How Much Is Netflix? Plans And Prices Explained

Netflix costs between $6.99 and $19.99 per month, depending on which of the four plans an individual or household signs up to.

Understanding the differences between the four main Netflix plans can help new subscribers decide which one will be best for them. Likewise, existing subscribers may also find they get more (or save more) by switching from their current plan to one of the others.

The four plans currently available are Standard with ads, Basic, Standard, and Premium, and each one is designed to cater to different needs. For example, how many people are likely to be sharing the same account, how many people are likely to be watching at the same time, and whether a home prefers to watch without or without ads will all affect which plan is best.

Below is a summary of the main differences between the Standard with ads, Basic, Standard and Premium plans:

Netflix’s Standard with ads plan

The Standard with ads plan is the cheapest way to sign up to Netflix and currently costs $6.99 per month. Unlike all of the other plans, a Standard with ads subscription includes ads before and during videos. It is this use of ads that helps to reduce the cost to as low as $7 per month.

While there is no difference in the level of access, other than ads, there are some other differences that you’ll need to be aware of before signing up to this plan.

The first is that the Standard with ads plan offers the option to watch on up to 2 devices at the same time. This is actually more than what’s available with the more expensive Basic ad-free plan.

The Standards with ads plan is also the only Netflix tier that doesn’t offer the option to download titles to watch offline.

Netflix’s Basic plan

The Basic plan is Netflix’s cheapest ad-free tier and currently costs $9.99 per month. As this is the cheapest ad-free plan, it is the most limiting in terms of features and support.

The first major limitation to be aware of is the resolution, as the Basic plan only allows playback in HD, which is actually less than the FHD support available with the Standard with ads plan. While this might not be an issue for some subscribers, it could be a deal-breaker for others, and especially those looking to watch on a larger TV.

Another major limitation is the number of streams as the Basic plan limits the number of concurrent streams to one at a time. Again, this is less than the two streams offered with the Standard with ads plan. In addition, the Basic plan also only allows videos to be downloaded and stored on a single device at a time.

Netflix’s Standard plan

The Standard plan currently costs $15.49 per month and is highly likely to be the one that appeals to most individuals and households. While it doesn’t offer the best experience that Netflix has to offer, it comes with enough features to suit the needs of most homes.

Unlike the Basic plan, Standard boosts the resolution support to Full High Definition (FHD). Another important upgrade over the Basic plan is the ability to watch Netflix on up to two devices at the same time. This alone makes the Standard plan more suitable for households where a Netflix account is going to be shared with someone else, and especially if they want an ad-free viewing experience.

Similar to the number of streams, the Standard plan also increases the number of devices that downloads can be stored on to two at the same time.

Netflix’s Premium plan

For those looking for the ultimate Netflix experience, Premium currently costs $19.99 per month. Even though the Premium plan costs twice as much as the Basic plan, subscribers get a lot more in return for the higher monthly cost.

One of the main reasons to consider the Premium plan is the 4K support. At present, Premium is the only way to watch videos in Ultra HD. It should be noted that this doesn’t mean all titles can be watched at the highest resolution, but if 4K is important to an individual or household, Premium is the best plan to go with.

Another major difference is that the Premium plan allows Netflix to be streamed on up to four devices at the same time. Adding to this, the number of devices that downloads can be stored on at the same time is also increased to four.

A final reason to consider upgrading to the Premium plan is the spatial audio support. Similar to 4K, not all titles support spatial audio, but for those that are available, subscribers will get a much improved audio experience, and without the need for any surround sound speakers or home theater equipment.

Netflix plans and prices: recap

Netflix offers four main plans with consumers able to choose between Standard with ads, Basic, Standard and Premium. None of these subscription tiers actually differ in terms of content, with all four supporting the same devices and offering unlimited access to the full Netflix library. However, Basic, Standard and Premium are the only plans that offer an ad-free viewing experience.

If a single subscriber, or in a household where everyone is likely to be watching together, either Standard with ads or Basic is likely to be fine. For those that need a minimum of FHD, an ad-free viewing experience, and the option to watch on two devices at the same time, Standard is the plan to go for.

For those homes that want the ultimate Netflix experience, including the option to watch in 4K, the Premium plan is going to be the best option, albeit the most expensive as well.