Netflix Review: $7.99-$24.99/mo All 3 Tiers Tested

Netflix invented streaming entertainment as we know it. But in 2026, with a dozen competitors fighting for your attention and subscription dollars, the pioneer’s position is less secure than it once was. Prices have climbed, password sharing is history, and your favorite shows might be scattered across three different services.

We’ve maintained active Netflix subscriptions across all three tiers for the past six months, tracking content releases, testing streaming quality, and calculating the true cost of entertainment. Here’s our honest verdict on whether Netflix still deserves a place in your streaming budget.

Quick Verdict

Netflix remains the streaming service against which all others are measured. Its original content output dwarfs the competition, its recommendation engine is unmatched, and its technical reliability is industry-leading. But it’s no longer the obvious default choice it once was.

The ad-supported tier at $7.99/month offers genuine value for casual viewers. The Premium tier at $24.99/month is harder to justify unless you need 4K quality and multiple streams for a large household. The middle Standard tier at $17.99/month feels like an awkward compromise—1080p resolution in 2026 seems stingy.

Bottom line: Netflix is still worth subscribing to, but probably not as your only streaming service. The best strategy for most viewers is pairing Netflix’s ad tier with one or two other services that fill content gaps.

Netflix Pricing Breakdown (2026)

Netflix’s pricing structure has evolved significantly since the company introduced its ad-supported tier in 2022. Here’s what each plan costs and includes:

Plan	Monthly Price	Resolution	Simultaneous Streams	Downloads	Ads
Standard with Ads	$7.99	1080p	2	Yes	4-5 min/hour
Standard	$17.99	1080p	2	Yes	None
Premium	$24.99	4K HDR	4	Yes	None

Ad-Supported Tier: The Value Play

The $7.99 ad-supported tier represents Netflix’s best value proposition. You get access to the full content library (with a few music-rights exceptions) for less than half the price of Standard. Ads run 4-5 minutes per hour on average—less intrusive than traditional television.

The main limitations: some content isn’t available due to licensing restrictions (roughly 5-10% of the library), and you’re capped at 1080p resolution. For many viewers watching on laptops, tablets, or smaller TVs, the resolution cap isn’t noticeable.

Standard Tier: The Awkward Middle

At $17.99/month, the Standard tier removes ads but keeps the 1080p resolution cap. This feels outdated when Disney+ includes 4K on all plans and most other streaming services offer 4K at lower price points.

The Standard tier makes sense only if you can’t tolerate any ads and don’t have a 4K television. For everyone else, either the ad tier (for budget) or Premium (for quality) is a better choice.

Premium Tier: Full Netflix Experience

The $24.99 Premium tier is expensive, but it’s the only way to access Netflix’s best technical quality: 4K resolution with HDR10 and Dolby Vision, plus Dolby Atmos spatial audio. You also get 4 simultaneous streams and the ability to add extra members outside your household for $8.99/month each.

For households with multiple viewers and a 4K television, Premium’s value proposition improves—the per-person cost drops to roughly $6/month if four people watch regularly.

Content Library: Quantity Meets (Usually) Quality

Netflix’s content strategy is straightforward: produce more original content than anyone else. In 2025, Netflix released over 340 original titles—more than double its nearest competitor. This volume creates both advantages and challenges.

Original Series

Netflix’s original series output spans every genre imaginable:

Prestige Drama:

• Adolescence (dominated the 2026 Emmys)
• The Diplomat
• Black Doves
• Wednesday (Season 2)
• Stranger Things (Season 5)

International Hits:

• Squid Game (multiple seasons, plus reality show spinoffs)
• Money Heist: Berlin
• 1992
• Black Mirror

Reality and Unscripted:

• Love Is Blind (multiple seasons and international versions)
• The Circle
• Selling Sunset
• Too Hot to Handle

Comedy:

• Cobra Kai
• The Upshaws
• Stand-up specials (weekly releases)

The volume means there’s always something new to watch. The downside: quality is inconsistent. For every Adolescence, there are several forgettable shows that disappear without cultural impact.

