Here we go again. Netflix has quietly raised prices across all its U.S. plans, marking the second time in just over a year that the streaming giant has nudged fees upward.
As of Thursday, March 26, new subscribers will pay $8.99/month for the ad-supported Standard With Ads plan (up from $7.99), $19.99/month for the ad-free Standard plan (up from $17.99) and $26.99/month for the Premium plan, which lets you stream in Ultra HD on up to four screens simultaneously (up from $24.99). Existing subscribers won’t get hit all at once; the increases will roll out over the coming weeks, with Netflix sending an email a month before your billing cycle changes.
Netflix isn’t exactly apologizing. “We continue offering a range of prices and plans to meet a variety of needs,” the company said in a statement. Basically: We’re spending billions on new content, and yeah, that costs money.
Previous price |
New price |
|
Standard with ads |
$7.99 |
$8.99 |
Standard without ads |
$17.99 |
$19.99 |
Premium |
$24.99 |
$26.99 |
The Standard tier, the platform’s most popular plan, last saw a price hike in early 2025—the first in three years. Since then, Netflix has rolled out video podcasts, games, live events, and refreshed its apps. Even as fees creep up, Netflix still boasts the lowest churn rate in the streaming world, suggesting most users will swallow the increase rather than cancel.
Why you're paying more (again)
This isn’t happening in a vacuum. Netflix recently abandoned its $83 billion pursuit of Warner Bros., a deal that would have reshaped the streaming landscape. Instead, the company is doubling down on its own content production, spending more than $20 billion on original series and movies, live events and gaming features.
And it’s not just Netflix. The whole streaming industry is hiking rates. Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, Paramount+, Peacock, Apple TV and others have all increased their prices recently. Prime Video not only will charge more for its ad-free tier, but it's also taking away 4K/UHD access from its basic offering in a clear bid to push users to upgrade.
Between ad-free options, multi-device tiers, and premium features, monthly subscriptions that once felt affordable are now creeping higher across nearly every major service. For viewers juggling multiple platforms, the reality is clear: cheap, all-in-one streaming is a thing of the past.
