But it also comes with a higher price tag.
What Is Netflix Premium?
But Premium is the only plan that offers some of it in 4K.
Netflix
Netflix used to offer a Basic plan for $9.99/month, with no multi-streaming and 720p HD quality.
This plan is no longer available for new members.
Anyone already on the Basic plan can remain on it until they change or cancel their membership.
How Many People Use Your Netflix Account?
Every Netflix account, regardless of which plan you’re on, can have up to five profiles.
On either Standard plan, you’ve got the option to stream on two devices at a time.
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The Premium plan bumps this up to four simultaneous devices.
If you’re single or in a couple, you’ll be better served by the Standard plans.
This lets account owners invite someone outside their household to use Netflix.
Regardless of the plan, each extra account costs $7.99/month.
Will You Watch 4K Movies and Shows?
Netflix has a wealth of 4K content which streams at 3840x2160 pixels.
This means the picture contains more data and therefore looks sharper and more detailed, especially on large screens.
Not everything on Netflix is available in 4K.
The exact number of shows and movies will vary per region.
Generally, modern films, shows, and Netflix Originals stream in 4K, though it’s not guaranteed.
The best way to check is to search “4K” on Netflix.
Or, when you expand a show or movie’s information, look for the 4K/Ultra HD badge.
Some Netflix content supports Dolby Vision and HDR10.
These are color and dynamic range enhancements that offer a more accurate picture display.
Select shows and movies also support Dolby Atmos, which provides a 3D surround sound effect.
Plus, some titles have spatial audio, which gives more immersive audio and is supported on every gear.
All of this is only available on the Premium plan.
Do You Have a 4K equipment?
Look at the manufacturer’s guide for your TV or monitor to see if it does.
There are plenty of great 4K streaming devices, including the Fire TV Stick 4K and the NVIDIA Shield.
But your TV needs to support HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 to use these devices in 4K.
On a Windows 10/11 computer, you must use Edge or the Netflix app.
On Mac, you must use Safari 11 or later.
The size and quality of your screen will determine how good 4K content on Netflix looks.
If the TV or monitor panel is cheap, you won’t see the full benefit.
It’s unlikely the rig supports 4K anyway.
Is Your Internet Fast Enough for 4K?
Netflix recommends you have a steady internet connection with speeds of 15Mbps or higher to stream 4K content.
Simply put, 4K content contains more data than HD, and therefore it requires a stronger internet connection.
The best way to check your connection speed is to visitFast.com.
This is an internet speed test run by Netflix and checks your download speed against its servers.
As such, it should be indicative of the speeds you might expect when streaming Netflix shows and movies.
These benefits all come with a costly price tag: $22.99/month.
Disney+ Premium costs $13.99/month and Apple TV+ costs $9.99/month.
Both of these stream in 4K, which makes Netflix’s price seem steep.
Just check that you have a 4K-compatible machine and a decent internet connection.
