Many American Netflix users will need to pay $1 extra for a subscription, the company announced Thursday, as the streaming giant deals with slowing U.S. growth after an explosion in new subscribers at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h4>



A standard subscription now costs $14 a month rather than $13, and a premium plan (which allows users to stream content on more devices simultaneously) jumped from $16 to $18, though the company’s $9 basic standard-definition plan remains unchanged.



The price hikes will take effect immediately for new subscribers, and existing users will see their monthly bills increase over the next two months, with a warning 30 days ahead of time, a Netflix spokesperson told&nbsp;Forbes.



The company said it is raising prices to underwrite an expansion in original movies and shows.



Netflix last hiked its U.S. prices in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/netflix-raising-cost-to-13-a-month-its-biggest-hike-ever-2019-01-15" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">January of 2019</a>, boosting the cost of a standard plan from $11 to $13 per month.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h4>



73.08 million. That’s the total number of U.S. Netflix subscriptions as of last month, according to the company’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.netflixinvestor.com/financials/quarterly-earnings/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">third quarter</a>&nbsp;earnings report. Fewer than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2020/10/20/netflix-subscriber-growth-slows-after-surging-during-pandemic/?sh=690475e7244e">half</a>&nbsp;of all Netflix subscribers live in the United States, the result of rapid international growth.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



Netflix saw&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52376022" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">surging demand</a>&nbsp;earlier this year, after the coronavirus closed most movie theaters and sent bored, homebound customers in search for entertainment. Almost 26 million new people worldwide subscribed to Netflix in the first half of 2020, the largest growth spurt in Netflix’s history, and the company rushed to add new shows at a rapid clip. This expansion&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2020/10/20/netflix-subscriber-growth-slows-after-surging-during-pandemic/?sh=690475e7244e">stalled</a>&nbsp;between July and September, when the company added just 2.2 million new subscribers, and Netflix expects growth to remain more modest for the next few months.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h4>



Netflix faces stiff competition from smaller streaming services, including longstanding rivals like Disney’s Hulu and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vulture.com/2019/11/new-streaming-services-2019-2020.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">newer services</a>&nbsp;like Disney+ and NBCUniversal’s Peacock. Most of these services&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thestreet.com/lifestyle/best-streaming-services-cost-15166523" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">charge</a>&nbsp;less than $10 per month, making Netflix a pricey option in a crowded market. Still,&nbsp;<a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2020/q3/Netflix,-Inc.,-Q3-2020-Earnings-Call,-Oct-20,-2020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netflix executives believe</a>&nbsp;price increases will not slow their growth as long as the company continues adding enough new shows to justify the cost of a subscription.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h4>



“We understand people have more entertainment choices than ever and we’re committed to delivering an even better experience for our members,” Netflix spokesperson Katy Dormer told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;in an email. “We’re updating our prices so that we can continue to offer more variety of TV shows and films.”



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h4>



<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/29/21540346/netflix-price-increase-united-states-standard-premium-content-product-features" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netflix is raising the price of its most popular plan to $14 today, premium tier increasing to $18 (The Verge)</a>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2020/10/20/netflix-subscriber-growth-slows-after-surging-during-pandemic/?sh=690475e7244e">Netflix Subscriber Growth Slows After Surging During Pandemic (Forbes)</a>



-By Joe Walsh, Forbes Staff

Stay at home and watch TV

Netflix Just Raised The Price Of A Monthly Subscription

Freeing yourself from the shackles of cable or satellite television is easier to do than you might think, especially if you have a smart or connected television.



Smart TVs have integrated internet and interactive features that allow users to stream music and videos, browse the Web and view photos. Almost every new high-end television sold within the last two years or so has smart capabilities. So how do you choose?



