If you notice that your monthly Netflix charge looks a little different next month, it's not just you. The streaming giant has raised the price of both its standard and premium plans with the increases being rolled out with subscribers’ next bills, The Verge reports. The Netflix subscription cost change will see users of the standard plan paying $14 per month, while those signed up for the premium tier will be paying $18 per month. These represent an increase of $1 and $2 respectively. New subscribers will automatically be charged at the new rate. Read on for more details, and for another change to be aware of, check out Netflix Just Quietly Removed This Key Feature.
At the present time, price raises only apply in the United States, and represent the first increase in Netflix's subscription fees since Jan. 2019. The price in the U.S. “does not influence or indicate a global price change,” a Netflix spokesperson told The Verge in a statement. “As always we offer a range of plans so that people can pick a price that works best for their budget.”
The increase is believed to be mainly due to the streaming service's need to keep investing in and producing new, original content that will attract new subscribers and retain their existing audience (Stranger Things is a notable example of an original show whose appeal was broad enough to reach beyond the streamer's existing audience). Bloomberg Intelligence estimated Netflix’s content budget for 2020 to be $18.5 billion, more than three times that of Apple TV+.
On Netflix’s most recent earnings call last week, Greg Peters, the company's chief operating officer, confirmed that to keep up the investment in new shows, they would “occasionally go back and ask [customers] to pay a little bit more to keep that virtuous cycle of investment and value creation going.”
Netflix's subscription bump follows the recent announcement that the company would be ending its free trial period option, and instead directing potential subscribers to a free online platform, where original Netflix shows could be viewed, but only their pilot or debut episodes. Read on to see what's still free from Netflix, and for more of the streaming service's best, here are The 50 Best Netflix Shows Ever, According to Critics.
Love Is Blind
NetflixIf you missed this wild reality series that debuted in February, you can watch the first episode for free now. The dating show places singles in pods and has them go on literal blind dates where they can only hear their potential partners. You would not believe how many proposals Love Is Blind yields in record time—or how invested you'll become in these couples. And if you're a reality fan, check out The 30 Most Successful Reality TV Personalities of the Last 30 Years.
Murder Mystery
NetflixThis dark comedy stars Adam Sandler as a cop and Jennifer Aniston as his hairdresser wife who unintentionally get involved in a deadly mystery on a yacht. And for more highlights from the Friends star's career, Relive Jennifer Aniston's Last 25 Years in Hollywood, in Photos.
Stranger Things
NetflixIf you've somehow missed this beloved Emmy-winning Netflix original series, you can watch the first episode of Stranger Things for free, but you'll have to get a Netflix membership (or borrow someone's password) to take in the series in full. And for other standouts you may have missed, here are 13 Netflix Shows That Flew Under the Radar.
Elite
Manuel Fernandez-Valdes/NetflixThis Spanish teen drama is darker than what you'd see on any standard American network. Elite follows three working-class teens who start going to an exclusive private school in Spain, leading to class clashes and eventually, a murder. And if you want a look back at teen stars of the past, check out The Biggest '90s TV Teen Idols, Then and Now.
Grace and Frankie
NetflixButtoned-up Grace (Jane Fonda) and free-spirited Frankie (Lily Tomlin) find themselves bonded after their husbands leave them for each other on this Emmy-nominated Netflix original series. And if you're looking for something to binge ASAP, here are 13 Amazing TV Shows You Can Stream in Just One Weekend.
