If you are a Netflix subscriber, your bill may be going up.
The streaming giant announced a price increase Thursday for two of its most popular pricing tiers.
The standard and premium subscription packages, which are the only options that let you stream in HD and on more than one device at the same time, will jump by $1 and $2 a month respectively.
The basic package pricing will remain $8.99 per month.
New Netflix Subscription Pricing
Here’s a breakdown of the pricing changes for United States customers:
| Subscription Tier | New Price | Old Price |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $8.99 | $8.99 |
| Standard | $13.99 | $12.99 |
| Premium | $17.99 | $15.99 |
Team Clark was able to verify that these new prices go into effect for new customers immediately.
But what’s unclear right now is when — or if — existing customers will see this price increase on their monthly bills. The Verge reports that existing subscribers should “see the new prices over the next few weeks as they roll out with customer’s billing cycles.” So you probably should be on the lookout for a notification from Netflix soon.
Remember, Netflix charges just once per month on the date you choose and allows you to cancel your subscription with no strings attached at any time.
Netflix Subscription Tiers
The new pricing structure is already on Netflix’s website.
If you’re considering adding a Netflix subscription to your streaming budget, here’s a good breakdown of what you get at each subscription tier:
It’s worth noting that you’ll now have to pay at least $13.99 per month to be able to stream on more than one device at once and get HD-quality streaming capabilities. If you want more than two streams at once and Ultra HD capabilities, you’re going to have to fork over the $17.99 a month for the premium package.
Finding a Netflix Alternative
If this price increase was the final straw for you, there are some cheaper video streaming alternatives on the market.
In fact, there may be some that you didn’t even know existed. Disney, AT&T, NBC and Apple have all released new subscription streaming services within the last 15 months.
Here’s a look at the basic level pricing for some of the popular video streaming services on the market:
Video Streaming Services: Basic Level Pricing
|
|
| Streaming Service | Basic Price |
| Netflix | $8.99 |
| Hulu | $5.99 |
| Amazon Prime Video | $8.99 |
| Disney+ | $6.99 |
| Apple TV+ | $4.99 |
| CBS All Access | $5.99 |
| AT&T’s HBO Max | $14.99 |
| NBC’s Peacock | $4.99 |
Team Clark has reviewed many of these. Read our analyses at the Best Video Streaming Services for Your Money.
You also may be interested in pursuing some free streaming options. Team Clark also has reviewed many of the popular free streaming TV services, such as Tubi and Pluto TV, as a part of our Best Free Streaming Services Guide.
Final Thought
This news was not unexpected from a service that offers such a deep content library plus a healthy dose of original content. But that doesn’t mean consumers have to be happy about it.
There will be some resistance to premium pricing, which is now $3 more than the new HBO Max subscription that debuted earlier in 2020 at $14.99 per month.
With popular shows like The Office (slated for Peacock in 2021) and Friends (already on HBO Max) leaving Netflix, this will likely cause some subscribers to take at least a quick pause before paying their next streaming bills.
Of course, the beauty of streaming services is that there is no long-term commitment required. So you could theoretically leave Netflix for cheaper alternatives and come back later if you miss what the service has to offer.