If you want to take advantage of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and more, then look at these television sets.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">LG C9 OLED 65-inch TV</h5>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/LG-OLED65C9PUA-Alexa-Built-Ultra/dp/B07NHQ4CXM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?keywords=LG+C9+OLED+TV&amp;qid=1565546440&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-3&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=cutthecordsmarttvstreaming-08152019-20&amp;linkId=aa886d51d6399711e8a35fe2afe3beed&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5d50719395808800097c5cd7/960x0.jpg?fit=scale" alt="Best smart TVs"/></a><figcaption>On the streaming front, it provides a single place to browse and search for TV shows and movies from apps like Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, ESPN, PlayStation Vue, and more.&nbsp;LG</figcaption></figure>



In addition to a beautiful, detailed picture and a big soundstage, this 4K OLED sports cutting-edge connectivity, including an HDMI 2.1, and a comprehensive feature set including both Google Home and Amazon Alexa built in. It also comes with Home Dashboard, a new tool that turns the set into the central control hub of all your connected home devices—from doorbell cameras to smart thermostats to appliances like a washing machine or a stove.



On the streaming front, it provides a single place to browse and search for TV shows and movies from sites such as Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, ESPN, PlayStation Vue, and more. It also lets users rent, purchase and watch TV shows and movies from Apple’s iTunes store.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">Vizio 55-inch M-Series Quantum</h5>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=zmNbNw6aNM4&amp;mid=38606&amp;u1=RoundupTech08/15/19cutthecordsmarttvstreaming-08152019cchen&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Fvizio-55-class-led-m-series-quantum-series-2160p-smart-4k-uhd-tv-with-hdr%2F6345457.p%3FskuId%3D6345457%26ref%3D199%26loc%3DzmNbNw6aNM4%26acampID%3D1%26siteID%3DzmNbNw6aNM4-t_6aE3Eji_LzL2sxJHH3Ng" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5d5071df95808800097c5cdc/960x0.jpg?cropX1=13&amp;cropX2=989&amp;cropY1=47&amp;cropY2=929" alt="Best smart tVs"/></a><figcaption>This Vizio is equipped with updated SmartCast 3.0 software includes support for Apple AirPlay2 and HomeKit, making it just as suitable for iOS users.&nbsp;VIZIO</figcaption></figure>



At under $700, the 55-inch M-Series Quantum offers a serious value in the smart TV arena. Not only does it deliver an excellent picture and sound, but it is also equipped with updated SmartCast 3.0 software, which includes support for Apple AirPlay2 and HomeKit (making it just as suitable for iOS users).



The update also has a more vibrant selection of locally installed apps, including Netflix, Amazon Video, Hulu and Vudu. Thanks to a partnership with PlutoTV, the Vizio also offers a dedicated streaming channel called WatchFree, which gives you a TV-watching experience with more than 100 free channels, including sports, news, cartoons, and movies. You can also pair the set with an Amazon Echo device for voice control with Alexa.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">Sony Master Series 65-inch A9F OLED TV</h5>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sony-XBR-65A9G-65-Inch-Compatibility/dp/B07NZZLDP9/ref=as_li_ss_tl?&amp;hvadid=343238550635&amp;hvpos=1o3&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=4588381566464625451&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9003563&amp;hvtargid=pla-752561636617&amp;psc=1&amp;tag=&amp;ref=&amp;adgrpid=68750230963&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvadid=343238550635&amp;hvpos=1o3&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=4588381566464625451&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9003563&amp;hvtargid=pla-752561636617&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=cutthecordsmarttvstreaming-08152019-20&amp;linkId=7ed636dab291147c2da265d0fc137238&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5d50727f2dedcb0008dfa3d1/960x0.jpg?cropX1=148&amp;cropX2=1350&amp;cropY1=23&amp;cropY2=896" alt="Best Smart TVs"/></a><figcaption>This 65-incher also comes with Google Assistant capability, which lets you search for content, find online information, use online services and even control smart-home devices.SONY</figcaption></figure>



If money is no object and you want a TV with loads of features, an incredible picture and terrific sound, go with the Sony A9G. The A9F is one of the first Sony Android TVs to ship with the newest version of its smart OS. The most notable names in video are preloaded, including Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies &amp; TV, Hulu, Netflix, Sling TV,and YouTube. For music, Google Play Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, Spotify, Tidal and a slew of internet radio stations.



