Netflix raises prices again in the US and Europe could be next
The streaming giant has hiked subscription prices for the second time in just over a year, and other markets are watching closely.
Netflix has once again bumped up its subscription prices in the United States, marking the second increase in little over 12 months. Every tier is affected, and analysts are already wondering which market gets hit next.
What's changing in the US?
The ad-supported plan now runs $8.99/month, up from $7.99. The Standard plan jumped from $17.99 to $19.99, and Premium subscribers are now looking at $26.99, a $2 increase across the board. New subscribers see the new pricing immediately, while existing customers are being notified and transitioned gradually.
One country is very lucky
Meanwhile, German subscribers are still sitting on 2024 pricing. The last direct price increase in the country came roughly two years ago, making it one of the longer gaps Netflix has allowed in a major market.
That said, it hasn't been totally smooth sailing. Netflix quietly removed the basic ad-free tier for new customers, eliminating the cheapest no-ads option from the lineup. Some existing subscribers on that plan saw their monthly bill creep from €7.99 to €9.99. As ifun.de noted at the time, that move was effectively a stealth price hike. A new ad-supported entry tier at €4.99 filled part of the gap, but it comes with commercial breaks.
The bigger picture
Netflix is laser-focused on growing average revenue per user. With over 325 million subscribers worldwide, the company remains the dominant force in streaming, and it's betting that higher prices won't drive enough cancellations to hurt the bottom line.
The US increase signals that Netflix is comfortable pushing pricing further, and Germany, along with other markets that haven't seen a direct hike in a while, could realistically be next in line.