Netflix price increase: is it worth the subscription?

Other streaming services like HBO and Hulu might be better

The billion dollar TV show and movie streaming network, Netflix, has announced that it will raise the bill of its service to $13.99 a month, depending on the plan, which leaves consumers asking the question: is it worth it?

In 2015, the price of the standard plan was upped to $9.99, which enabled a subscriber to watch on two separate screens at a time. Now, over the next few months, the company will transition the price up once again, bumping the standard plan up to $11.99 while the premium plan, which allows users to watch on four devices different at once, will go up to $13.99. In an age of cord cutting and the growth of streaming in almost all of our media, from sports to TV shows, millennials especially have moved away from the standard cable box. However, with all the options, will the price of Netflix drive others to more affordable options?

“No I don’t think it will,” said Andrew Weber, who is currently a junior and going for a degree in teaching. “I think it is the best streaming service for college students because its accessible and easy to use, along with how many options it gives as far as shows and movies.”

While the shows that Netflix produces specific ally for the site offer a draw, that could be part of their problem as well, with shows like “Bloodline” and “The Get Down” costing the company billions to produce. However, some see it as a worthwhile cost to continue to see them make great shows.

“I like the shows they make themselves because of the variety it offers,” said Weber. “I don’t think it will deter college students because the price increase just gives them a bigger budget to continually expand the diversity of the shows they can produce.”

However, not everyone is as enamored with the price increase or the shows. With the amount of different services that offer wide variety in in the streaming market, Netflix is not the go-to for all.

“It has some good shows seems, but mostly seems to make shows just to make them without quality control,” said Malachi Moser, a student going for a law enforcement degree. “My roommates have Netflix, but use my HBO more than Netflix. HBO has higher quality shows at a cheaper cost. If other college students asked me, I would say find something other than Netflix to find a service with more quality options.”

There are a lot of services to choose from, with HBO and Hulu both on the market as primary competitors. The primary question when considering a service comes down to what they offer. What shows will grab your interest and keep you satisfied? If Netflix, with its custom shows and wide range, is what you are looking for, the price will be worth it. But if you want something different with lower cost, HBO or others may be what you are looking for. As far as the Netflix bill, it seems that show preference (not cost) is still the defining factor.