Netflix Introduces Stream-Only Subscription Option, Raises Prices Across The Board

I'm a major DVD/Blu-ray collector, but even I can see the writing on the wall: we are getting closer and closer to a world without discs and packaging; a world where all media is completely digital. The process towards said inevitability is already well underway, with outlets like Amazon and iTunes already selling millions of downloads everyday and people having already moved on from the physical. If you are one of these people, then Netflix now has a plan for you.

As has been rumored for a while now, the major movie rental company is now offering a "Streaming-Only" plan to members, according to Media Memo. Starting at $7.99 per month, there is, unfortunately, a sad catch that comes with this news - every other form of subscription is seeing its price increase (with the exception of "1 DVD at a time, limit 2 DVDs per month"). Those that keep one movie at home at a time will see their rates increase from $8.99 to $9.99, two movies will go up from $13.99 to $14.99, and so on and so forth. To see the entire chart, head over to Media Memo.

There are both positives and negatives that come with this deal. Obviously it's cheaper and more useful for those that have had the same movie sitting on their living room table for the last three months, but the deal also has quite a few drawbacks including more a limited selection and no access to special features. Call me old fashioned, but I'm a fan of the physical. I'll stick with my one movie at a time and proudly pay that extra dollar a month.

Eric Eisenberg
Assistant Managing Editor

Eric Eisenberg is the Assistant Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. After graduating Boston University and earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he took a part-time job as a staff writer for CinemaBlend, and after six months was offered the opportunity to move to Los Angeles and take on a newly created West Coast Editor position. Over a decade later, he's continuing to advance his interests and expertise. In addition to conducting filmmaker interviews and contributing to the news and feature content of the site, Eric also oversees the Movie Reviews section, writes the the weekend box office report (published Sundays), and is the site's resident Stephen King expert. He has two King-related columns.