that commitment,” said Jason Badal, VP & GM of Disney+ in Canada, in a statement. “We’re eager to present this option to Canadians and our advertising partners nationwide.”

Starting November 1, Canadian viewers will have three subscription choices:

• Standard with Ads: Priced at $7.99 monthly, this plan offers video quality up to Full HD 1080p, allows two concurrent streams, and provides 5.1 and stereo audio. However, it doesn’t support downloads.
• Standard: For $11.99 monthly or $119.99 annually, subscribers get Full HD 1080p video quality, two concurrent streams, 5.1 and stereo audio, and the added benefit of downloads.
• Premium: At $14.99 monthly or $149.99 annually, this plan boasts up to 4K UHD & HDR video quality, four concurrent streams, Dolby Atmos audio, and the option for downloads.

Check out the chart below as well. In a nutshell, if you want 4K UHD and HDR, plus Dolby Atmos, new subscribers need to upgrade to the Premium plan at $14.99/month or $149.99/year.

Current subscribers will continue with their existing plans, now termed Disney+ Premium. They’ll also have the flexibility to switch to the Standard or the new Standard with Ads plan, said Disney. We’ve reached out to Disney for more clarification on pricing for existing users. It looks like a price increase might be coming for Premium features.

Update: Disney says, “existing subscribers in applicable markets will remain in the Premium tier with No Ads when their subscription price increases in December, unless they opt to switch into one of the new lower-priced plans.” So that means a price increase is coming in December to Premium pricing for existing users.

Netflix Basic with Ads costs $5.99 per month in comparison, started out with 720p video quality, but was upgraded to 1080p in April.