Netflix Premium vs. Netflix Standard: I compared the subscriptions plans to find the best deal

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Having a Netflix subscription is a non-negotiable for some people, especially dedicated cord-cutters who don't want to pay for cable but still want TV and movie titles not available on free streaming platforms. If it's important to you to choose a Netflix plan that fits your budget and satisfies your streaming needs, you'll want to know your options.

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You might choose a premium Netflix plan if you have many people watching from the same billed account, you want an ad-free watching experience, you don't want to subscribe to many other streaming services, and you want the best picture and audio quality. 

Conversely, you might choose a standard, ad-supported Netflix subscription if you want to spend the least amount of money possible and have a few people watching from the same account.

I've tried both plans, and here's what you should know before giving Netflix your credit card.

Specifications

You should subscribe to Netflix Premium if…

1. You have a family of 4+

Whether you have several kids or are paying for your older parents to watch Netflix, a premium subscription supports four devices streaming Netflix simultaneously and allows for six devices to download content from Netflix to watch offline. If you plan for everyone under your roof to use the Netflix subscription, you'll want the most expansive plan.

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You can create five separate watching profiles on a single Netflix account to keep everyone's algorithms and watch history separate. Four devices are supported for simultaneous streaming, but if people in your household take turns or have offset watching habits, more than four people in one house can make this plan work.

If you have kids in college and you still want to pay for their Netflix subscription, you'll need a premium or the mid-tier standard account. These accounts allow you to add one (standard) or two (premium) people to your Netflix account who plan to watch Netflix outside of your home. In 2023, Netflix began enforcing bans on password sharing, charging users to watch outside their primary household.

2. You want the best audio and video experience

A Netflix Premium subscription includes 4K resolution and HDR picture display, as well as access to Netflix Spatial Audio. Netflix in 4K delivers the highest picture quality on the platform, but your TV must support 4K, have a refresh rate of at least 60Hz, and have sufficient network speed to support it. 

Netflix also supports Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HDR10+, but your TV must support it. Therefore, if enhanced picture quality is the main reason you're eyeing a Netflix Premium subscription, you should check your TV's picture specs first.

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Netflix Premium also supports a proprietary spatial audio format. However, if you have at least a 5.1 home theater setup, or a home theater setup and TV that support Dolby Atmos, those formats will override Netflix's spatial audio format, as they are higher quality.

Spatial audio with head tracking while streaming Netflix on portable devices is included in a Premium subscription, provided you have compatible Apple, Google, or Samsung devices and headphones.

You should subscribe to Netflix Standard (with ads) if…

1. You have a small household

If you, or you and one other person you live with, are the only ones using your Netflix account, and you can stomach a few ads, the lowest-tier Netflix account allows for two devices to stream simultaneously. An $8/month bill is a far cry from the premium tier's price tag, and it's a solid option for two or fewer people who want a Netflix subscription but don't need all of the bells and whistles.

2. You want to cut or stretch streaming costs

If you want to subscribe to multiple streaming services and pay as little as possible, I recommend the ad-supported Netflix Standard plan. The ad-supported Netflix Standard plan is $10 cheaper than the ad-free Standard plan, but for $10 fewer, some content is locked, and you can't add a member outside of your household to your account. 

According to What's on Netflix, 140 titles are locked on the ad-supported tier, or about 1.46% of the platform's library. Netflix says some titles are unavailable to ad-supported subscribers due to licensing restrictions. You might see a lock icon on titles when you search for something or browse the platform's catalog. You can still add these titles to your watchlist, but you must upgrade your plan to watch them.

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The $18/month ad-free Standard plan still offers the same picture resolution, number of devices for simultaneous streaming, and number of devices for download and offline watching as the ad-supported plan.

Writer's choice

I am a loyal subscriber to the ad-supported Netflix Standard plan. I don't watch Netflix often, aside from a few documentaries and Netflix Originals, and I want the money I'm saving to go to other services I like to watch. There are only two people in my household, and we can both handle a few ads to keep a few dollars in our pockets. 

I have a 7.1.4 surround sound system in my living room, and Netflix is encoded in Dolby PCM multichannel 5.1, which is fine with me. Additionally, I don't encounter locked content often, so I don't have issues accessing the content I want.