Netflix Finally Brings Streaming-Only Plan to U.S.

Americans have one less thing to envy about life in Canada starting today: Netflix is now offering its streaming-only plan in the U.S. As predicted last month, the plan costs $7.99 per month and allows for unlimited video on-demand. The pricing is exactly the same as the revised rate recently released for Hulu Plus.

While it was clear that Netflix streaming was popular, this news revealed just how crucial on-demand is to the future of the company. Jesse Becker, the Netflix VP of marketing, said:

“You might also wonder why we haven’t introduced a new plan that includes only DVDs by mail. The fact is that Netflix members are already watching more TV episodes and movies streamed instantly over the Internet than on DVDs, and we expect that trend to continue. Creating the best user experience that we can around watching instantly is how we’re spending the vast majority of our time and resources. Because of this, we are not creating any plans that are focused solely on DVDs by mail.”

To that point, Netflix has raised the prices of all of its unlimited DVD rental plans. The two most popular plans, which include one or two DVDs out at a time, increased by $1 each to $9.99, and $14.99, respectively. Rental plans including three to eight DVDs out at a time each had incremental increases, as represented in the chart.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, CEFutcher

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Netflix formally launches $7.99 streaming-only plan, bumps unlimited DVD plans by a buck or more

By Tim Stevens posted Nov 22nd 2010 8:44AM Well you had to know it was coming: the streaming-only plan Netflix unofficially rolled out last month is now being officially deployed. Thankfully the company opted to go with the lower of the two prices it was toying with, $7.99, which pits it squarely against Hulu Plus. However, the prices for all unlimited plans that include DVDs have jumped by at least one dollar, meaning you'll now be paying $9.99 for a one DVD at a time plan (though the $4.99, two DVDs a month offer will still give you a penny back from your Lincoln). So, it's a cheaper option for trailblazers who have abandoned physical media and a dark day for everyone else.

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Netflix Intros $7.99 Streaming-Only Plan While Slightly Increasing The Unlimited DVD Plans

Watch out, Hulu Plus. Netflix has your number. Actually, the same number — $7.99. That’s the price of the just-introduced streaming-only Netflix plans and the price that Hulu Plus dropped to last week.

It’s not all double rainbows though. Netflix also bumped up the price of the unlimited DVD plan across the board. Where it only cost $8.99 for one DVD at a time but an unlimited amount per month, it now costs $9.99. The spread gets a little more wild as the amount of DVDs rented increases proportionality with the three DVD plan costing $3 more, the five DVD plan costing $5 more and the eight DVD plan costing $8 more.

But let me join the ranks of Netfix subs only interested in streaming content in one joyous “huzzah!” The day is finally here when Netflix has a streaming-only plan.

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