Netflix is the most popular streaming service in the US. However, you might be looking for ways to save money on a Netflix subscription. Netflix has raised its prices significantly over the last few years. A Basic plan now costs $9.99 per month, with the Premium tier now running a steep $19.99.
Fortunately, there are a few different strategies that can help you access Netflix while paying significantly less than sticker price. Let’s take a look at four of the most effective ways to save money on a Netflix subscription.
1. Downgrade Your Netflix Subscription
The easiest way to spend less money on Netflix is simply to switch to a more affordable subscription tier.
Plans currently start at $8.99 per month for Basic, but even that may not be enough for your needs. Standard comes with two simultaneous connections and offline access for two devices plus HD content at $13.99 per month. You’ll have to pay $17.99 per month for the Premium tier if you need Ultra HD or access for up to four devices.
If you have an Ultra HD-compatible device, it might be worth shelling out for Premium. However, most users will be satisfied with the Standard or even the Basic option. Check your account settings if you’re not sure which plan you’re on.
On the other hand, if you find that you want to stick with Standard or even the Premium plan for high-resolution content, you might still not reach the device limit for your account tier.
In that case, don’t hesitate to use Gowd to sell access to your account and cut the cost of your subscription without losing HD (or Ultra HD) content. We can help you save as much as 90% on Netflix while maintaining the same access to your account.
2. Pause Your Netflix Subscription
You might assume that you’ll end up using Netflix, but it’s easy to go weeks or months without using the website at all. Keeping your subscription active while you aren’t taking advantage about it is a good way to take money out of your own pocket.
If you find yourself drifting away from Netflix, remember to use the pause feature they introduced in 2020. This tool enables users to pause their membership for up to ten months without losing any of their account data.
As long as you resume your subscription within ten months, you’ll be able to get back to the platform as if you never left. If you go that long without missing it, you can go ahead with the cancellation and pocket the extra money each month.
Netflix bills account holders monthly starting on the date they signed up. With that in mind, your renewal date may not always line up with the beginning of the month.
Make sure to check your account details as soon as possible so you can pause the subscription before it’s automatically renewed. For example, the screenshot above shows that the subscriber has paid for access through December 24th. If they try to cancel after the New Year, they’ll find out that they already spent a full monthly fee for most of January.
Remember that there’s no way to get your money back after renewing. If you accidentally renew your plan, make use of the full the month. You’ve already spend the money, so you might as well get what you can. Make a list of the shows and movies you want to watch before you lose access.
3. Buy Cheap Netflix Gift Cards
Netflix gift cards can be applied to subscription fees the same as a credit card. With that in mind, you’ll be able to save money on your Netflix subscription if you can find gift cards being sold for less than face value.
For example, let’s say you know someone with a $100 gift card who doesn’t use Netflix anymore. If you pay them $95 in cash, they’ll have money to spend on whatever they want. You’ll have a five-percent discount on your next $100 in Netflix fees.
Similarly, you can find gift cards to Netflix and other brands available for a slight discount online. Buying cheap Netflix gift cards will have a small but noticeable impact on your Netflix cost per month. This is a good strategy for anyone who plans to keep an active Netflix plan.
Of course, you can pay for your Netflix subscription using gift cards at the same time that you share your account.
For example, you might pay $19.99 per month for a Premium plan with Netflix gift cards. You could also receive a total of $15 per month from three other shared users. In that case, you would get savings from both sharing the account and paying the fee with gift cards..
4. Share Your Netflix Subscription
Both the Standard and Premium subscriptions support multiple simultaneous connections. Standard users can watch Netflix on two devices at once, while Premium users can use up to four. Similarly, Standard members can download content onto two devices, with the limit going up to four for Premium subscribers.
With that in mind, splitting the cost of a Netflix account with others is another simple way to get the same experience for less money. Of course, your combined devices will need to remain at or below the limits of your subscription tier.
Remember that the base price for an individual Netflix plan is $9.99 per month. Standard costs $15.49 per month, so you can share a subscription with someone else for just $7.75 each. Similarly, a group of four could split one Premium plan for $5 each per month.
Is Netflix Account Sharing Secure?
Sharing a Netflix account is totally safe as long as you take care to keep your personal information secure.
For example, some people send their password to total strangers while using the same credentials on other websites. This is one of the most common account sharing mistakes. If your credentials are the same on ten different websites, someone could access all of those accounts using just one password.
Unfortunately, Netflix doesn’t offer any support for two-factor authentication. When someone has your username and password, you won’t be able to monitor or block their access.
If you suspect unauthorized access, you should change your password as soon as possible. Make sure to click the box at the bottom screen to limit access to users who have the new password.
Another issue with Netflix’ security is that you can change your password on the site itself. This means that someone with unauthorized access will be able to change it as long as they have the current password.
Final Thoughts
With Netflix starting at $9.99 per month, it’s no surprise that so many people are looking to cut costs.
Downgrading your plan and paying with gift cards can make a dent. That said, sharing an account is the best way to minimize your monthly bill over the long term.
At Gowd, our mission is to connect people and help them save money on virtually any subscriptions services. Check out our website now to learn how we can cut your digital subscription bill by as much as 90 percent.
