Netflix offers individual and family subscription plans with different video quality for U.S. subscribers who want to gain access to the service’s extensive library of TV shows, films, and original productions.
Netflix offers three video streaming plans, including plans that allow subscribers to stream TV shows and films on more than one screen at a time.
Your options start with basic plans as low as $8.99 per month and premium plans for as much as $15.99.
Regardless of the plan you chose, you can install the Netflix app on as many devices as you want.
U.S. subscribers can also rent or order DVDs and Blu-rays by mail. The cost of Netflix’s disc rental services starts as low as $7.99 per month and goes as high as $14.99 per month.
We have put together a comprehensive guide on Netflix plans and charges.
You will find this guide useful if you are a current subscriber considering whether to change or upgrade your plan and want to know the available options.
You will also find this guide useful if you are a prospective subscriber who wants to know about the available plans, the cost, and which plan is best for you.
Netflix subscription plans
Netflix offers three subscription plans for subscribers in the U.S. The plans are Basic, Standard, and Premium.
Basic
Netflix’s Basic plan costs $8.99 per month and offers limited features compared with the other plans.
If you subscribe to the Basic plan, you can only stream on one screen or device at a time. The basic plan is ideal for individual subscribers who don’t plan to share their subscription with friends or family members.
The Basic plan offers a standard definition (SD) video quality.
Standard
Netflix’s Standard plan costs $12.99 per month. The plan offers features improving on the Basic plan.
Subscribers are allowed to stream on only two screens or devices at the same time. The plan offers a high definition (HD) resolution.
The Standard plan is ideal for subscribers who want to share their plans with one partner or a friend.
Premium
This is Netflix’s flagship subscription option that costs $15.99 per month.
Subscribers can stream TV shows and movies on four screens or devices at the same time. The ability to stream on four devices at once makes the Premium plan ideal for families.
Premium service subscribers can also download TV shows and movies to four phones or tablets.
The Premium subscription plan offers high-definition (HD) and 4K Ultra High definition (UHD) resolution (when it is available).
DVD and Blu-ray
U.S. subscribers can also rent or order DVDs and Blu-ray by mail. However, only a few subscribers continue to use this service today after Netflix introduced its streaming service in 2007.
Older subscribers will recall that Netflix’s original business model in the late ’90s and early 2000s was DVD and Blu-ray rental services.
The company went through a dramatic expansion and became a global video streaming giant after it introduced its subscription-based online streaming service, which offers access to a huge library of films, original productions, and TV shows.
Standard DVD and Blu-ray rental plans
Netflix charges $7.99 per month for the Standard DVD plan and $9.99 for Blu-ray.
The monthly plans allow subscribers to borrow as many discs as they want in a month, but you can only borrow one disc at a time.
Premium DVD and Blu-ray plans
Netflix’s Premium DVD plan costs $11.99 per month, while the Blu-ray plan costs $14.99.
Subscribers are allowed to borrow two discs at once; otherwise, they can borrow as many discs per month as they want.
Which plan is best for you?
The plan that is best for you depends on your exact needs. If you must see your TV shows in HD then the Basic plan is not for you because it only offers SD.
While the Premium plan offers HD and Ultra HD, remember that ultra HD is offered only when it is available.
However, it requires good eyesight to distinguish between HD and Ultra HD. Even people with very good eyesight often find it difficult to distinguish between both resolutions except when they are viewing movies on a large screen.
Generally, you need a 4k UHD TV with a large screen to get the best out of Ultra HD resolution.
The Standard plan will probably be good enough for you if you want to watch your movies and TV shows in HD, but you do not share the subscription with other people.
However, if you have a large family with multiple TVs, multiple mobile devices, or multiple laptops in your house, you would likely want to subscribe to the Premium service.
How do I change my plan