Netflix raises Spain prices: Premium hits €21.99
Netflix increases subscription costs in Spain: Ad-supported plan rises to €8.99, Standard to €14.99, and Premium to €21.99. Changes apply immediately for new users.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Netflix hikes prices in Spain as premium tier reaches €21.99
How much are you willing to pay to watch ads? Netflix has confirmed a price increase across all its tiers in Spain, effective immediately for new customers. The ad-supported plan now costs €8.99, the standard plan rises to €14.99, and the premium tier hits €21.99. Current subscribers will see the adjustment on their next bill, trinc an announcement that spread rapidly on social media.
The reaction was swift. And hardly enthusiastic.
The ad-supported plan is no longer cheap
There’s irony in this. For years, Netflix promised uninterrupted viewing. Then came the ad plans, pitched as budget alternatives. Now, the ad-supported option costs €8.99—one euro more than what the ad-free plan cost five years ago, according to viral comparisons. The inevitable question: what exactly are we paying for?
Some argue the catalog has deteriorated over time. Shows that made the platform great—Narcos, Mad Men, Breaking Bad—have been replaced by disposable content, prioritizing quantity over quality. A common critique is that Netflix has become the McDonald's of audiovisual content: fast, cheap to produce, and forgettable.
The counterargument also circulates: if you have the platform, you can afford these euros. If not, you can always cancel. In that sense, the price hike acts as a filter.
Comparing with Canal+ in the 90s
To put figures in perspective, consider what pay-TV cost two decades ago. In the late 90s, the full Canal Satélite Digital package (Spanish satellite TV provider) cost around 10,000-12,000 pesetas monthly. Adjusted for inflation, that would be between €80 and €100 today, according to calculations circulating in the debate. The difference is that it included dozens of channels, real football, and premiere movies.
The comparison isn’t perfect, but it serves a purpose: Netflix’s nominal price remains historically low. What has changed is perceived value. That’s where the platform is losing the battle.
The subscription toll: €180 per month
The problem isn’t just Netflix alone. It’s the total. Some calculate that a typical family might be paying €180 per month in subscriptions: Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime, Disney, DAZN, and many others. That’s €2,160 per year. With that money, you could buy a good computer and access digital libraries that don’t censor a chapter because someone was offended by a joke from 2005.
DAZN’s case is illustrative. It started with a €4.99 per month offer; now its annual installment plan costs €31.99, the monthly plan €44.99, and the one-time annual payment €351.99. The pogre is the same across platforms: attract, retain, and squeeze.
Public response: cancel or pirate
Two alternatives are being weighed. First, canceling. Second, using alternative methods: Kodi, Stremio, eMule, BitTorrent, HdFull. The list of shared resources is long and varied. The repeated conclusion is that paying for something you can get for free is, at best, questionable.
Some go further, arguing that Netflix’s product is propaganda disguised as entertainment. That the catalog is designed to indoctrinate rather than entertain. This is an opinion, not a fact, but it explains why part of the audience sees each price hike as an opportunity to disconnect.
Is it worth continuing to pay Netflix?
The answer depends on how much you value your time and peace of mind. If you watch two or three series a year, the increase is irrelevant. If you keep the platform running all day, the calculation changes. And if you were already paying for the ad-free plan and now find the ad-supported one costs almost the same, it feels like a rip-off.
Netflix has done it again. Meanwhile, the streaming industry continues its particular race toward the abyss: more platforms, more content, more ads, and skyrocketing prices. The day someone invents a service that doesn’t raise prices every six months, they’ll make a fortune. Until then, it’s a choice between paying or finding another way.
Key Data
How much are you willing to pay to watch ads? Netflix has confirmed a price increase across all its tiers in Spain, effective immediately for new customers. The ad-supported plan now costs €8.99, the standard plan rises to €14.99, and the premium tier hits €21.99. Current subscribers will see the adjustment on their next bill, trinc an announcement that spread rapidly on social media.
The reaction was swift. And hardly enthusiastic.
The ad-supported plan is no longer cheap
There’s irony in this. For years, Netflix promised uninterrupted viewing. Then came the ad plans, pitched as budget alternatives. Now, the ad-supported option costs €8.99—one euro more than what the ad-free plan cost five years ago, according to viral comparisons. The inevitable question: what exactly are we paying for?
Some argue the catalog has deteriorated over time. Shows that made the platform great—Narcos, Mad Men, Breaking Bad—have been replaced by disposable content, prioritizing quantity over quality. A common critique is that Netflix has become the McDonald's of audiovisual content: fast, cheap to produce, and forgettable.
The counterargument also circulates: if you have the platform, you can afford these euros. If not, you can always cancel. In that sense, the price hike acts as a filter.
Comparing with Canal+ in the 90s
To put figures in perspective, consider what pay-TV cost two decades ago. In the late 90s, the full Canal Satélite Digital package (Spanish satellite TV provider) cost around 10,000-12,000 pesetas monthly. Adjusted for inflation, that would be between €80 and €100 today, according to calculations circulating in the debate. The difference is that it included dozens of channels, real football, and premiere movies.
The comparison isn’t perfect, but it serves a purpose: Netflix’s nominal price remains historically low. What has changed is perceived value. That’s where the platform is losing the battle.
The subscription toll: €180 per month
The problem isn’t just Netflix alone. It’s the total. Some calculate that a typical family might be paying €180 per month in subscriptions: Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime, Disney, DAZN, and many others. That’s €2,160 per year. With that money, you could buy a good computer and access digital libraries that don’t censor a chapter because someone was offended by a joke from 2005.
DAZN’s case is illustrative. It started with a €4.99 per month offer; now its annual installment plan costs €31.99, the monthly plan €44.99, and the one-time annual payment €351.99. The pogre is the same across platforms: attract, retain, and squeeze.
Public response: cancel or pirate
Two alternatives are being weighed. First, canceling. Second, using alternative methods: Kodi, Stremio, eMule, BitTorrent, HdFull. The list of shared resources is long and varied. The repeated conclusion is that paying for something you can get for free is, at best, questionable.
Some go further, arguing that Netflix’s product is propaganda disguised as entertainment. That the catalog is designed to indoctrinate rather than entertain. This is an opinion, not a fact, but it explains why part of the audience sees each price hike as an opportunity to disconnect.
Is it worth continuing to pay Netflix?
The answer depends on how much you value your time and peace of mind. If you watch two or three series a year, the increase is irrelevant. If you keep the platform running all day, the calculation changes. And if you were already paying for the ad-free plan and now find the ad-supported one costs almost the same, it feels like a rip-off.
Netflix has done it again. Meanwhile, the streaming industry continues its particular race toward the abyss: more platforms, more content, more ads, and skyrocketing prices. The day someone invents a service that doesn’t raise prices every six months, they’ll make a fortune. Until then, it’s a choice between paying or finding another way.
Key Data
- Ad-supported plan: €8.99
- Standard plan: €14.99
- Premium plan: €21.99
- DAZN Pro annual installments: €31.99/month
- DAZN Pro monthly: €44.99/month
- DAZN Pro annual lump sum: €351.99/year
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (123 replies).
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