As what may come as a surprising development to many, Netflix has increased the prices of its subscription plans in the US and Canada after decreasing them in India recently. The popular video streaming service has hiked the price by up to $2, depending upon the plan a user opts for. Here’s a look at the new Netflix subscription prices in the US.
New Netflix Plan Prices in the US and Canada
The Netflix Basic plan in the US is now priced at $9.99 after a $1 price hike, the Standard plan has seen an increase in price by $1.05 and is now priced at $15.49. The Premium plan is now priced at $19.99, up from $17.99.
In Canada, the Basic plan is priced at C$9.99, which is the same as before. But, the price of the Standard and the Premium plans have increased and now cost C$16.49 and C$20.99, respectively. All these plans are renewed on a monthly basis. These new prices are now live and applicable for both existing and new users.
If you are wondering why Netflix took this decision, Netflix (in a statement to Reuters) stated, “We’re updating our prices so that we can continue to offer a wide variety of quality entertainment options. As always we offer a range of plans so members can pick a price that works for their budget.“
For those who don’t know, the Basic plan allows users to stream unlimited movies and shows on a single screen in SD quality. Users can watch content on a laptop, TV, phone or tablet, and download their favorite shows and movies on just one device. The number of screens and downloads increases to two with the Standard plan, along with HD (1080p) streaming support. Finally, the Premium plan supports 4 screens, 4 devices for downloads, and Ultra HD-quality streaming.
This decision comes after Netflix recently gave a sigh of relief to its Indian users by decreasing its plans’ prices by up to 60%. The plans now start at just Rs 149 a month, which is affordable and helps it compete well with rivals like Disney+ Hotstar and Amazon Prime Video in the country. Increasing the prices in the US and Canada appears like an uncanny decision. However, Netflix backs this up by stating that it has added customers despite previous hikes. So, this could be one way for the company to offset costs across markets.
Maybe those who want to be a Netflix subscriber don’t really care about the prices after all! What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below.
