Netflix adjusted its subscription rates on March 26, pushing every tier higher by at least $1. The ad-supported plan moved from $7.99 to $8.99 per month. The standard ad-free plan climbed from $17.99 to $19.99, a $2 increase that stands out as the sharpest jump in the current round. The premium plan, which supports 4K Ultra HD, HDR viewing, Netflix spatial audio and up to four simultaneous streams, went from $24.99 to $26.99.
Extra member pricing also went up. For ad-supported plans, adding a non-household user now costs $6.99 per month, up from $5.99. Ad-free add-ons increased from $8.99 to $9.99 each. The standard plan allows one extra member, while the premium plan allows two.
Existing subscribers will see the change take effect on their next billing cycle. Netflix has said members will receive an email at least one month before the new rate hits their account.
Netflix’s second increase in just over a year
This is not the first time Netflix has raised prices recently. The last adjustment came in January 2025, when the company also introduced the ability to add users outside a household following its crackdown on password sharing in 2023. Before that, the standard ad-free plan had held its price since 2022, and the premium tier had not changed since 2023.
The timing reflects a broader trend across the streaming industry. YouTube TV raised its base plan by $10 in December 2024, bringing it to $82.99 per month. Disney raised the price of Disney+ with ads to $11.99 and the ad-free version to $18.99 in October 2025, while Hulu with ads also climbed to $11.99 that same month. HBO Max added $1.50 to its standard plan, landing at $18.49.
Netflix what the money is going toward
Netflix executives have consistently linked price increases to content investment, and the numbers behind that argument are substantial. During its January 2026 earnings report, the company projected $20 billion in content spending for the year, up from $18 billion in 2025. Overall revenue for 2026 is expected to land between $50.7 billion and $51.7 billion, driven by membership growth, pricing gains and what the company described as a projected rough doubling of ad revenue compared with the prior year.
The price increase also arrives as Netflix has been pushing into new territory, including live events and video podcasts, two areas where the platform has been actively expanding its footprint.
The Warner Bros. deal that did not happen
Earlier this year, Netflix had been positioned to acquire the Warner Bros. studio and its streaming service HBO Max. That deal did not close. Paramount ultimately secured the assets after submitting a higher bid in February, and Netflix walked away with a $2.8 billion breakup fee from the dissolved prior arrangement.
Chief Financial Officer Spence Neumann addressed the outcome at an investor event, noting that the company was moving forward with that financial cushion in hand. Whether that sum gets directed toward content, acquisitions or infrastructure has not been specified publicly, but it adds to the resources Netflix is working with as it competes in an increasingly crowded streaming market.
What subscribers can expect
For anyone already subscribed, nothing changes until the next billing cycle, and the one-month email notice gives some lead time to evaluate plans. Netflix’s ad-supported tier remains the lowest-cost entry point at $8.99, and for budget-conscious subscribers, it continues to represent the most accessible option in the lineup.
