This year, Netflix will raise their US prices by 13% to 18%, which is the company’s biggest price increase since its founding 12 years ago. Sources have confirmed that every streaming package will be affected, and all prices are guaranteed to increase.
Netflix’s most popular US plan will see the largest hike, increasing from $11 to $13 per month. That particular option offers high-definition streaming on up to two different Internet-connected devices simultaneously.
The increased pricing will help pay for Netflix’s huge investment in original programming (TV shows and movies) and to keep rights to other networks’ programs. It’s also rumored to help them get out of their significant debt.
This new price increase will still be a few dollars cheaper than HBO, which charges $15 per month, but it may not help ward off other rivals such as Amazon, Disney, and AT&T, who o
This officially marks the fourth time Netflix has raised its US prices, with the last increase in late 2017, and the first time all subscriber options will see an increase at once.
That’s right, all 58 million US subscribers will be affected.
The cheapest plan, which starts at $8, will increase to $9 a month, while the premium plan, which offers ultra-high definition will increase from $14 to $16.
The new prices will immediately affect all new subscribers and will eventually be put in place over the next three months for existing users. Customers in 40 Latin America countries where Netflix bills in US currency will also be affected. Mexico and Brazil are expected to be the largest international markets to experience the pricing hit.
Luckily, not all 79 million subscribers outside of the US will be affected. So don’t worry, Canada and UK; you’re in the safe zone for now, but prices are still expected to rise. Just not as much as how it is in the States.
And if you think that a price increase is bad enough, Netflix is also potentially going to ban password sharing!
It’s also rumored that the only accounts that will be able to share passwords will be premium accounts. That news has yet to be confirmed, but rumors have been swirling since a recent tech conference in Las Vegas that discussed the potential danger of sharing passwords.
So at this point, if you have to pay more money and can’t share your account with your friends, society could very well phase Netflix out.
But the real question here is why the streaming service is making so many changes so rapidly. Well, the answer is simple: Netflix losing money from password sharing (obviously) and are continuously creating successful content that makes people want to share passwords even more. So you can thank shows such as “House of Cards,” “Orange Is The New Black,” “Stranger Things,” “The Crown,” and “Bird Box.”
Because of these negative changes for subscribers, users may turn to more beneficial, affordable options.
Amazon offers a streaming service as part of their Prime shipping program for $13 per month or $120 for an annual membership, while Hulu sells an ad-free service for $12 per month. To learn more about their other packages, you can go to this comprehensive article by DailyWireless.org.
We can also expect a few new services to become available this year. AT&T’s WarnerMedia is planning on broadening their streaming service this year, and Disney is preparing to release their own streaming channel as well. Apple is expected to do the same soon.
The competition for which streaming service our generation will soon adore might be up for question, but it’s guaranteed that if Netflix doesn’t keep their prices low and continues to allow password sharing, they will ultimately lose a lot of business. After all, those features are part of why we love the streaming site so much! It’s always been affordable with great selection and variety… until now.
Good luck figuring out your new streaming plans, and don’t be afraid to voice your concern via social media if you want to see Netflix change theirs.
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Thanks for sharing the news. Digital platform has become so popular among people today. The number of people who subscribe to Netflix is too high. And it is increasing everyday. The popularity is due the quality of the shows they provide to the audience. Nowadays people are more attracted to it. I think it is good. We can watch some good movies and shows. Keep sharing more posts.