Streaming service Plex is raising its prices for the first time in a decade. The company just announced a price increase for its premium Plex Pass subscription, which offers a number of extra features like offline access and themes. The standard service remains free if you want to set up a simple media server to stream movies or shows.
Plex Pass will soon cost $7 per month, up $2 per month. An annual subscription will cost $70, up from $40. Finally, the coveted lifetime subscription has jumped to $250 from $120. That’s a big hike, but I guess that’s what happens when you don’t raise prices for a decade.
The changes go into effect on April 29th, so those interested in Plex have more than a month to grab a lifetime subscription for the original $120 price. The monthly and annual pricing affects both new and existing customers. The company says it’s doing this to keep up with rising industry costs. Remote streaming is also included in the subscription, albeit at a lower price of $2 per month.
“This change was a difficult one for us to make, and we spent a lot of time weighing the best path forward to ensure we can continue to balance value with a best-in-class personalized media experience for years to come,” the company said in a blog post.
However, with the price hike comes new tools. The company is integrating with Common Sense Media to provide parent-focused ratings and reviews to Plex Pass owners. It’s also working on a new server management app that will launch in the near future. Basic playback is also getting a much-needed upgrade.
The platform is eliminating the mobile unlock fee, a one-time activation fee that was required to remove the one-minute limit on streaming content from a media server to a mobile device. Plex recently added public reviews and profiles.
The Plex Pass price hike comes as the entire streaming industry is tightening its belts. Almost every platform has seen its prices rise over the past couple of years.
