Netflix announced it’s raising prices in the U.S., but only by a dollar or two. The basic plan is up from $8.99 to $9.99 per month, the standard plan went from $13.99 to $15.49, and the premium plan from $17.99 to $19.99.
Existing subscribers will get a warning before they are charged the higher prices — an email with at least a month’s notice. But new subscribers will have to shell out for the updated prices effective immediately.
Netflix remains king of the streaming wars in terms of subscribers. As of Q3 2021, it boasts over 200 million subscribers worldwide.
“We’re updating our prices so that we can continue to offer a wide variety of quality entertainment options,” a Netflix spokesperson told Reuters. “As always we offer a range of plans so members can pick a price that works for their budget.”
The last Netflix price hike happened in October of 2020, when standard and premium plans went up by $1 per month. In an increasingly crowded streaming market, Netflix continues to spend billions expanding its already massive list of original programming which includes Squid Game, Emily in Paris, and even a competition-style dating show for furries.
The price hike makes Netflix even more expensive than many of its competitors. HBO Max starts at $7.99 per month for plans with ads and $11.99/month for ad-free services. Disney+ comes to 7.99/month; Hulu costs 6.99/month with ads or 12.99/month without, and Amazon Prime Video costs 8.99/month (a full Amazon Prime subscription is 12.99/month).
