Netflix hikes prices across the board for US subscribers

[Shawn Knight]

The big picture: Netflix is raising the price of its streaming subscription service in the US for the second time during the pandemic. With more entertainment choices now than ever before, Netflix will use the extra money to keep offering subscribers a wide array of quality options on its platform.

A basic Netflix account, which allows for streaming on a single device at a time and doesn’t include HD or 4K content, is now a buck more expensive per month at $9.99. Moving up to the standard tier lets you watch on two screens simultaneously and includes HD content for $15.49 per month, a $1.50 hike over the previous rate.

The top-tier premium package allows for four simultaneous streams as well as 4K Ultra HD content when available. That’ll now set you back $19.99 per month, up from $17.99.

Rates are also going up in Canada, with the standard plan now priced at 16.49 CAD per month.

A spokesperson told Reuters they are updating pricing so they can continue to offer a wide variety of quality entertainment options. “As always, we offer a range of plans so members can pick a price that works for their budget,” the spokesperson added.

See also: Against All odds: How Netflix Made It

Share value in Netflix shot up around $20 on the news but closed after losing half of those gains at $525.69.

Netflix last raised its prices in the US in October 2020, tacking on $1 to the standard tier and $2 on the premium tier. The basic tier was unchanged in the last wave of price increases.

With the new rates, Netflix is now significantly more expensive than rival streaming services. HBO Max can be had for $7.99 per month for a full year, the same as Disney+. The Disney Bundle, which includes Disney+, ESPN+ and the ad-supported version of Hulu, is priced at $13.99 per month.

Image credit: David Balev

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https://www.techspot.com/news/93005-netflix-hikes-prices-across-board-us-subscribers.html

 

[Dimitrios]

Not surprised.

I cancelled NETFLIX 2 years ago and still use AMAZON PRIME VIDEO. Most movies and shows are free since I'm a member and if you choose not to have same day shipping they actually give you free digital money and use it to rent or own new movies. You get like $1-$3 back and looking at my past I got $300+ in free movies. What's the sacrifice? Waiting an extra 2-4 few days on shipment.

Nothing touches Amazon Video. HULU is a joke and cancelled them as well.

 

[RudyBob]

As long as they are producers and financiers it will have to steadily increase by more than it should. I am on the 1 DVD home at a time plan cause there is not much of interest to me any longer. I

 

[RudyBob]

Not surprised.

I cancelled NETFLIX 2 years ago and still use AMAZON PRIME VIDEO. Most movies and shows are free since I'm a member and if you choose not to have same day shipping they actually give you free digital money and use it to rent or own new movies. You get like $1-$3 back and looking at my past I got $300+ in free movies. What's the sacrifice? Waiting an extra 2-4 few days on shipment.

Nothing touches Amazon Video. HULU is a joke and cancelled them as well.

I thought Hulu was a dance.

 

[nodfor]

The most efficient way to use these services, when no long term discounts are offered, is to switch often to a different service, consume the content you like there, then pick the next one and so forth

If you are using them efficiently, this price increase won't affect you much, it will affect more the so called "loyal" subscribers

 

[Todd Sauve]

To be charging increased fees in the middle of a pandemic and with no end of people in financial difficulty or without jobs shows how tone deaf Netflix, and many others like Nvidia, truly are. Greed seems to ooze out of every pore of these people.

 

[MyIOnU]

Netflix is losing sub, so they have to increase price to make up the loss.

 

[Dimitriid]

I think their original content is finally paying off. Say what you will but some of their own shows like Witcher or Squid Game are the only reason why I still pay them, even though it's the bare minimum they have.

Yes I also have prime but just because it comes by default with the other things I want from prime anyway: I tried before to just "browse" either service and I can never just randomly find something I'd wanna watch. I always just end up hearing about content elsewhere and then go "Oh, ok well let me try it" and it's almost always, Netflix.

 

[Lounds]

Netflix is pushing the limit of prices in the UK. The family package costs as much as a TV licence (needed to watch live TV and to access BBC iPlayer).

 

[hahahanoobs]

I dropped Netflix for Prime after the last Canadian increase. Netflix has the better content, but I get more for my money with a Prime subscription.