This Sony 65-incher also comes with Google Assistant, which lets you search for content, find online information, use online services and even control smart-home devices.&nbsp;



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">TCL 43S517 Roku Smart 4K TV</h5>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/TCL-55S517-55-Inch-Ultra-Smart/dp/B07987KQBN/ref=as_li_ss_tl?gclid=Cj0KCQjw-b7qBRDPARIsADVbUbVOkgCKWPbC_2HSd_-TBUDlfqlxdGzaWD-Fh0D3-_0iWHzpMM6ryKoaArVQEALw_wcB&amp;hvadid=313745290538&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvlocphy=9003562&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvpos=1t2&amp;hvqmt=e&amp;hvrand=12225962527380253502&amp;hvtargid=aud-647846986441:kwd-628492135647&amp;hydadcr=14447_9722852&amp;keywords=tcl+43s517+roku+smart+4k+tv&amp;qid=1565549486&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-1-spons&amp;psc=1&amp;spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzNDZaUkxYSVNNV0dQJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjM3MzM4MkpUU1g1OFBBTlRYOSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjAxMzM3MjZLUFFOTjZSV05ZSCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=cutthecordsmarttvstreaming-08152019-20&amp;linkId=26c05f696d9978eab08e59bbcaff3cad&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5d5072df95808800097c5cdf/0x800.jpg?cropX1=0&amp;cropX2=1480&amp;cropY1=8&amp;cropY2=1491" alt="Best smart TVs"/></a><figcaption>The Roku TV interface is uncluttered and easy to navigate, with big square tiles for all your apps and streaming services, including Netflix and Hulu.&nbsp;TCL</figcaption></figure>



Great things can come in packages costing less than $400. Not only will you get a terrific picture, robust sound and a slew of genuinely exciting features, this TCL 43-inch model sports Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby Atmos audio support and integrated Roku voice search.



The Roku TV interface is uncluttered and easy to navigate, with big square tiles for all of your apps and streaming services, including Netflix and Hulu. There are also apps for major broadcasters, major sports leagues, and premium channels such as HBO and Showtime. Of particular interest to cord-cutters will be support for Sling TV, which provides a cable-like experience without the expense of a cable subscription.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">Insignia 43-Inch 4K Fire TV Edition</h5>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=zmNbNw6aNM4&amp;mid=38606&amp;u1=RoundupTech08/15/19cutthecordsmarttvstreaming-08152019cchen&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Finsignia-43-class-led-2160p-smart-4k-uhd-tv-with-hdr-fire-tv-edition%2F6245701.p%3FskuId%3D6245701%26ref%3D212%26loc%3D1%26ds_rl%3D1266837%26ds_rl%3D1268709%26ds_rl%3D1260573%26ds_rl%3D1266837%26gclid%3DCj0KCQjw-b7qBRDPARIsADVbUbV7bMLVMw-rSyeLKpo6JgTvHhcc0GZ4_N9J391M3RwFb8TR0nctRNAaArCUEALw_wcB%26gclsrc%3Daw.ds%26ref%3D199%26loc%3DzmNbNw6aNM4%26acampID%3D1%26siteID%3DzmNbNw6aNM4-uQLr4zY38w2Wu7x67yOZoQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5d5073652dedcb0008dfa3d4/960x0.jpg?fit=scale" alt="Best Smart TVs"/></a><figcaption>This under $300 43-incher offers most of the apps you’d expect, like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go and HBO Now, as well as Amazon Prime Video.&nbsp;INSIGNIA</figcaption></figure>



Amazon finally seems to have a Fire TV that can compete with the Roku-powered smart sets. This 4K television with HDR support is packed with features for the Amazon faithful, with Alexa voice interaction built-in, Amazon&#8217;s huge selection of Fire TV apps, and a smart TV experience that puts Prime Video centerstage. &nbsp;



This 43-incher costs less than $300 and offers most of the streaming apps you would expect, such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go and HBO Now, as well as Amazon Prime Video. Plus, Fire TV will soon get an official YouTube app packed with services such as YouTube Kids, YouTube Music and (most critical for cord-cutters) YouTube TV.



-Chuck Tannert, Forbes

Male hand holding TV remote control.

How To Cut The Cord: The Top Smart TVs For Streaming 2019

Hulu is poised to enter a new chapter in its history as the decade-old streaming service once dismissed as &#8220;Clown Co.&#8221; moves to refine its identity among a trio of direct-to-consumer services under the control of the Walt Disney Co.



The streaming service offered a glimpse of what&#8217;s to come Wednesday as it announced its programming lineup in a presentation at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Hulu is looking for more adult—and, in some cases, edgier and boundary-pushing—programming, as well as comedies that have something to say, in the mold of its new series&nbsp;Shrill.



