Which Netflix Plan Is Right For You? 11 Things You Need to Know

Netflix has made several changes to its streaming platform over the years. Some of those changes have made Netflix a little less desirable, especially if you're trying to get ahead financially.

Netflix recently announced further changes to its pricing structure, in addition to other changes earlier this year to how users interact with the service.

So what's going on with the new policies? Here's what you need to know if you're considering signing up for Netflix or are looking to change your plan.

You may not be sure about subscribing to Netflix and want to have a test run with a free trial. Unfortunately, you can't do that with Netflix anymore. The streaming service used to offer free trials, but that hasn't been an option in years.

The good news is that you don't need to sign a contract with Netflix, so you can try it out for a month and cancel without penalty if you don't like it.

It can be hard to save money if you're paying for more than one streaming service each month, but Netflix gives you an affordable option.

Check out the company's Standard with Ads plan, which allows you to watch Netflix on two supported devices at a time for only $6.99 per month.

However, as the name implies, it is an ad-supported plan, so you'll have to endure advertisements sprinkled throughout your favorite shows and movies.

You can skip ads if you want, but it will cost you $15.49 per month.

The ad-free version of Netflix is more than double the cost of the advertisement version, but you can watch anything on the streaming service without interruption. That could be an important factor if you subscribe to streaming services to avoid ads.

One of the fun things about Netflix was that you could share the account's password with plenty of people — or have someone share their password with you. Maybe you used your parents' password at college or tossed a few bucks to a friend for their password.

However, Netflix started cracking down on the practice earlier this year. Now, you'll need to pay extra to share an account with someone else.

One of the great things about Netflix is that it was a pioneer in streaming and had plenty of content to help users find what they wanted.

But more streaming competition means the movies and shows you wanted to watch could be on a different streaming service now.

Different services also have different original content, so think about the new shows you want to watch that might be on other services.

Netflix doesn't hesitate to cancel shows that aren't pulling in new subscribers. You could get attached to an original show and have it canceled even though it ended on a cliffhanger.

One way to combat this problem may be only to get Netflix when you know a show has finished its run and won't have to worry about it getting canceled too soon.

Netflix started as a company that sent DVDs in the mail before it became a streaming service. However, the company shuttered its DVD program in October 2023, and the last remaining DVDs were returned to Netflix.

That may be a turn-off for potential subscribers who would've liked to have more access to non-streaming media as part of their Netflix subscription. Many DVD fans also enjoyed the better selection of movies found on discs.

You may have purchased an extra-big television to watch blockbusters or sports in Ultra HD.

The good news is that you can stream Ultra HD content with your Netflix subscription, so you can enjoy streaming plenty of action movies and thrillers.

The downside, however, is you'll have to get a Premium Netflix subscription to take full advantage of Ultra HD, which means you'll need to pay $22.99 a month for the service.

You may be surprised to find that while Netflix is competitive with other streaming services, it could cost you more per month, depending on what you want.

The ad-free version of Disney+, for example, is $13.99, which is $1.50 less than Netflix's standard ad-free version. The ad-free version of Paramount+ also includes Showtime for $11.99. Apple TV+'s ad-free version is set at only $9.99.

You may be an existing Netflix customer who might think the current prices don't sound right. After all, you have the ad-free Basic plan for $9.99 a month.

Unfortunately, Netflix doesn't offer that option to new customers or returning customers, keeping it only for customers who already have that plan.

Be careful if you're still using this basic plan. You can still receive it now, but any changes you make to your current plan will likely mean you can't switch back to Basic.

One of the big reasons some viewers still won't cut the cord is because they want access to live sports.

Netflix might be cheaper than cable or a live streaming service like Hulu Live or YouTubeTV, but the service is only starting to offer live sports, with a tennis match. Whether or not they will continue to add more live sports is still in the air.

Netflix can be a good alternative to live streaming stations or cable, but it can also cost you extra money if you're not aware of the different plans.

You can also review the top cash back credit cards and see which offer earning rewards for Netflix or streaming services to lower your monthly costs.