 

[p51d007]

Video comes "free" with prime, sorry Netflix.

 

[BeachDogDaytona]

I agree. I move from HBO to Disney+ to Paramount+ to Apple Tv once I've watched my preferred content. Since I'm an Amazon Prime member that remains as my root video service.

 

[Neatfeatguy]

Not surprised.

I cancelled NETFLIX 2 years ago and still use AMAZON PRIME VIDEO. Most movies and shows are free since I'm a member and if you choose not to have same day shipping they actually give you free digital money and use it to rent or own new movies. You get like $1-$3 back and looking at my past I got $300+ in free movies. What's the sacrifice? Waiting an extra 2-4 few days on shipment.

Nothing touches Amazon Video. HULU is a joke and cancelled them as well.

Don't forget that Amazon vastly improved their library about 6-8 months ago when they acquired ownership of MGM Studios. That really helped with their Prime movie offerings.

I only pay for Netflix. Kids make use of it a lot. I access other streaming channels that other family members own, so I pay very little for streaming services I use.

 

[Eldritch]

I only pay for Netflix. Kids make use of it a lot. I access other streaming channels that other family members own, so I pay very little for streaming services I use.

I believe it's true for most of us. We aren't that into these streaming services but get it because of family.

 

[captaincranky]

I thought Hulu was a dance.

No, that's a "hula". I do understand how you could get confused. The Hawaiian language has so many vowels and so few consonants, it's easy to confuse them. The vowels just keep coming, it seems like one right after another.

There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet: A, E, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, U, and W.

And notice, not even so much as a, "and sometimes Y".

 

[Rdmetz]

I pay for services but none of the ones talked about here... I spend less than 5th of these cost and yet I have everything I could ever ask for.

There are still much better ways to "pay" for content and until they match what the music industry has done with things like Spotify I'll continue to use my alternative.

I'm absolutely willing to pay but you have to provide me a product worth paying for.

 

[Burty117]

Netflix is pushing the limit of prices in the UK. The family package costs as much as a TV licence (needed to watch live TV and to access BBC iPlayer).

What, you pay for a TV license? I've not paid for years now, it's a joke, after Top Gear fell off a cliff, there was literally nothing left the license was worth paying for.

Plus you know, if there's that one thing worth watching once every few years, that's what Sonar/Radar/Plex/Ombi/Usenet/SABnzbd is for.

Unless they release it on Blu-ray, Planet Earth II was awesome.

 

[3volv3d]

What, you pay for a TV license? I've not paid for years now, it's a joke, after Top Gear fell off a cliff, there was literally nothing left the license was worth paying for.

Plus you know, if there's that one thing worth watching once every few years, that's what Sonar/Radar/Plex/Ombi/Usenet/SABnzbd is for.

Unless they release it on Blu-ray, Planet Earth II was awesome.

Is there a way to not pay for a license without getting a fine ? I mean if you own a TV aren't you considered by law to pay for services you don't watch? I don't see why you should if you aren't going through the BBC.
With the insanely extortionate pricing that is Sky and Virgin, they should be funding shows like Netflix do while paying our license fee off too.
Which Netflix and their crazy price hike is mad in itself. It has gone up since I joined, that was for the daughters sake and not mine, but I left it running, had a few shows I got interested in
Sure cancel Santa Clarita Diet, amazing stupid fun, but keep making crap like Glitch. Neighbours with dead people, directed and scripted by children. You got to see it, just to find out how not to write a show.

Many people have been steered away from P2P copyright infringement, by taking on these streaming services, but like all services, once they have a client base, they ruin everything.
Loyal customers shafted, new customers sweet deals. You have to cancel and renew.
Shows get pumped out for mass content to keep it fresh. TV and film clones of other shows I don't see how these people are not suing each other on a constant basis. I could type iPants here and expect Apple to have a pop at me next week.
What good stuff there is to gain from these services is getting few and far between. I think the way it is going people will return to getting the loose ends from P2P networks.
But Netflix won't suffer, there are too many people who are happy to pay for crap. The new gen of kids/ young adults, want everything at their fingertips and are willing to pay for it.
When I was 18, I paid £20 for a phone and that was too much, they throw £100 a month on iphones. I don't believe that people are into smart thinking anymore.