The company said its viewer proposition—the ability to watch the stories they love, whenever and wherever they want—is catching on with consumers. Hulu said it increased its total customer base to more than 28 million—26.8 million monthly subscribers and 1.3 million promotional accounts. That&#8217;s up from 25 million paid and promotional accounts reported in January.



Hulu&#8217;s viewers are 20 years younger than those who pay for cable or satellite TV subscriptions — the median age is 31; and some 21 million have either canceled their pay TV subscriptions or never signed up in the first place.



“Hulu’s continued growth, as well as the shows and initiatives announced today, reflect our deep investment in product, programming, brand, customer experience,” CEO Randy Freer said in a statement.



The venerable Hulu will need to differentiate itself as more than a mere cable substitute, as media giants like AT&amp;T&#8217;s WarnerMedia and cable giant Comcast prepare to launch their own streaming services. It&#8217;ll also need a distinct identity within Disney, which gained a controlling interest in the streaming service with its March acquisition of 21st Century Fox and plans to launch a family-focused Disney+ in November.



Hulu called in some serious star-power to highlight its original series, including Margot Robbie, producer of the forthcoming series&nbsp;Dollfacestarring Kat Dennings, Mindy Kaling, who&#8217;s producing an adaptation of&nbsp;Four Weddings and a Funeral,&nbsp;and George Clooney, who stars in a dark, satirical comedy based on Joseph Heller&#8217;s novel,&nbsp;Catch-22.



The streaming service greenlighted&nbsp;Nine Perfect Strangers,&nbsp;starring Nicole Kidman, an adaptation of the&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;bestseller from&nbsp;Big Little Lies&nbsp;author Liane Moriarty. The series, from acclaimed television writer and producer David E. Kelley and John Henry Butterworth, takes place at a boutique health-and-wellness resort that promises healing and transformation to nine stressed city dwellers.



Hulu is also benefiting from Disney&#8217;s decision to end its relationship with Netflix, which had created four well-received series based on Marvel characters.



Hulu will add two new live-action series drawn from the Marvel universe,&nbsp;Marvel&#8217;s Ghost Rider&nbsp;and&nbsp;Marvel&#8217;s Helstrom,&nbsp;whichare slated to debut in 2020. For those not versed in the canon: Ghost Rider (aka Robbie Reyes) is an antihero, consumed by hellfire and supernaturally bound to a demon. Meanwhile, Daimon and Ana Helstrom are the son and daughter of a mysterious and powerful serial killer. Together, the siblings track down the worst of humanity.



The series join a growing superhero roster on Hulu that includes&nbsp;Marvel’s Runaways,&nbsp;which is entering its third season, and previously announcedadult animated series based on the popular Marvel Television characters Hit-Monkey, Tigra and Dazzler, Howard the Duck and Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing (or MODOK).



Following the success of Hulu’s 2019 comedy slate, it ordered second seasons of&nbsp;Pen15,&nbsp;in whichMaya Erskine and Anna Konkle play versions of themselves as 13-year-old outcasts in the year 2000, and&nbsp;Ramy, a series that follows first-generation Egyptian-American Ramy Hassan on a spiritual journey in his politically divided New Jersey neighborhood.



Hulu confirmed its order for&nbsp;The Dropout, a limited series starring Kate McKinnon, who comically bow-leg walked on stage in heels to talk about her portrayal of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of the blood-testing company Theranos who is now awaiting trial for fraud.



&#8220;Hello advertisers,&#8221; McKinnon deadpanned. &#8220;I have never been to an Upfront before. If you need the blood of an upfront virgin, I am your gal.&#8221;



The service also said it will partner with Vox Media Studios, David Chang’s Majordomo Media and Chrissy Teigen’s Suit &amp; Thai Productions to develop and produce a slate of premium food-centric programming for Hulu.



&#8211;Dawn Chmielewski; Forbes Staff

Tag: Hulu

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

Netflix Just Raised The Price Of A Monthly Subscription

How To Cut The Cord: The Top Smart TVs For Streaming 2019

Hulu Offers Glimpse Of An Edgier Future Under Disney’s Control As Subscriber Count Passes 28 Million