Netflix also increases prices for existing customers
The new Netflix prices initially applied to new customers - but soon existing customers will also have to pay more. Netflix will inform you about this by email.
Netflix will also become more expensive for existing customers in the next billing period.
(Bild: Shutterstock.com/Daniel Avram)
Existing Netflix customers will soon also have to pay more for their subscriptions: After the prices for new customers were first raised, existing users will also have to pay more to the US streaming service in their next billing period. Netflix is currently informing the first affected users about this by email.
The new Netflix prices were announced in mid-April: The premium subscription with 4K picture quality and 3D audio will now cost 20 euros per month instead of 18 euros. The standard subscription, which previously cost 13 euros, will now cost 14 euros per month. Meanwhile, there will be no change to the ad-supported subscription, which will continue to cost 5 euros per month.
This ad-supported subscription is particularly lucrative for Netflix. The streaming service has therefore taken several measures to convince users to opt for an ad-supported subscription. For example, the basic subscription without advertising has been discontinued, and existing customers of the basic subscription are even threatened with having their accounts terminated.
Request for consent
In the email about the upcoming price increases, Netflix asks for users' consent: subscriptions of people who reject the new prices will be automatically canceled. This is important because Netflix is not allowed to change the subscription unilaterally. This was confirmed by the Berlin Court of Appeal last fall. Price adjustment clauses for "unilateral price increases", which have since been included in Netflix's terms of use, are therefore invalid. However, Netflix claims that it has never relied on these clauses for price increases and has always asked for consent.
In Germany, Netflix last changed its prices in 2021; at that time, the cost of the standard subscription also increased by one euro and the cost of the premium subscription by 2 euros. Since then, Netflix has also implemented measures to make account sharing more difficult. If you want to share your account with people outside your household, you have to book an additional paid option.
(dahe)