“Netflix Standard vs Premium”: Best upper-tier subscription for you?

Watching movies started in theaters and then gradually moved to Video cassettes, LDs, CDs, DVDs, and finally to Streaming Platforms. With more than one streaming service available it becomes difficult to choose which one to subscribe to.

While the users were engaged in choosing the right platform, Netflix made it more difficult by adding 3 different subscription models. This guide attempts to clear all the doubts concerning different subscription models by Netflix to help you choose the best plan for you.

What Plans Does Netflix Subscription Offer?

There was only one plan for everyone when Netflix first started. But as the streaming service gained popularity—from 140 million paying users in 2019 to about 209 million worldwide in 2021—and its subscriber counts skyrocketed during the pandemic in 2020, the streaming platform decided to introduce different plans. Currently, there are three plans one can opt for – Standard With Ads, Standard, and Premium, with the first plan being the cheapest.

Netflix Plans Explained

1)   Netflix Standard With Ads

The most economical Netflix plan is the Netflix Standard With Ads plan at just $7 per month. This plan gives you 90% access to Netflix’s content. You can stream thousands of movies and series on their devices with Full HD quality (1,920 x 1,080 pixels). You might miss the 4K Ultra HD resolution (3,840 x 2,160) which is almost double that of Full HD, but it is sufficient for many viewers.

While you can still have more than two user profiles on a single account, Standard With Ads allows you to download to two devices and stream on two displays simultaneously. Since Netflix’s password-sharing crackdown, you are unable to add people who do not live with you or share your account with those who do not live in your Netflix Household.

2)   Netflix Standard Plan

If ads irate you (just like me) then you would have to shelve $15.49 per month for the Netflix Standard Plan. This is the most commonly purchased plan by Netflix customers. The video quality is the same as the previous one where you can watch 720p for some titles and 1080p for the remaining ones.

Additionally, you can download to two devices and broadcast on two screens simultaneously. You can only add one additional person to your account with the Standard plan for $8 per month on top of your monthly charge of $15.49.

Read Also: Netflix Black Screen on Windows 10: Best Methods To Fix

3)   Netflix Premium Plan

The most expensive of all Netflix plans is the Premium plan for $23 per month. The primary attraction here is Ultra HD streaming, which allows you to view all of Netflix’s 4K-ready material as intended thanks to HDR graphics and Spatial Audio surround sound. Make sure you have devices that can play the resolution of the plan you’re looking for because, of course, this will be somewhat wasted if you don’t have a 4K TV or 4K monitor.

Regardless of whether you can stream in 4K or not, this plan is ideal for large families because it lets you download to six devices and stream to a total of four screens at once. You can add two more users to your Premium plan at $8 per month per member.

Which Netflix Plan To Choose?

The choice is always yours to make but you can make your decision with a few pointers listed below. These points help narrow down your choices and make it easy to make the decision

Editor’s Note – All Netflix plans are monthly subscriptions which means you can change your plan every month if you are not happy with the choice you made this month.

Tolerate Ads – If you don’t mind ads flashing in the middle of your streaming session and do not have much to do about quality with a small family then choose Standard Plan with ads. However, if you can’t stand ads, then the cheapest Netflix plan is not for you.

Quality Concern – If you have devices that can display 4K content and do not want to compromise on the quality of streaming then you do not have a choice but to opt for the Premium plan for $23 per month.

Large Family – People with a large family under one household can also opt for the Netflix Premium plan as it allows 4 users to watch simultaneously at one time and add two more members for $8 each per month. It is economical if all the members watch Netflix at the same time with no compromise on quality as well as access to 100% content.

Specific Shows – If you want to watch specific content that is not available in the Standard Plan with ads, then you will have to purchase any of the other two remaining plans.

Read Also: How to Download Netflix Movies on Mac

How to Change Your Netflix Plan?

Changing your Netflix plan is simple, as Netflix operates on a monthly subscription model. If you want to upgrade or downgrade your plan, you can make the change from one month to the next.

Follow these steps when you’re signed into your account:

1. Go to Plan Details
2. Select Change Plan
3. Choose the new plan you want
4. Click Continue or Update
5. Confirm your change by selecting Confirm Change or Confirm

If you upgrade to a higher plan, the change takes effect immediately, and your billing date will adjust based on the new plan and the remaining balance. You’ll get access to the new features right away.

If you’re downgrading, the change will be applied at the start of your next billing cycle, but you can continue using all the features of your current plan until then.

Summary Of Differences Between The Netflix Plans.

FAQs

Can I watch Netflix for free?
Not exactly. Netflix no longer provides free trials. However, it may be offered as part of certain bundles, like mobile phone contracts, where the included version is typically the Standard plan with ads.

Does Netflix offer an annual plan?
No, Netflix doesn’t have an annual subscription option. Unlike some competitors, all of Netflix’s plans are available on a monthly basis only.

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