Netflix Subscription Cost 2026: Every Plan and Catch

A Netflix subscription in the US costs $8.99 a month with ads, $19.99 for Standard and $26.99 for Premium. Those prices took effect in March 2026, the third increase in under three years. Adding someone outside your home costs another $7.99 or $9.99 a month.

The plan names do not tell you much. This guide shows what each tier actually unlocks (streams, resolution, downloads, ads, extra members), what you are paying for on the content side this fall, how Netflix compares with every other big service, and which plan makes sense for which kind of viewer.

Netflix plans and prices compared

The catches in the fine print

• "Most titles" on the ad plan. A small share of licensed films and series are not available with ads and show a lock icon. Netflix Originals are all there. If you mostly watch Netflix's own shows, you will rarely notice.
• 1080p is the ceiling below Premium. If you have a 4K TV, Standard still looks fine, but Dolby Vision, HDR10 and spatial audio are Premium-only. On a phone or a 1080p screen, Premium is wasted money.
• Extra members are not free sharing. An extra member gets their own account and password, can stream on one device at a time, and must live in the same country. The ad plan cannot add any.
• Household checks. Since May 2023 Netflix uses your TV's location to define your "household." A device that never connects to your home Wi-Fi gets asked to verify, then blocked. Travel is fine; a second home or a relative's TV is where the prompts start.
• Live sports run on every plan, including ads. Netflix's live NFL Christmas games and WWE Raw do not cost extra.

What your Netflix money buys this fall

Price only matters next to what you will watch. Here is what is on and coming up, as of early October 2026.

Netflix also streams WWE Raw weekly, has live MLB games this season, and has added video podcasts. Licensed titles still rotate out at the end of each month, so check the "Last chance to watch" row before you cancel. If you need ideas, our best TV shows on Netflix list and what to watch on Netflix guide are good starting points, and the secret Netflix category codes unlock genres the home screen hides.

Netflix price history

Over ten years, Standard has doubled from $9.99 to $19.99. Netflix has raised at least one plan almost every 12 to 18 months since 2019. A reasonable expectation is another rise in 2027; nothing is announced.

Netflix vs other streaming services

Here is how Netflix stacks up on price per feature. Prices are US monthly, checked October 2, 2026.

Two things stand out. Netflix's ad plan ties Peacock, Paramount+ Essential and Prime Video as the cheapest way into a major service, a dollar or more below Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max. But its ad-free price is now among the highest, and its 4K tier is the most expensive in the market. Apple TV includes 4K at $14.99, roughly half of Netflix Premium.

Ways to pay less for Netflix

• Phone and internet bundles. T-Mobile's higher-end plans include Netflix Standard with ads, Verizon sells a Netflix and HBO Max (with ads) perk at a discount, and Xfinity's StreamSaver package bundles Netflix with ads alongside Apple TV and Peacock. Carrier perk prices change often; check your plan's add-ons page before signing up direct.
• Pay with a gift card. Netflix gift cards are often discounted a few percent at warehouse clubs and during holiday sales. There is no Netflix annual plan, so gift cards are the closest thing to prepaying.
• Downgrade, do not cancel. Switching Premium to Standard with ads saves $18 a month and keeps your profiles and history. You can upgrade again the night a 4K show drops.
• Rotate. Netflix keeps your profiles, list and viewing history for 10 months after you cancel. Many viewers pay for one or two months around a big release (Stranger Things, Squid Game, the Christmas NFL games) and leave the rest of the year.
• Military and student: Netflix does not offer either discount in the US.

Yearly cost by plan, and the rotation maths

Because there is no annual discount, there is no break-even point to wait for. Every month you skip is pure savings.

What Reddit and forum users say about Netflix prices

These themes come up constantly on r/netflix and r/cordcutters.

The complaints:

• The password crackdown still stings. Three years on, it remains the top grievance. Families with college students, couples who live apart and people with a cabin TV describe getting verification prompts, and many say the $7.99 to $9.99 extra member fee pushed them to cancel or rotate.
• Price rises with no new features. Long-time subscribers point out Standard has doubled in ten years while the catalog of licensed films has shrunk.
• Ads creeping up. Ad-plan users report more ad breaks than in 2023 and complain that some titles are still locked.
• Shows cancelled after one or two seasons, which makes people wary of starting new series.

The praise:

• The ad plan is good value. At $8.99 with 1080p and downloads, many users call it the best deal in streaming.
• Live events. The NFL Christmas games and WWE Raw have pulled in viewers who say they would not have kept Netflix otherwise.
• Reliability. Netflix's apps, streaming quality and recommendations still get more praise than competitors'.

Our verdict

Comparing services before you pick? See our guides to HBO Max plans, Hulu prices, the Disney+ student discount and the Amazon Prime free trial. If you watch with friends in other cities, our watch Netflix together guide covers the options.

FAQs

How much is Netflix a month in 2026?

In the US, Standard with ads is $8.99, Standard is $19.99 and Premium is $26.99 a month, plus sales tax where it applies. Those prices have been in effect since March 2026.

Does Netflix have an annual plan?

No. Netflix only bills monthly in the US. You can prepay with gift cards, which are sometimes sold at a small discount.

How much does it cost to add someone to Netflix?

An extra member costs $7.99 a month on the ad-supported version or $9.99 a month ad-free. Standard allows one extra member and Premium allows two. The Standard with ads plan cannot add any.

Is there a Netflix free trial?

Not in the US. Netflix ended free trials there years ago. Some phone carriers include Netflix in their plans, which is the closest thing to a free Netflix subscription.

Which Netflix plan has 4K?

Only Premium, at $26.99 a month. It also adds HDR, spatial audio, four screens at once and downloads on six devices.

Can I watch everything on the Netflix ad plan?

Almost. A small number of licensed movies and shows are not available with ads and show a lock icon. All Netflix Originals and live events are included.

When did Netflix last raise prices?

March 2026. Standard with ads went from $7.99 to $8.99, Standard from $17.99 to $19.99 and Premium from $24.99 to $26.99. The previous rise was in January 2025.