Netflix is testing a very cheap new temporary subscription that’s designed to attract new customers. Potential subscribers in India will be able to sign up for a month at a cost of just five rupees – which works out to just over 50 pence.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media that once this trial period is over, customers will have to start paying full rates. The streaming firm appears to use India as a testbed for experimental pricing strategies before it rolls them out across the word.

‘This is a new marketing promotion designed to help more people discover Netflix,’ Netflix said in a statement. ‘Depending on its success, we may roll it out more widely.’

Netflix has also devised a mobile-only tariff which costs just $2.99 (£2.28) a month – less than half of the current pricing, which starts at £5.99 and goes up to £11.99.

‘We believe that our members may value the flexibility that comes from being able to pay for a few months at once,’ Netflix said. ‘As always, this is a test, and we will only introduce it more broadly if people find it useful.”