Over 223 million people around the world use Netflix to stream their favorite movies and TV shows, so it makes sense for its subscription costs to increase now and then. However, you might be overpaying for your subscription every month without even realizing it. Luckily, it’s easy to find out if you’re one of those people.
How do I know if I’m overpaying for my Netflix account?
The easiest way to see if you’re paying too much for Netflix is by checking out their subscriber plans and seeing which one fits you best.
Netflix has 4 different subscriber options: Basic with ads, Basic, Standard, and Premium.
Every plan is a different price, and they each come with their own set of perks and features. The one you choose can determine the content available to you on the streaming service, how many devices you can stream on, and whether or not your streaming experience will feature advertisements. We’re breaking down all of Netflix’s subscriber plans so that you can choose the best one.
Basic with ads – $6.99/month
The Basic with ads plan is the cheapest plan that Netflix offers. However, it also provides the least amount of perks. The plus side is that you can still stream all your favorite movies and TV shows in HD (up to 720p) and watch them on 1 supported device at a time. You also have access to Netflix games without any ad interruptions. Although, you will have ads either before or during streaming movies and TV shows. Some movies and TV shows will also not be available due to licensing restrictions, and downloads are not included. If you’re on a tight budget and don’t mind watching ads, this plan could be the one for you.
Basic – $9.99/month
The Basic plan is the 2nd cheapest option offered by Netflix, and it has a few more perks than the last one. You still get to stream on only 1 supported device and watch everything in HD, but this plan is ad-free, so you won’t have any interruptions while you watch. You also get unlimited movies, TV shows, and mobile games, and you can download content on 1 device at a time. If you don’t mind paying a little extra for the ad-free experience, then Basic is the way to go.
Standard – $15.49/month
The Standard plan is quite a bit more expensive than the previous two plans, although you’ll understand why once we explain. Along with unlimited content and ad-free streaming like the Basic plan, the Standard plan allows you to watch on 2 supported devices simultaneously instead of 1. It also allows you to stream in Full HD (1080p), which is a higher definition than regular HD. Plus, you can download your content on 2 devices at a time. The Standard Plan is a good choice for those who have multiple people using the same account in the same house on different devices. If you’re only ever streaming on one device and the only one using your account, however, the Basic with ads or Basic plans are more than enough.
Premium – $19.99/month
The Premium plan is Netflix’s most expensive plan. The only similarities it has to the others is that you still get unlimited movies, TV shows, and mobile games, and everything is entirely ad-free. Besides that, you get a few extra perks with Premium. You can watch and download your content on up to 4 devices at a time, and you can watch in an even higher definition with Ultra HD (2160p). This is the clearest definition you could watch your content in. However, it may only be worth it to have if you have a 4K TV. These TVs are the only ones that can support Ultra HD, so if you have a regular TV or if you mostly stream on your laptop, then the Premium plan isn’t worth the money because the definition won’t be supported on your devices. You’d also have to ensure your internet is fast enough to support Ultra HD, as Netflix recommends having a minimum download speed of 25Mbps.
How to change your plan
You can change your Netflix plan at any time by following these steps:
- Sign in to your Netflix account
- Under Plan Details, select Change Plan. (If you do not see Change Plan, contact Netflix)
NOTE: If your account is on hold, no plan changes can be made until the hold is resolved
- Choose the desired plan, then select Continue or Update
- Select Confirm Change or Confirm
Prices shown are current as of publication. Not yet a Netflix customer. To sign up for a Netflix plan, head to Netflix.com/signup
Please let us know if this information helped you save money and how.
Related: