Here's How Much A Netflix Subscription Cost In 2016 Vs. 2026

Netflix started its business by mailing DVDs to homes long before it launched its streaming service in 2007. It wasn't until January 2016, however, that Netflix went live in 130 countries. That was a decade ago, and a lot has changed since then, both in the streaming and TV/movie landscapes in general, as well as for Netflix. Any subscriber knows that cost increases have become a recurring theme every two years, sometimes more frequently. They're one of the biggest Netflix user complaints.

The latest came in March 2026, marking the second price hike in a year, bringing the cost of the ad-supported plan up to $8.99 per month, an increase of $1 from $7.99 per month. The standard plan without ads rose from $17.99 per month to $19.99 per month and the premium plan from $24.99 monthly to $26.99. This quickly adds up, especially considering how much the price has risen over the years. But it's still much cheaper than a standard cable or satellite TV subscription. That said, it's also a significant rise from what Netflix cost a decade ago, even when you take inflation into consideration.

In 2016, when Netflix's monthly cost went up from $7.99 to $9.99, it was such a big deal that Netflix gave subscribers a two-year warning that the increase was coming. It wasn't that tough a pill to swallow since Netflix was already pretty cheap. By then, the company had launched massively successful original shows that justified the price hike. "Stranger Things" launched in 2016, while shows like "Narcos," "Daredevil," "Sense8," and "Grace and Frankie" all came out in 2015.

Plus, pricing included HD access, which previously cost subscribers $8.99 per month anyway. Meanwhile, it became $11.99 per month for those who wanted to enjoy up to four simultaneous HD streams and access what was back then a limited number of 4K titles. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation calculations, the base price of $9.99 would equate to $14.13 today, the higher end $11.99 plan equivalent to about $16.95.

That means subscribers are paying a few dollars per month above what inflation would dictate the cost should be. There's no arguing that you get a lot more now with a Premium subscription than back in 2016, which justifies paying more than standard inflation. What's more, the ad-supported plan launched in November 2022 as a significantly cheaper alternative, even if the concept negates one big advantage of streaming in the first place.

After the 2016 price hike, the price rose another $1 in 2017, though existing subscribers had a grace period before they had to start forking over more. By 2019, Netflix switched to a tiered approach with Basic, Standard, and Premium plans. Basic went up another dollar, and Standard and Premium $2. In 2020, Standard and Premium rose by $1 and $2, respectively. Then 2022 saw more increases: Basic was up by $1, Standard by $1.50, and Premium by another $2.

To soften the blow, Netflix launched Basic with Ads for $6.99 in 2022, but removed the Basic (without ads) plan a year later. In 2023, it introduced its biggest price hikes yet, with Basic going up by $2 and Premium by $3. The next bump came in January 2025, with Standard with ads rising another $1, Standard jumping by $2.50, and Premium increasing by $2. The last to date was the aforementioned March 2026 price hikes.

This 100% change from 2016 to today, $9.99 to $19.99 for Standard, represents textbook quiet inflation through incremental price hikes over the last decade. Netflix had promised big changes in 2026 to justify it, including investing heavily in content and revamping its mobile app. The deal to buy Warner Bros. fell through, however, with Netflix backing out after an intense bidding war with Paramount. So, the value proposition remains in flux. Whatever the case, you can expect pricing to continue to increase not only in line with inflation, but also probably exceeding it.