Netflix Raises Prices Across All Streaming Plans in the US

Netflix adjusts pricing across all U.S. streaming plans

Netflix has raised prices across all of its U.S. streaming plans, with the change taking effect immediately for new subscribers and rolling out to existing customers over the coming weeks. The company’s standard plan with ads now costs $8.99 a month, the ad-free standard plan is $19.99, and the premium plan is $26.99.

Extra member fees also went up by $1, to $6.99 for ad-supported plans and $9.99 for ad-free plans. Netflix said subscribers already on the service will be notified a month before billing changes take effect.

Latest price increase details

The latest increase covers all of Netflix’s major streaming tiers in the U.S. The ad-supported standard plan moved from $7.99 to $8.99 a month. The standard ad-free plan increased from $17.99 to $19.99. The premium plan rose from $24.99 to $26.99.

For extra members, the ad-supported option increased from $5.99 to $6.99, while the ad-free add-on rose from $8.99 to $9.99. The company said the phased rollout for existing subscribers will happen over the coming weeks.

Netflix’s pricing change comes after the company last raised prices in January 2025. The move is part of a broader pattern across the streaming industry, where major platforms have continued to adjust subscription rates in recent years.

Why Netflix says it is raising rates

Netflix said the higher prices will help fund an expanded $20 billion content budget in 2026. That is up $2 billion from 2025, according to the company’s earlier guidance. The budget is expected to support original programming, live events such as Major League Baseball’s opening day, podcasts, and games.

The company has also pointed to higher membership fees and nearly doubled ad revenue as key growth drivers. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos has said fees rise only when Netflix believes it is delivering more value to subscribers. That position has remained part of the company’s public explanation for repeated pricing moves.

Netflix said during its January earnings report that it expected 2026 revenue to range between $50.7 billion and $51.7 billion. It linked that outlook to membership gains, pricing increases and a projected rough doubling of ad revenue in 2026 compared with the prior year.

Streaming market pressure continues

The price hike lands at a time when households are spending an average of $69 a month on streaming, according to the input data. Two-thirds of subscribers are choosing cheaper ad-supported tiers, a 20% jump from 2024. That shift shows continued price sensitivity among viewers, even as streaming companies keep adjusting their plans.

Netflix, however, still has the lowest churn rate in the industry, which suggests most users may stay on despite higher monthly bills. Competitors including Disney+, Hulu and Prime Video have also raised rates recently, reflecting similar cost pressure across the subscription business.

Earlier this year, Netflix was still positioned to acquire the Warner Bros. studio and its streaming service HBO Max, but it declined to match a higher bid from Paramount in February. The company’s price increase now adds another development to a year in which it has continued to expand spending while also pushing subscription fees higher.

For now, the new rates apply to U.S. streaming plans and extra member fees. Existing subscribers will see the changes phased in over the coming weeks, with notification sent before billing updates take effect.

• Ad-supported standard plan: $8.99 a month, up from $7.99
• Standard ad-free plan: $19.99 a month, up from $17.99
• Premium plan: $26.99 a month, up from $24.99
• Extra member with ads: $6.99, up from $5.99
• Extra member without ads: $9.99, up from $8.99

The company’s next planned spending cycle will be tied to its 2026 content budget, which Netflix says will total $20 billion. That figure is expected to support new programming and other projects across the platform.