This is not the first time and probably not the last time. Beloved movie and TV streaming service Netflix is raising its subscriptions prices starting this month, as Mashable first reported and TechCrunch confirmed. The most popular plan is going to be $1 more expensive. Here’s what’s going to happen.
Netflix currently has three plans. For $7.99, you can stream in small definition on one screen at a time. It can be your TV, your phone or your laptop — anything. If you pay $9.99, you can stream in high definition on two devices at once. And for $11.99, you get 4K streaming and four devices.
The cheapest plan is still going to be $7.99. This plan is not going to change and hasn’t changed since it first launched in 2010. But there’s a trick.
While most people don’t care about 4K (at least not yet), people want to be able to stream in HD. That’s why the $9.99 plan is currently the most popular plan. This one now costs $10.99.
Finally, the 4K plan is getting a lot more expensive as it now costs $13.99 — that’s a 16 percent increase. This probably doesn’t matter right now as you might not have a 4K TV or an internet connection that is fast enough for 4K. But when everybody switches to 4K, Netflix is going to make people pay more.
“From time to time, Netflix plans and pricing are adjusted as we add more exclusive TV shows and movies, introduce new product features and improve the overall Netflix experience to help members find something great to watch even faster,” Netflix told TechCrunch in a statement.
New users get those new prices starting today. Other countries, such as France, are also getting a price increase — for France, it’s the same prices with $1 = €1, which is not accurate at all.
Existing users will get notified starting on October 19th. Netflix will send you an email telling you that your subscription price will increase in 30 days depending on your billing cycle and if you don’t have the $7.99 plan.
These progressive price increases are quite a good strategy as Netflix keeps adding more and more original content. Chances are you’re now using Netflix more than before, which means you’re still getting a good deal based on the number of streamed hours (see also: Stranger Things). And the 4K subscription tier is a good bet on the future.
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