06/07/2024 – 6:00
Subscribing to the main streaming services for series and films became up to 42% more expensive in Brazil, considering today’s prices with those of three years ago.
Survey carried out by This is Money shows that individually subscribing to the six main services (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Max (ex-HBO), Globoplay, Disney Plus and AppleTV) cost R$ 137.50, while currently it is necessary to pay R$ 195.50 to maintain all of them on the cheapest plan, without commercials.
The main series and film streaming services have made at least one value adjustment in the last three years. Changes include rising prices or changing the format of services.
The latest adjustments came from Netflix and Disney+ at the end of May, surprising many consumers. While the first increased prices for all plans, the second announced a merger with Startplus, with subsequent price adjustments.
But after all, are these adjustments legal? What does the law say about these changes in plan prices?
Customers complain about increases
“This price increase is absurd, unfortunately it is another streaming that I will have to cancel”, says Luiz Gustavo on the Disney+ page on X, formerly Twitter. “Will Netflix never stop increasing this price?” complains another user on the platform.
Despite the complaints, consumer complaints are not justified in these cases, according to Procon-SP. The agency informed IstoÉ Dinheiro in a note that it found no irregularities in the announced changes. Procon clarifies, however, that the price adjustment can only be applied every 12 months, in accordance with Law No. 9,069 of June 29, 1995.
“Brazilian legislation allows companies to adjust the prices of their products and services as long as they comply with the principles of the Consumer Protection Code (CDC)”, says Daniela Poli Vlavianos, partner at Poli Advogados.
The CDC establishes that the possibility of price increases must be informed at the time of initial subscription contract. Subsequently, updates must be communicated in advance, in order to guarantee sufficient time for cancellation by those who cancel the service.
“As long as these requirements are met and there is no arbitrary increase, that is, without economic or disproportionate justification, the adjustments are considered regular”, says Vlavianos.
When contacted, