There are more and more streaming providers, both among the big providers and in the niches. Because some of them have also recently increased their prices, the question arises for many: What is all this actually going to cost me? These costs are incurred by new subscribers to the largest streaming services.
In detail, the respective costs for streaming providers depend on the individual situation of the subscribers. If you take out a subscription for an entire household, you pay less per capita than for an individual subscription, but more overall. Other factors can also influence the price. For example, Amazon offers a 50 percent discounted subscription for trainees, students and customers who are exempt from broadcasting fees. The regular Prime subscription currently costs EUR 8.99 per month or EUR 89.90 per year, which corresponds to EUR 7.49 per month.
Subscribers can then stream not only films and series via Amazon Prime Video, but also sports highlights such as the Champions League and music via Amazon Prime Music. Not included is a subscription to the Amazon subsidiaries Audible and Kindle. But: With the Audible streaming service, the free trial period for Prime customers has been extended from 30 to 60 days. After that, access to the audio books and podcasts costs EUR 9.95 per month. Amazon offers a 30-day Prime trial month for free.
With Netflix, film, series and documentary fans have the choice between four options. An advertising-financed subscription for EUR 4.99 per month has been available in Germany since November. The ad-free basic subscription costs EUR 7.99 per month, with both you can only actively stream on one device at a time. Users have access to all Netflix content in SD quality (maximum 858×480 pixels). So if you want to use Netflix on your Full HD TV, you can’t avoid a standard subscription for 12.99 euros per month (two devices at the same time). If it’s supposed to be Ultra HD, Netflix asks you to pay 17.99 euros (up to four devices at the same time) per month.
Later this year, Netflix is expected to implement its announced policy of cracking down on account sharing and charging for each additional profile on an account. The streaming giant is already testing its new model in Brazil, where each additional profile costs $2.99 per month. Netflix has not yet communicated an exact schedule for Germany. The subscriptions can be canceled on a monthly basis, and Netflix has not offered a trial month since last summer.
Disney has also canceled its trial subscription. The animation giant offers a standard subscription for EUR 8.99 per month and an annual subscription for EUR 89.90, i.e. around EUR 7.49 per month. All screen resolutions, simultaneous streaming on up to four end devices and unlimited downloads on up to ten end devices and seven different profiles are included at no additional charge.
With Spotify, the world’s largest music streaming provider, those interested in subscribing can choose from three offers: The individual tariff costs 9.99 euros per month; with the duo offer, two user accounts pay EUR 12.99 per month; The family tariff includes up to six accounts and access to the Spotify Kids app for EUR 14.99 per month.
If you want to stream sports, DAZN has the widest range of offers. Two packages are available. With “DAZN World” subscribers get darts, handball and tennis as well as the linear TV channels from Eurosport and SportdigitalTV for EUR 9.99 a month. These sports and TV channels are missing in the “DAZN Standard” package for 24.99 euros per month. In addition to 121 Champions League games, this includes all Friday and Sunday games in the Bundesliga and other top European leagues as well as the American NBA, NFL and UFC. The streaming portal offers the complete offer in “DAZN Unlimited”, which costs 29.99 euros per month. Only with the latter is it possible to stream on two devices at the same time.
To a certain extent, the pay-TV broadcaster Sky offers a cross-section of the content from the other streaming providers. The Saturday games of the soccer Bundesliga and Formula 1 can only be seen there exclusively, but not in a joint package: Both the soccer Bundesliga package and the sports package, which, among other things, exclusively includes the Wimbledon tennis tournament, cost 20 euros per month. On the other hand, if you book the Sky Entertainment Plus package, you get exclusive Sky and HBO content and a basic Netflix subscription for 15 euros a month.
The cinema package is included for 25 euros, which includes a subscription to Netflix as well as a subscription to Paramount and TV premieres of cinema films. However, the offers mentioned are only valid for new customers who commit themselves for a longer period of time. After the first year, the prices rise: Then Sky Sport costs 28 euros, the Bundesliga package 35.50 per month, Entertainment Plus 27.50 euros and the Sky Cinema package 41 euros per month.
Newly launched in Germany, Paramount starts with a monthly price of 7.90 euros. Anyone who takes out a subscription for a whole year pays EUR 79.90, which corresponds to around EUR 6.66 per month. The first week at Paramount is currently free.
Who pays how much for their streaming provider depends heavily on the individual constellation. A music-loving single who has little for sport but a lot for Netflix originals is served with a basic subscription to Netflix and an individual premium account on Spotify. If the person is also studying, as a new customer they currently have monthly costs of EUR 12.98 (EUR 7.99 Netflix and EUR 4.99 Spotify for students).
On the other hand, a couple who share Spotify and have taken out a combination subscription to Sky including Netflix for joint film and series evenings and booked an Amazon Prime account comes to around 35.50 euros a month. This is completely different for families, who call the entire range their own, don’t accept compromises and don’t want to miss out on football or Formula 1 at the weekend. Households that take advantage of the high-end offers of all providers and save costs with annual subscriptions come to more than 1,500 euros a year or around 125 euros a month.
