Netflix has confirmed that it’s testing price increases for British customers. While officially the three-tier price options are £5.99, £7.99 and £9.99, users have reported seeing prices as high as £12.99.
A Netflix spokesperson confirmed the price fluctuations to Digital Spy, explaining that it’s part of a test to “ensure that Netflix is always great value for money.”
The question came after discussion on Digital Spy’s forum, where different users reported seeing different prices at different times – and even by switching web browsers. One user found three different price tiers in the space of two minutes by switching browsers and clearing cookies: £6.99/£9.99/£12.99, £5.99/£8.99/£11.99 and £5.99/£7.99/£9.99.
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Netflix raised prices in the USA back at the start of the year, which left UK subscribers fearing a similar raise might be coming. Netflix cooled speculation at the time though, stating that “price increases are specific to each country and the US increase does not influence or indicate a UK price change.”
Do these tests indicate the UK may be about to follow the US after all?
“We are testing slightly different prices to better understand how members value Netflix,” the spokesperson said. “Not everyone will see this test and we may never roll out these specific prices beyond this test.”
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A bit unfortunate for those that sign up in a test, but there we are. Interestingly, if the £12.99 per month price were to become a permanent part of Netflix’s pricing structure, it would mean that Netflix has finally become more expensive than the annual fee for a colour TV licence. While the latter costs £150.50 per year – or £12.54 per month – the top-level of Netflix would suddenly cost households £155.88 for a year’s access.
Are you seeing higher than normal prices on Netflix? Let us know on Twitter: @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
