The price of Netflix subscriptions in the US is going up, and the company’s already emailed some users about the change. Is there anything you can do about it?
- Netflix’s Basic plan has gone from $9/month to $10/month. If you’ve been contemplating subscribing to Netflix, add to your equation the fact that the Basic plan does not include access to any HD content.
- The Standard tier is now $15.49/month, up from $14/month. This is the most popular Netflix plan that lets you watch on more than one screen. To be specific, it includes access to HD content on two screens simultaneously.
- The Premium plan is increasing from 18/month to $19.99/month. It includes perks like watching on up to four devices at the same time. What’s more, it’s the only subscription package from Netflix which serves content in up to 4K (Ultra HD) resolution, but not everything on Netflix is in 4K.
US subscribers seeing jacked-up Netflix prices
Starting with the next billing cycle, Netflix customers in the United States will need to pay money to the company if they wish to keep whatever subscription tier they’re currently using. Netflix announced the latest price hike in January 2022, and it’s now starting to come into effect for some of its customers in the United States.
The price hike affects all of Netflix’s subscription tiers:
- Basic: $9/month → $10/month
- Standard: $14/month → $15.49/month
- Premium: 18/month → $19.99/month
You might have not already seen these increased charges on your Netflix bill because the change is going to happen in phases. All Netflix subscribers in the US will eventually receive an email from the company informing them of the change. Netflix spokesperson Kumiko Hidaka has confirmed to The Verge that the price increases are now rolling out to existing subscribers “over weeks.”
How much more are US customers now paying for Netflix?
Netflix used to start at $8/month for the Basic plan. Now it costs two bucks more per month. The Standard tier, which is Netflix’s most popular subscription package, has seen as many as five price increases since 2015, originally going for $9/month.
With the latest price hike, the monthly subscription to the Standard plan has gone up dramatically, from $9/month back in 2015 to $15.49 currently. And lastly, the flagship Premium plan saw the monthly subscription price increase five times in the past seven years, going from $12/month in 2015 to as much as $20/month in 2022.
Again, the latest price increase currently affects residents of the United States. Netflix has not said whether it will boost prices of subscriptions in other parts of the world. If history is any indication, this is most likely going to happen once the company has finished applying the new price structure to its US customer base.
What to do about Netflix’s price changes
In a word, nothing. This is how streamers typically roll. It’s their way or the highway. You can choose to keep your subscription after you receive an email from Netflix informing you that your monthly bill would be going up starting with the next billing cycle. Or you can vote with your wallet and cancel your subscription to avoid the increased service charges. Read: How to cancel and delete your Netflix account
As Netflix keeps adding more and more TV shows and movies (and video games, too), the company could raise prices in the future to fund all that content. To squeeze more money out of existing subscribers, as an example, Netflix is currently testing charging a bit more to let you share your password with others. Netflix password sharing is a widespread phenomenon: as many as 54 percent of all Netflix subscribers share their accounts with friends or other members of their household.
Too bad Netflix still doesn’t offer a more affordable, ad-supported option.