Original Films

Netflix has become a major film studio, releasing approximately 80-100 original movies per year. Recent highlights include:

• Happy Gilmore 2 (Adam Sandler sequel)
• Frankenstein (Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation)
• Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (Daniel Craig)
• KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix’s most-watched title ever)

The film library ranges from prestige Oscar contenders to popcorn entertainment. Netflix’s algorithm ensures you’ll mostly see titles matched to your viewing history, which helps navigate the overwhelming volume.

Licensed Content: The Shrinking Library

This is Netflix’s biggest weakness. As studios launched their own streaming services, they pulled content from Netflix. Shows that defined Netflix’s early success—The Office, Friends, Parks and Recreation—are now on Peacock and Max.

The licensed movie library has similarly contracted. Recent theatrical releases from Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, and Paramount go to their parent company’s services. Netflix’s movie library now consists primarily of older catalog titles and independent films.

Password Sharing Crackdown: What It Means for You

In 2023, Netflix implemented account-sharing restrictions that fundamentally changed how the service works. Here’s the current reality:

What’s Enforced:

• Accounts are tied to a primary household location
• Devices must connect from the primary household regularly (typically weekly)
• Logging in from new locations triggers verification prompts

Extra Member Add-Ons:

• Standard and Premium subscribers can add members outside their household
• Extra members cost $8.99/month each
• Standard allows 1 extra member; Premium allows 2

Practical Impact: If you previously shared a Netflix account across multiple households, those days are over. Each viewing location now needs its own subscription or paid extra member slot. For families with college students or shared accounts with parents, this represents a significant cost increase.

Streaming Quality and Technical Performance

Video Quality

Netflix’s technical infrastructure remains industry-leading. The service adapts to your internet connection automatically and maintains consistent quality without buffering on connections of 15 Mbps or higher.

Quality Level	Bandwidth Required	Available On
Standard Definition	1 Mbps	All plans
HD (720p)	3 Mbps	All plans
Full HD (1080p)	5 Mbps	All plans
4K Ultra HD	15 Mbps	Premium only
4K HDR/Dolby Vision	25 Mbps	Premium only

HDR support includes both HDR10 and Dolby Vision formats. Audio reaches up to Dolby Atmos on Premium, though not all content supports it.

Download Functionality

All Netflix plans—including the ad-supported tier—allow downloading content for offline viewing. This is a significant advantage over some competitors. Downloads expire after a set period (typically 7-30 days depending on content) and must be watched within 48 hours once started.

Download limits vary by plan:

• Ad-supported: 15 downloads per device
• Standard: 2 devices, 100 downloads total
• Premium: 6 devices, 100 downloads total

Device Support

Netflix apps are available everywhere:

• iOS and Android phones/tablets
• Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, and others)
• Streaming devices (Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast)
• Gaming consoles (PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X/S, Nintendo Switch)
• Web browsers

The experience is consistent across platforms, though the TV apps offer the best interface for browsing. Mobile apps include games (basic mobile games included with subscription) and have the cleanest download management.

Live Content: Netflix’s New Frontier

Netflix made a significant push into live content in 2025-2026:

Live Sports:

• NFL Christmas Day games (exclusive)
• WWE Monday Night Raw (weekly starting 2025)
• Selected boxing and fighting events

Live Events:

• Live stand-up comedy specials
• Award show streams
• Interactive entertainment events

This expansion addresses one of Netflix’s historical weaknesses—the service was entirely on-demand while competitors like Peacock and Prime Video offered live sports. Whether live content matters to you depends entirely on your interests; many subscribers never touch it.

How Netflix Compares to Competitors

Netflix vs. Disney+

Disney+ offers 4K on all plans (including the $11.99 ad tier), while Netflix reserves 4K for its $24.99 Premium tier. However, Netflix’s content library is significantly larger and more diverse. Disney+ is essential for families with children and Marvel/Star Wars fans but limited for adult-oriented content beyond franchises.

Choose Netflix if: You want variety and adult content Choose Disney+ if: You have children or love Marvel/Star Wars

Netflix vs. Max

Max (HBO) produces higher-quality prestige content on average—House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, and White Lotus are in a different tier than most Netflix originals. However, Max releases fewer shows and has a smaller overall library. Max also offers a 7-day free trial; Netflix doesn’t.

