Netflix is set to hike its monthly subscription plan prices for the first time since 2017.
The Hollywood Reporter has the details on the new Netflix pricing plans: the most popular plan, which allows streaming on two devices at the same time, will rise from $11 to $13. The single user subscription will go from $8 to $9, and the four-subscriber plan jumps from $14 to $16.
New users signing up for Netflix will see these prices immediately, while those of us who are already subscribed will see the hikes take effect phased in over a period of three months.
While the changes of $1-2 dollars a month may not seem huge in the scheme of things, they’re a sign of the ongoing platform battles that are starting to shake up our streaming entertainment. As THR points out:
The last price increase for Netflix subscribers was in 2017. The aim then as now is to cover sky-high content costs as the search heats up for the next Orange Is the New Black or House of Cards for Netflix to go up against rival series from Amazon, Hulu and other rivals.
Not only are Amazon and Hulu on the rise as content creators, acquirers, and platforms, but the coming years will see independent streaming sites from Disney, WarnerMedia, NBCUniversal, and no doubt others.
Leave aside the fact that we are already blessed with more content than we know what to do with: the proliferation of platforms launching in the next few years is likely only the beginning of that trend. I don’t know about you, but I’m pushing it being subscribed to both Netflix and Amazon. Obviously, Disney+ is going to own my soul and get my subscription because I’m a Marvel fan. But the idea of subscribing to more and more places makes me dizzy and makes my bank account cry tears of blood.
Consider other streaming services that people want to have like HBONow ($14.99/month), DC Streaming ($7.99/month), CBS All Access ($5.99/month), Showtime ($11/month), and you’re paying quite a bit. Not to mention services that offer live TV like FubtoTV ($44.99/month), Sling ($20/month), or YouTubeTV ($40/month).
One of the reasons I started subscribing to services like Netflix was that I didn’t want to have to deal with the costs of cable and channels upon channels. But it seems like we’re heading into a future of multiple streams from a variety of providers, and if you want them all, the costs will rival cable, not to mention the unwieldy sprawl of so many platforms. And we’re only at the beginning of the streaming renaissance.
One thing’s for sure—there may never be a better time to be a media content creator, if you have an idea to pitch these platforms. Saturday Night Live’s Netflix skit starring Claire Foy has never seemed so apt. “That’s right, we’re spending billions of dollars and making every show in the world. Our goal is the endless scroll. By the time you’ve reached the bottom of the menu, there are new shows at the top. And thus, the singularity will be achieved.”
What do you think? The more streaming services, the merrier? What’s your current set-up like? Is there a cut-off point when you’d say enough is enough?
(via THR, image: Netflix)
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