Netflix has today revealed fresh price hikes on two of its UK subscription plans. Premium customers will have to fork out an extra £24 a year under the changes, while Basic subscribers will see their costs rise by £12 annually.
It comes just three months after the country’s most popular streaming platform scrapped its ad-free basic subscription for new customers. Netflix has also been cracking down on password sharing in 2023, with people ‘borrowing’ a subscription having their access cut off if they continue to stream without paying.
There are ways in which you may be able to get Netflix cheaper (more on this below). Look After My Bills has seen success with haggling for free or heavily discounted Netflix through a third-party TV provider. You can also save on a subscription by having it bundled with other services as part of a Sky Stream package. To find out what other streaming options are out there and how to get a good deal, see our guide to the best streaming services in the UK.
So, what’s changed with Netflix – and how exactly can you cut costs? Here’s everything you need to know.
How are Netflix prices changing?
Here’s a quick guide to exactly how Netflix prices are changing:
- Premium: monthly cost is rising by £2 (12.5%) to £17.99 a month – or by £24 over 12 months to £215.88.
- Basic (ad-free): monthly price is rising by £1 (14%) to £7.99 a month – or £12 extra a year at £95.88.
- Standard with ads: no change – remains at £4.99 a month
- Standard (ad-free): no change – remains at £10.99 a month
If you’re an existing customer, Netflix will be contacting you to inform you of any changes to your plan. Under its own terms and conditions, it has to give you at least 30 days’ notice before any price hikes can kick in (see more below). But if you’re planning on joining or rejoining the streaming service, the new prices kicked in from Thursday 19 October.
Netflix's subscription options
Here are all of the subscriptions Netflix offers and the new costs. Note that the Basic tier is no longer available to switch to, even if you’re on another Netflix plan.
| Type of plan | Standard (with ads) | Standard | Premium | Basic (existing customers only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | £4.99 | £10.99 | £17.99 | £7.99 |
| Picture resolution | Full HD (1080p) | Full HD (1080p) | Ultra HD (4K + HDR) | HD (720p) |
| Is it ad-free? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| How many simultaneous streams? | Two | Two | Four | One |
| Is content downloadable to watch offline? | No | Yes - on two devices | Yes - on up to six devices | Yes - on one device |
| Can you add users you don't live with? | No | Yes - one person for an extra £4.99 per month | Yes - up to two people for an extra £4.99 per month each | No |
What are your rights when Netflix hikes prices?
You have only a few weeks to decide whether or not you want to pay Netflix’s more expensive rates. If you’re an existing subscriber, they have to give you at least 30 days’ notice before your subscription goes up in price.
You can cancel your Netflix subscription at any time without paying any fees. So, if the price of your subscription is rising and you don’t want to have Netflix any more, make sure you cancel before your next billing date. You will then still be able to watch Netflix until your billing period ends.
If you’ve got your Netflix subscription through a third-party – such as Sky Stream – you may still be exposed to the Premium tier price hike. Though if you have it as part of a Sky package, it’s worth checking in with your TV provider to find out how your bill will be affected.
How can you save money on Netflix and other streaming subscriptions?
Netflix’s price hikes are likely to come as bad news for many households. But there are some ways to save money on your on-demand streaming – particularly if you’re happy to sacrifice a bit of picture quality. Here are some top tips:
- Downgrade your Netflix plan: if you’re a Premium user, you can save £7 a month by dropping down to a Standard package or £13 by going for Standard with Adverts (although you will have to sacrifice most the benefits of Premium). You will not be able to downgrade to ‘Basic’ as Netflix has scrapped this for everyone barring those who have never switched away from the plan.
- Bundle your streaming package: if you bundle your streaming platforms together through a TV provider, you may be able to make them more cost-effective. By haggling with the TV firm or taking on one of their other services (eg. broadband – see our best broadband deals guide) you may be able to maximise this saving. If you’re a Sky customer see if you can get your streaming added to your existing package.
- Make use of free trials: most streaming platforms offer free trials to new users (the notable exceptions being Netflix and Disney Plus). To see who offers what, visit our streamers guide.
- Don’t double up in your household: share an account with whoever you’re living with so you’re not paying for an unnecessary extra account. This may be particularly helpful if you’re renting or living in student accommodation.
- Only watching Netflix? Don’t pay for a TV licence: you don’t need to pay the licence fee if you’re only watching Netflix and don’t watch live TV or BBC programmes. By not paying for a TV licence, you can save yourself £159 a year.
- Become a ‘stream-hopper’: try to binge-watch your favourite films and TV series on one streaming service before cancelling and moving on to the next one. That way, you won’t waste money on a service you’re not using.
- Clicking ‘cancel’ could get you a deal: some streaming platforms may offer you a deal in a bid to stop you from cancelling your subscription. Look After My Bills has not found this with Netflix yet but it has had particular joy with NowTV on this front, with it offering 70% discounts in some instances.
- Get free streaming through your mobile provider: need a new mobile contract? If there’s a particular streaming service you want to use, you may be able to get it free for several months via a service provider. EE, Tesco Mobile and Three offer customers free Apple TV+, while you can get free Disney Plus with O2 Priority.
- Get an annual plan: if you know you’ll be with a streaming service for a year, you may be able to access a cheaper deal by paying annually rather than monthly. For example, you can save £12.88 on Amazon Prime by signing up for a year, or £15.98 by going for Disney Plus for 12 months. However, Netflix and most other streamers don’t offer annual subscription options.
