Last year there was a palpable panic over so-called “streamflation” because a number of streaming services were increasing their prices. But Netflix has always done that. (And they just did it again.)
Streaming price increases are right up there with death and taxes, so it pays to do a little research before signing up for a streaming service. Here’s all you need to know about Netflix price plans as of January 2024.
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For a more comprehensive look at the streaming service that’s still #1 (but increasingly more expensive), check out our in-depth Netflix Review.
Just tell me the price! How much does Netflix cost?
$7, $15, or $23 a month.
To be more accurate, it’s actually $6.99/month for the cheapest plan. The 2 other Netflix price plans are $15.49 and $22.99 per month, which we’ll cover in detail below.
When did Netflix’s prices go up?
Netflix has been increasing prices and tweaking its plans ever since it launched its streaming service back in 2007. And it was certainly active in that regard this year.
Netflix increased prices in 2019. The Basic plan went up a dollar to $8.99/month, and the Standard and Premium Netflix price plans increased $2 per month, to $12.99 and $15.99 respectively per month.
A few years later in 2022, Netflix did what it said it would never do – have ads. This allowed it “drop” the price to $6.99/month for the Standard with ads plan. In between the Standard with ads plan and the Standard plan, it introduced a Basic plan for $9.99. However, the Basic plan survived about half a year before being axed.
The prices for the Standard and Premium Netflix price plans increased another $2.50 and $4 per month respectively. The Premium plan increased again in November 2023, while the 2 lower-priced plans remained the same price. See below for all the details and prices.
Netflix price plans
The Basic plan only allowed you to watch 1 screen at a time and was just 720p HD, but it was a nice affordable, ad-free option to have. Netflix promised customers that they would be able to continue with the Basic plan until they canceled or changed their plan.
Half a year later Netflix broke that promise. The Basic plan is now being completely “retired”, to use Netflix’s word.
You’re forced to choose between commercials for $6.99/month or ad-free viewing—which Netflix had always championed—at more than double the price.
“We want to be the safe respite where you can explore, you can get stimulated, have fun and enjoy – and have none of the controversy around exploiting users with advertising.”
Reed Hastings, Netflix CEO (January, 2020)
Furthermore, the upgrade doesn’t even give you 4K streaming, which most other streaming services include with their entry-level plans at no extra cost.
As of January 2024, the current Netflix price plans are as follows:
Standard with ads: $6.99/month
- Access to most TV shows and movies on Netflix
- Unlimited mobile games
- Ads: Yes
- User profiles: 5
- Downloads: 2 devices at the same time
- Simultaneous screens: 2
- Quality: 1080p Full HD
- Annual Plan: None
Standard: $15.49/month
- Access to all TV shows and movies on Netflix
- Unlimited mobile games
- Ads: No
- User profiles: 5
- Downloads: 2 devices at the same time
- Simultaneous screens: 2
- Quality: 1080p Full HD
- Annual Plan: None
- Option to add 1 extra member*
Premium: $22.99/month
- Access to all TV shows and movies on Netflix
- Unlimited mobile games
- Ads: No
- User profiles: 5
- Downloads: 6 devices at the same time
- Simultaneous screens: 4
- Quality: Up to 4K UHD, Netflix Spatial Audio
- Annual Plan: None
- Option to add 2 extra members*
* Netflix extra members are people who don’t live with you that you can include on your plan for an extra $7.99/month. This “feature” was introduced in the wake of The Great Password Sharing Crackdown of 2023 undertaken by the world’s biggest streaming service. Extra members can only be added to the 2 more expensive Netflix price plans.
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Read more about Netflix extra members in How Many Netflix Screens Can You Watch at Once?
Does Netflix have an annual plan?
No.
There is no way to pay for Netflix annually. The most expensive on-demand streaming service doesn’t even offer a discount if you sign up for an entire year.
Is there a Netflix free trial?
No.
Netflix doesn’t offer a discount to annual subscribers and it doesn’t offer a free trial. However, there are still a few ways to get Netflix for free—depending on how flexible you are in your definition of free.
For more detailed information as well as some tips on how to pay less for Netflix, check out: Is there a Netflix free trial in 2024?
How does Netflix’s price compare to other streaming services?
As noted above, Netflix is the most expensive on-demand streaming service on the market. Among on-demand streaming services it’s also one of only 2 services charging extra for 4K streaming. (The other is Paramount+.)
Here’s how Netflix price plans stack up against other streaming services in January 2024:
| Streamer | With Ads | Ad-free | Premium | Annual Plan | Simultaneous Screens | 4K | Downloads | Free Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMC+ | $4.99 | $8.99 | - | $83.88* | 5 | No | Yes | 7 Days |
| Apple TV+ | - | $9.99 | - | $99.99 | 6 | Yes | Yes | 7 Days |
| Disney+ | $7.99 | $13.99 | - | $139.99* | 4 | Yes | Yes | None |
| Hulu | $7.99 | $17.99 | - | $79.99** | 2 | Yes | Ad-free Only | 30 Days |
| Max | $9.99 | $15.99 | $19.99 | $99.99 / $159.99 / $199.99 | 2–4 | Premium Only | Ad-Free+ Only | None |
| MGM+ | - | $6.99 | - | $58.99 | 4 | No | Yes | 7 Days |
| Netflix | $6.99 | $15.49 | $22.99 | No | 2–4 | Premium Only | Yes | None |
| Paramount+ | $5.99 | $11.99 | - | $59.99 / $119.99 | 3 | Ad-free Only | Ad-free Only | 7 Days |
| Peacock | $5.99 | $11.99 | - | $59.99 / $119.99 | 3 | Yes | Ad-free Only | None |
| Prime Video | $8.99 | $11.98 | - | $139*** | 3 | Yes | Yes | 30 Days |
| Starz | - | $9.99 | - | $69.99 | 4 | No | Yes | None |
| * Annual plan is only for the Ad-free plan ** Annual plan is only for the With Ads plan *** Annual plan is only for the full Prime membership | ||||||||
Is Netflix worth it?
With so many other options out there putting out high-quality original content, Netflix is no longer the essential streaming service it once was. And after Stranger Things wraps up its fifth and final season (whenever that may be), will there still be a must-see TV series on Netflix?
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If you were lucky enough to downgrade to the short-lived Basic plan for $9.99/month, your Netflix future was looking bright. Until Netflix reneged on its promise.
If you don’t mind commercials the Standard with ads plan is now actually one of the lowest-priced on-demand streaming options around. However it doesn’t have the full Netflix library. So it must be annoying to hear about a intriguing show on Netflix and discover you’re not allowed to watch it.
The Standard plan is overpriced and we can’t figure out the point of it. It’s $8.50/month more than the ad-supported plan but doesn’t even get you 4K streaming. And it gives you the exact same features as the Standard with ads plan, meaning you can only watch 2 screens at once (below the industry standard of 3 screens) and only download to 2 devices.
But maybe being the worst streaming plan in the industry is the point. Perhaps Netflix is counting on nobody signing up for it, thereby pushing people toward ad revenue or the $23/month Premium plan. It also creates the illusion that the jump from the ad-supported plan to the ad-free plan isn’t nearly triple the price.
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Looking for a more affordable streaming service? Read our Hulu Review, Peacock Review, and Apple TV+ Review for 3 streaming services that are (much) cheaper than Netflix.
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