Choose Netflix if: You want more content and binge releases Choose Max if: You prioritize prestige quality over quantity

Netflix vs. Prime Video

Prime Video is included with Amazon Prime memberships, making it essentially free for existing Prime subscribers. Prime Video’s original content (The Boys, Fallout, Reacher) has improved dramatically. However, Prime Video’s interface mixes subscription content with rentals, making it confusing to browse.

Choose Netflix if: You want a cleaner experience and more originals Choose Prime Video if: You already pay for Amazon Prime

Who Should Subscribe to Netflix?

Netflix makes sense if you:

• Want the largest selection of original content
• Enjoy binge-watching entire seasons at once
• Have varied tastes across many genres
• Value recommendation algorithms that surface relevant content
• Want live sports (NFL) and WWE

Consider alternatives if you:

• Primarily watch prestige drama (Max is better)
• Have young children (Disney+ is essential)
• Already subscribe to Amazon Prime (use Prime Video first)
• Can’t justify $24.99/month for 4K content

Methodology: How We Evaluated Netflix

We’ve maintained paid subscriptions to all Netflix tiers since 2022. For this review, we:

• Tracked content releases over 6 months (counted 340+ original titles in 2025)
• Tested streaming quality on a gigabit fiber connection across 10 devices
• Compared ad frequency and experience on the ad-supported tier
• Monitored licensed content changes (tracked departures and additions monthly)
• Tested download functionality across iOS, Android, and Windows devices
• Evaluated the password-sharing enforcement across multiple households

All observations are from hands-on testing, not manufacturer claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Netflix worth it with all the price increases?

That depends on which tier you choose. The ad-supported tier at $7.99/month remains competitive value—less than a single movie ticket for access to thousands of titles. The Premium tier at $24.99/month is harder to justify unless you need 4K quality and have a large household splitting the cost.

Does Netflix still have good movies?

Netflix’s original film output includes genuine prestige productions alongside popcorn entertainment. However, new theatrical releases from Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, and Paramount go to those companies’ streaming services first. Netflix’s licensed movie library is significantly smaller than it was five years ago.

How many screens can watch Netflix at once?

The ad-supported and Standard tiers allow 2 simultaneous streams. Premium allows 4 streams. If you need more, you can add extra members for $8.99/month each (up to 2 on Premium).

Can I still share my Netflix password?

No. Netflix enforces household-based accounts and will block or require verification for devices accessing from different locations. You can add extra members outside your household for $8.99/month each, but casual password sharing between friends is effectively over.

Does Netflix have 4K content?

Yes, but only on the Premium tier ($24.99/month). Netflix has one of the largest 4K libraries of any streaming service, with most original content available in 4K HDR with Dolby Atmos audio. The ad-supported and Standard tiers cap at 1080p.

How do Netflix ads work?

The ad-supported tier shows 4-5 minutes of ads per hour, played before and during content. Ads are typically 15-30 seconds each. Some content isn’t available on the ad tier due to licensing restrictions—roughly 5-10% of the library.

Is Netflix better than Max or Disney+?

Each service excels at different things. Netflix offers the most content variety and volume. Max produces higher-quality prestige drama. Disney+ is unmatched for families and franchise content. Most households benefit from subscribing to two services rather than choosing just one.

Does Netflix offer a free trial?

No. Netflix discontinued free trials in most regions. The 30-day money-back guarantee that once existed is also gone. You can cancel anytime, but you’ll need to pay at least one month to try the service.

Final Verdict

Netflix in 2026 is a mature product—no longer the exciting disruptor but a reliable entertainment utility. The content volume is unmatched, the technical quality is excellent, and the recommendation algorithm genuinely helps you find things to watch.

The challenges are real: prices have climbed while licensed content has shrunk. The password-sharing crackdown means you’re paying full price rather than splitting costs with family. The Premium tier at $24.99/month is expensive compared to alternatives that include 4K at lower prices.

Our recommendation: Start with the ad-supported tier at $7.99/month. If you find yourself watching enough to be annoyed by ads, upgrade. If you have a 4K television and multiple viewers in your household, Premium becomes reasonable value when split among four people.

Netflix earned its place as the streaming industry’s benchmark. It still deserves a place in most households’ entertainment budgets—but perhaps not as the only streaming service you subscribe to.

Our Rating: 4.2/5