 

[NumberSix]

Is there a way to not pay for a license without getting a fine ? I mean if you own a TV aren't you considered by law to pay for services you don't watch? I don't see why you should if you aren't going through the BBC.
With the insanely extortionate pricing that is Sky and Virgin, they should be funding shows like Netflix do while paying our license fee off too.
Which Netflix and their crazy price hike is mad in itself. It has gone up since I joined, that was for the daughters sake and not mine, but I left it running, had a few shows I got interested in
Sure cancel Santa Clarita Diet, amazing stupid fun, but keep making crap like Glitch. Neighbours with dead people, directed and scripted by children. You got to see it, just to find out how not to write a show.

Many people have been steered away from P2P copyright infringement, by taking on these streaming services, but like all services, once they have a client base, they ruin everything.
Loyal customers shafted, new customers sweet deals. You have to cancel and renew.
Shows get pumped out for mass content to keep it fresh. TV and film clones of other shows I don't see how these people are not suing each other on a constant basis. I could type iPants here and expect Apple to have a pop at me next week.
What good stuff there is to gain from these services is getting few and far between. I think the way it is going people will return to getting the loose ends from P2P networks.
But Netflix won't suffer, there are too many people who are happy to pay for crap. The new gen of kids/ young adults, want everything at their fingertips and are willing to pay for it.
When I was 18, I paid £20 for a phone and that was too much, they throw £100 a month on iphones. I don't believe that people are into smart thinking anymore.

You need a TV licence to cover anything that is capable of receiving live TV and this incudes live streamed TV. So if you had a monitor with no tuner and Netflix you would not need one, if you had a monitor with no tuner and Prime Video then you would as Prime video includes live broadcasts.

 

[fps4ever]

I understand the complaints but the service is still way cheaper per month than cable and going to theaters, minus the big screen experience. They were one of the first to offer a large catalog of streaming content, original shows, you can binge watch series and watch what you want, when you want. Unfortunately content providers have turned everything into a crap show and fragmented streaming services while holding live streaming channels/sports as hostage.

 

[Reinette Tineker]

Lately almost all movies contain a lot of propaganda and nonsense. Illiterate screenwriters write scripts for the feeble-minded. As a result, films are not suitable for viewing. Garbage for the trash garbage can. It's like CNN, which is losing its former glory because of long lies and propaganda.

 

[McMurdeR]

Having 3 or 4 streaming subs still knocks the socks off a cable sub for value. Having said that, I'll be keeping an eye on this, they're pushing it, and they're competitors don't charge extra for 4k and enhanced audio.

 

[Zinixo]

While I like the fact that netflix added atmos, they have canceled every show I like prematurely. I canceled 2 years ago due to this and doubt I will be going back

 

[Burty117]

Is there a way to not pay for a license without getting a fine ? I mean if you own a TV aren't you considered by law to pay for services you don't watch?

Nope, you have to apply for it (a "no license needed" declaration) but you have absolutely no legal obligation to pay for a TV license, it directly goes to the BBC and it's been through the government several times in recent years to abolish it. The BBC just isn't what it used to be.

Of course, if your TV is connected to an Ariel or you want to use BBC iPlayer then sure, you have to pay for a license, but apart from that, no license needed, that does mean you are allowed to use all other streaming and catch-up services in existence.

 

[Revolution 11]

I think their original content is finally paying off. Say what you will but some of their own shows like Witcher or Squid Game are the only reason why I still pay them, even though it's the bare minimum they have.

Yes I also have prime but just because it comes by default with the other things I want from prime anyway: I tried before to just "browse" either service and I can never just randomly find something I'd wanna watch. I always just end up hearing about content elsewhere and then go "Oh, ok well let me try it" and it's almost always, Netflix.

You can add My Name to that list of great Netflix content. Still, at $20 per month, it is getting to the "Not worth it" zone of streaming services. $20 works for my family because there are 5 different users.

If it were just me, I would have left at anything over $15 per month for 4K.