Squid Games – Netflix
Well, folks, it’s official: Netflix is kicking off 2025 with another price hike. Just when we thought our wallets couldn’t take any more hits, the streaming giant is here to remind us that entertainment comes at a premium—literally. Let’s break it down (while crying into our popcorn):
- A commercial-free, standard plan is climbing from $15.49 to $17.99 per month.
- A standard plan with commercials (you know, the one where you pay to watch ads) is increasing from $6.99 to $7.99.
- The premium plan, for those who like their shows in dazzling 4K, will now cost $24.99 instead of $22.99.
These new prices are set to kick in with your next billing cycle. Canadians, Portuguese, and Argentinians aren’t dodging the bullet either—Netflix is spreading the pain globally.
Netflix skipped a price hike in 2024, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been resting on their laurels. The company reported 16% revenue growth last year, adding 19 million new subscribers in just the last quarter to surpass 300 million total memberships. They’ve also expanded into live events, covering everything from the Logan Paul-Mike Tyson fight to WWE Raw and a couple of Christmas Day football games.
And if you’ve been borrowing someone else’s account, don’t get too comfy. Netflix is ramping up its efforts to end password sharing, a move that’s already sparked some grumbling online.
This increase comes as Disney+ and Hulu also raise their prices. With the costs of original content piling up and an increasing number of platforms competing for attention, streaming isn’t the budget-friendly escape it used to be. It’s no wonder some people are turning back to piracy.
The question now is whether Netflix’s content lineup justifies the extra dollars. Sure, their originals like Stranger Things and The Crown are top-notch, but with prices creeping higher every year, more subscribers may start reconsidering. Are a few binge-worthy series worth the cost of yet another monthly expense?
As the bills rise, many of us are left balancing FOMO against our budgets. Streaming might still be cheaper than cable, but at this rate, it’s starting to feel like a toss-up.
[Via BB]