Netflix price rise coming to UK — More expensive subscriptions start for some Britons TODAY

With little fanfare, Netflix has refreshed the UK pricing across its service. New subscribers will pay the higher prices from today

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Here’s what the revised subscription pricing changes look like for those watching in the UK:

Standard with Ads

• Previous price: £4.99 per month
• New price: £5.99 per month

Netflix will charge an extra £1 every month for its most affordable subscription. This plan offers full HD streaming, the ability to stream on two devices simultaneously, access to most content (with some exclusions), downloads on one device, and several minutes of advertisements per hour.

Standard

• Previous price: £10.99 per month
• New price: £12.99 per month

Ouch. Subscribers with the most affordable ad-free subscription have been the worst hit in the latest round of price hikes — with a hefty £2 increase. This plan provides the same features as the Standard with Ads plan, but without advertisements. It also allows downloads on two devices and access to the full content library. If you want to add someone outside of your household (starting from £4.99) this is the most affordable plan that offers that option.

Premium

• Previous price: £17.99 per month
• New price: £18.99 per month

The maxed-out subscription plan from Netflix offers the most advanced features, including Ultra HD (4K) and HDR streaming, the ability to stream on four devices simultaneously, no advertisements, downloads on six devices, spatial audio, and access to the full content library.

If you’re a new subscriber signing up today, you’ll need to pay the new prices immediately. Existing Netflix subscribers won’t see the new monthly price until your next billing cycle comes around.

A notification is expected to be sent to current Netflix subscribers. If you’re currently subscribed, look out for an email from the service detailing how the changes will impact you.

Speaking to shareholders earlier this month, Netflix justified the price adjustments, stating: “As we continue to invest in programming and deliver more value for our members, we will occasionally ask our members to pay a little more so that we can re-invest to further improve Netflix.”

The surge in new Netflix subscribers at the end of last year was primarily driven by an expanding live sports portfolio, with its Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match becoming its most-streamed sporting event in history with 108 million viewers. Remember — if you watched this event, or other live broadcasts on Netflix in the UK, you’ll need to be covered by a TV Licence. Yes, really.

The second season of dystopian thriller Squid Game has also proven a major draw, with Netflix reporting it is on track to become one of its most-watched original series. Other hits from the streamer include Stranger Things, The Crown, Bridgerton, You, Emily In Paris, and Baby Reindeer.

Stranger Things is a horror series that draws from the works of Stephen King and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment output in the 1980s

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As well as a string of hits for telly fans, Netflix has worked hard to crack down on password-sharing within families and households — a major shift from its previously lax approach — starting from May 2023. This U-turn, which affects over 100 countries including the US, UK, and Australia, helped to add millions of new subscribers to the service… those same subscribers will now face a choice between paying more every month, or cancelling.

Here’s how the policy works:

• Netflix now defines a “household” as people living together at the same location
• The primary account holder must set a “primary location” based on IP address
• Users outside this household can no longer freely access the account
• Netflix uses IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity to detect non-household users

To continue sharing, account holders have options:

• Add an “extra member” for an additional fee
• Non-household members can transfer their profile to a new, separate account

Nihilistic South Korean thriller Squid Game has proven to be a breakout hit for Netflix, with a third series in the works for later this year, video games, and reality TV adaptations

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As mentioned above, this growth strategy contrasts sharply with Netflix’s previous stance.The company once tweeted in 2017, “Love is sharing a password,” embracing the practice. Facing a plummeting subscribe base in 2022, Netflix estimated 100 million accounts were sharing passwords, prompting this strategic shift.

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The crackdown has proven very successful, and Netflix added millions of paid subscribers since then. The company now frames this as “paid sharing,” positioning it as a service enhancement rather than a restriction. It’s prompted other streamers, like Disney+, to cite the policy as direct inspiration for introducing its own password-sharing restrictions.

Netflix now forecasts 2025 revenue between $43.5 billion and $44.5 billion, reflecting improved business fundamentals. Annual operating income exceeded $10 billion for the first time in the company’s history.

“Netflix is simply running away with the streaming market thanks to excellent execution, a stellar content slate, and scale advantages,” Evercore ISI analysts noted. Morgan Stanley analysts highlighted that Netflix’s “unmatched scale creates the financial capacity to invest back into the business.”