Netflix Splits Plans – New Streaming Only, DVD Only Plans and Price Raise

I knew Netflix could only offer streaming and DVD rentals for so cheap for so long. Streaming is cool and all, but if you really want to watch something new you have to get it on DVD through the mail. This makes streaming supplemental to DVDs, even though it’s at your fingertips to consume as much as you possibly can. Interestingly enough, this is not how Netflix saw it. Instead they looked at it from the opposite end, with streaming being the foremost service in the plans, and DVDs as an add-on. They didn’t anticipate that people would still use DVDs as much as the had before, as well as take advantage of streaming.

No more DVDs and streaming in one plan. If you want both, you’ll have to get both services. Currently they’re pricing unlimited streaming at $7.99 and 1 out unlimited DVDs at $7.99 with an option for 2 out at $11.99, 3 out for $15.99. For new members this pricing scheme has started immediately. For existing members after September 1 your plans will be automatically switched over at a cost of a streaming only plan plus an equivalent DVD only plan. In the end what this means is a price hike. Why does this make me mad? At the beginning of the year they raised my current 3 out plan from $16.99 to $19.99. Why? Because of streaming. Now I’m going to be paying $23.98 for the same plan! I imagine it’s necessary for their bottom-line, but it still stinks for the consumer. I’m going to switch down to the 1 out plus streaming plan in September. Will you let your plan ride over to the higher price or switch?

(Have to ask, is anyone crazy enough to do the 8 out DVDs plus streaming at $51.98/month?)

New Plans are
Streaming Only:
$7.99 – Unlimited

DVD Only: http://DVD.netflix.com
$7.99 – 1 Out Unlimited
$11.99 – 2 Out Unlimited
$15.99 – 3 Out Unlimited
$21.99 – 4 Out Unlimited
$27.99 – 5 Out Unlimited
$32.99 – 6 Out Unlimited
$37.99 – 7 Out Unlimited
$43.99 – 8 Out Unlimited

DVD + Streaming Combination:
$15.98 – 1 Out Unlimited DVDs + Unlimited Streaming
$19.98 – 2 Out Unlimited DVDs + Unlimited Streaming
$23.98 – 3 Out Unlimited DVDs + Unlimited Streaming
$29.98 – 4 Out Unlimited DVDs + Unlimited Streaming
$35.98 – 5 Out Unlimited DVDs + Unlimited Streaming
$40.98 – 6 Out Unlimited DVDs + Unlimited Streaming
$45.98 – 7 Out Unlimited DVDs + Unlimited Streaming
$51.98 – 8 Out Unlimited DVDs + Unlimited Streaming