Shocker: Netflix Breaks New Subscriber Record, Will Charge Customers More

Netflix remains king as the streaming service added nearly 19 million new subscribers last quarter - their most ever. 

The company's stock immediately shot up in after-hour trading after their shocking new subscribers announcement yesterday, with the streaming service's estimated valuation of $370 billion now worth more than the combined values of Disney, Comcast, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. "We thought it was a typo. Netflix defied the odds once again, delivering subscriber additions far beyond even the most unreasonable subscriber bogey," Bernstein analyst Laurent Yoon told Reuters. 

With the huge numbers, however, came some not great news for Netflix fans out there, however, as the company announced another monthly price increase. In the coming months, subscribers will see their Ad-tier subscriptions go up one dollar to $7.99 per month, the Standard streaming package will go up two dollars to $17.99 per month, while the ad-free Premium subscription will now cost you $24.99 a month.

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

Needless to say, many fans are not happy - although Netflix stockholders sure are. 

Unfortunately, what we have seen in recent years is that the rest of the streaming services will soon copy what Netflix does as far as raising prices, and you can expect their monthly packages to go up as well. As I've written time and time again, streaming platforms only go up in cost and never go down. With Paramount+, Peacock, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and obviously, Netflix all raising costs in near-annual fashion, the effect has been more people canceling streaming services last year than ever before.

It's simply too expensive, or the content just isn't worth it. (Can we please bring back cable, already?!)

That is, of course, unless you are Netflix, which proved that it is now able to be a major player in the sports broadcast realm after exclusively airing NFL Christmas Day games, as well as the highly anticipated (despite being a let down) Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson boxing match, which was the most streamed live sporting event ever. In early January, the company also debuted its 10-year, $5 billion partnership with the WWE and its Monday Night RAW program.

It's good to be the king, no doubt, but will other streaming platforms be able to keep up, or will they get squeezed out by the streaming world's Mt. Rushmore of Netflix, AppleTV+, Disney+ and Amazon Prime?

OUTKICK READERS - IS $25 A MONTH TOO MUCH FOR NETFLIX? LET ME KNOW: @TheGunzShow