Netflix Announces UK Price Hike: Is It Still A Good Deal?

Netflix’s subscription prices in the UK are going up again, less than two years after the last price increase. This time, however, ALL price tiers will go up – including the Basic Netflix plan, which hasn’t been changed for many years.

The price increase has been announced just two months after a similar increase for Netflix subscribers in the US and Canada – as we predicted. 

For new subscribers, the new prices (see full details below) are effective immediately – while existing subscribers will get a 30-days notice before their price goes up – depending on when in the month they’re billed.

With Netflix already being one of the most expensive streaming services in the UK, this price increase, which follows the rising cost of living across most sectors in the UK, raises the question of whether the streaming service is still a good deal.

Netflix, the huge American streaming service, has seen great success last year, with major hits like Squid Game, Lupin, Cobra Kai, and many others, with the pandemic and lockdowns contributing to their rising subscriber numbers.

However, Netflix’s growth has stalled – both in the US and the UK. And with Netflix spending over $17 Billion on content last year, a price increase comes as no surprise, in several territories – the US, Canada, the UK – and others.

Netflix’s New UK Prices

Netflix offers three membership plans with different price points: 

• The Basic Plan, will go up from £5.99/month to £6.99/month – It lets you stream content in Standard Definition, on only one device at a time. 
• The Standard Plan, will go up from £9.99/month to £10.99/month – It lets you stream content in High Definition, on up to 2 devices at a time.
• The Premium Plan, will go up from £13.99/month to £15.99/month – It lets you stream some content in UltraHD (4K), on up to 4 devices at a time.

The increase in the UK comes a few weeks after a similar increase in the US, where the Basic Plan is now $9.99, the Standard Plan is $15.49/m, and the Premium Plan is $19.99/m.

The previous price hike in the UK took place in December 2020. Before that date, the Standard Plan was priced at £8.99/month, and the Premium Plan was £11.99/month – so jumping from £11.99 to £15.99 in less than two years is quite a big jump.

Regarding the price increase, a Netflix spokesperson said:

“We have always been focused on providing our members both quality and clear value for their membership.

“Our updated prices reflect the investment we have made in our service and catalogue, and will allow us to continue making the series, documentaries and films our members love as well as investing in talent and the creative industry.

“We offer a range of plans so members can choose a price that works best for them.”

Netflix Pricing VS. The Competition

At £10.99/month for the standard plan, Netflix’s price remains higher than most of its competitors in the UK – and even more so when you look at the 4K premium plan.

Amazon Prime Video costs £5.99/month (or £79/year if you get the full Amazon Prime membership), and includes 4K streaming, so it’s more comparable to Netflix’s £15.99/month premium plan. Amazon hasn’t changed its UK Prime pricing for years – though the price did go up in the US a couple of months ago.

Disney+ costs £7.99/month or £79.90/year, also with 4K included as part of the plan, so comparable to Netflix’s Premium Plan.

Apple TV+ costs £4.99/month, and while it used to be free for a whole year, for those who purchased a new Apple device, the free trial is now for 3 months and not a full year.

NOW (formerly known as NOW TV), offers separate plans for films, TV shows, and sports. At £9.99/month for the TV package (that includes kids content) and £9.99/month for the Cinema membership, it’s by far the most expensive UK streaming service when you combine the two.

Plus, NOW doesn’t offer any 4K content, and even if you just want Full HD (1080p), you need to pay an additional £5/month for NOW Boost, which also removes adverts (yes, you get advert breaks on NOW, unless you pay for Boost).

So, Netflix is now the most expensive streaming service in the UK (unless you go for the Basic Plan, which is quite limited).

In the US, the recent price increase drove many on social media to say they were going to leave the service. We’ll have to wait and see whether UK subscribers will follow suit.

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