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Binge-watchers in the United States are the latest to experience a price hike on their Netflix monthly subscription. The move affects the pricing of all tiers offered by the streaming giant.
Netflix price increase hits US subscribers
There are three Netflix subscription plans currently offered in the U.S. and the price increase affects the Standard and Premium tier with $1 and $2 hike, respectively. That means the Standard plan will now cost $13.99 per month with up to 1080p video resolution and two screens simultaneously watching.
The Netflix Premium plan, which delivers up to 4K video quality and HDR support, is now priced at $17.99 per month. This tier lets the same account be used on four different devices at the same time. Meanwhile, the cost of the Basic plan that only lets subscribers watch at 480p and on a single screen will remain at $8.99.
The timing of the Netflix price hike in the U.S. is interesting considering that new streaming platforms from giant entertainment companies have been launched in the country over the last year. Aside from Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, Netflix is now competing with Disney+ and HBO Max that both obviously have vast libraries of movies and TV shows.
Meanwhile, the Netflix price hike implemented in the U.S. did not come as a surprise as Netflix did the same in other territories in recent months. The streaming services have also increased its services cost in Australia and Canada in October, which served as a sign that the same change would be happening for subscribers in the U.S.
Netflix free: How to use the streaming platform without paying
Unlike its newer rivals, Netflix no longer offers a free trial for newly registered accounts. It has launched a “free” platform for those who want to experience streaming and binge-watching without making any payment right away, but do not expect to view its full library.
However, the free service still features some well-known Netflix original shows and movies such as “Stranger Things,” “Murder Mystery” starring Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler, and the post-apocalyptic thriller “Bird Box” starring Sandra Bullock. Netflix also previously announced that it is thinking of other ways to entice new subscribers despite not having a free trial offer such as a weekend event called StreamFest for Indian users happening in December.
Featured photo by freestocks on Unsplash
