Netflix's plan with ads is cheaper, but it's missing hundreds of movies, new data shows

• Netflix launched its cheaper ad-supported plan last month.
• It has 245 fewer movies and 118 fewer TV shows than the streamer's ad-free plans in the US.

Last month, Netflix did something that it had resisted for years: It launched an ad-supported plan.

The cheaper option, called "Basic with Ads," is $6.99 per month, compared to its more expensive ad-free memberships that range from $9.99 to $19.99 a month.

But it does come with limits, including notably fewer movies and TV shows than ad-free plans.

Netflix noted as much when it announced the ad plan, saying that "a limited number of movies and TV shows won't be available due to licensing restrictions."

Reelgood, a streaming search engine and guide, analyzed the catalog sizes of the ad-free tiers and the new ad-supported tier in the US.

It found that as of December 13, Netflix's ad plan has 245 fewer movies than the other plans in the US and 118 fewer TV shows.

In a statement to Insider, Netflix reiterated that a limited number of titles are unavailable due to licensing restrictions. It added that it is "working on" making them available.

"Members on the Basic with Ads plan have access to almost all our TV and movies," a Netflix spokesperson said.

Reelgood also looked at which movies and shows are missing from the ad-supported tier.

The top three movies missing from the ad-supported tier, based on Reelgood's popularity scores, were "Bullet Train," "Where the Crawdads Sing," and "Uncharted." The scores take into account critic and audience scores from IMDb and other "quality markers."

Notably, all three of these were released by Sony this year and moved to Netflix after their theatrical runs as part of a deal between the two companies. It appears Netflix and Sony have yet to reach an agreement on including ads in the movies.

"Bullet Train" was Netflix's most popular movie for several days after it debuted on the service earlier this month. On Thursday, it was still No. 2, according to Netflix's own daily rankings.

The top three TV shows missing from the ad plan, based on Reelgood scores, were "The Walking Dead," "Peaky Blinders," and "The Last Kingdom." While "Peaky Blinders" and "The Last Kingdom" are distributed exclusively by Netflix in the US, they're produced by other companies.

US subscribers to the ad-supported plan still get over 3,700 movies and more than 2,200 TV shows. But those looking for the full Netflix experience will have to pay more per month.

Update: December 15, 2022 — This story has been updated with a statement from Netflix.