Netflix reintroduces free trials in Europe and Asia, up to 30 days, while Disney+ considers offering free ad-supported content to compete with YouTube.
Netflix has quietly reintroduced free trials for new subscribers in several countries across Europe and Asia, the company's first such offer in roughly six years. The tests do not currently extend to the United Kingdom or the United States.
The trial period ranges from seven to 30 days depending on the user's location, Netflix said in support pages. Some users reported that clearing browser cookies or using an incognito session allowed them to access the longer 30-day trial. Eligible customers can choose the Premium tier during the trial, giving them 4K and HDR streaming at no cost. They must select a subscription tier and provide payment details at sign-up. The service automatically converts to a paid subscription unless cancelled before the trial expires.
The company's support pages reflect the regional rollout. While the UK and US pages still state that Netflix does not offer free trials, pages in other markets now say: "Netflix is offering a limited free trial to eligible new members in certain countries. If you are eligible, the free trial option will automatically appear during sign-up. If you don't see it, the free trial option is not currently available for your location or device."
Netflix ended its long-running free trial programme in 2020 when subscriber growth was surging during the pandemic. The renewed push comes as streaming competition intensifies and consumers grow more selective about the number of subscriptions they carry.
Disney+ is also exploring ways to broaden its audience. The company is considering making selected titles available without a paywall, according to a Business Insider report citing people familiar with the matter. The idea is to compete more directly with free, ad-supported platforms such as YouTube. The proposal remains under internal discussion, with no confirmed timeline or details on which content would be included.
Neither company has announced wider changes. The availability of both initiatives depends on future market testing and regional rollout decisions.
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