Once a brand gains the trust and loyalty of its market, it is only logical that it attempts to flex its dominant muscle. Such is the tale that fits the recent price hike coming from the stable of Netflix. Having baited consumers into believing that streaming, and not cable subscription, is the right way to go, Netflix has now decided to drop its own form of a bombshell on consumers in the form of price increment. The news, which was announced earlier this year, detailed that Netflix would be raising prices across all of its plans by 13 to 18 percent.
Netflix's most basic plan will now be $8.99 per month, up from $7.99, while its Standard plan with HD quality, the company's most popular offering, will increase from $10.99 to $12.99, the company says. Its Premium plan will rise to $15.99 from $13.99. Although this change is strictly aimed at new customers, existing customers, too, can expect to start bearing the effects over the next three months, Netflix says. The company plans to notify existing members by email, as well as within the Netflix app, 30 days before the new prices are applied.
Although we're yet to be informed whether this new pricing will encompass the use of verified coupon codes to get discounted subscription offers, and other eye-catching promotional deals or not, but while we await that news, it may be worth evaluating the other streaming options that are available on the market. In that regard, here are 11 of the most popular services, from the cheapest to the most expensive ones. So, do enjoy the post as we ride on!
CBS ALL Access
Provided most of your favorite shows are being broadcast on CBS, then this may be the best package for you. With this subscription plan, consumers get to enjoy access to top-quality original content, and 10,000 on-demand, along with an ability to catch up with live broadcasts at your own convenience.
- You can get the "Limited Commercial" monthly plan for as low as $5.99
- For a commercial-free monthly plan, you are only required to pay $9.99
Additional Bonus: Package comes with free 7-days trial
Hulu
You've probably heard so much about Hulu already, but for one reason or the other, you've never really subscribed to the plan. But with the latest price increase from Netflix, now may be the time to give Hulu a trial. Just the way you enjoy access to thousands of TV on Netflix, Hulu also presents you with a wealth of TV to choose from. And what's more? Hulu, a joint venture of Fox, NBCUniversal, and Disney, tends to have a larger collection of current-season TV shows compared to Netflix.
- The monthly plan comes for as low as $7.99
- The commercial-free monthly plan costs you $11.99
Super Exciting Bonus: A 30 days free trial period
Amazon Prime Video
If you're like me and you think the latest prices from Netflix are not so cool, then you should be trying out any of Amazon's subscription plans. One way to get an Amazon Prime Video plan is through the standalone membership plan, which requires you to make a monthly subscription payment of $8.99. Or you can sign up for Prime, which costs $12.99 a month, and which gets you all the benefits of a Prime membership, including access to Prime Video.
Super Exciting Bonus: A 30 days free trial period
Starz
Things can only get more exciting on Starz, trust me. Unlike other service providers, Starz doesn't require you to have a cable or satellite. In fact, you only need its app to watch original programs on the same day that the episodes air live (and sometimes even have early access to them). Furthermore, Starz is currently running a special package at the moment, where it presents new subscribers with an opportunity to pay as low as $5 per month for the first three months of subscribing to the plan.
- Its general monthly plan costs $8.99
Additional Bonus: Package comes with free 7-days trial
Sling TV
If you are an entertainment lover, please go, Sling! Although a subscription to Sling might appear expensive at first glance - costs $25/month - it is still a better deal than what you will get with Netflix, even with their latest price hike. A subscription to Sling gets you access to over live TV channels, including Disney Channel, ESPN, CNN, Food Network, and HGTV, without signing up for cable.
YouTube TV
Since its inception in 2017, YouTube TV has been a no-brainer for many cord-cutters. This plan, which offers 60 live TV networks and a monthly subscription that allows for six accounts per household, can also be customized so that you can get notifications whenever your favorite movie, event, or show is on. Although its $40/month and 5-days free trial period might seem like a costly deal at first, it's unlimited cloud storage for DVR actually makes it a good steal at that amount.
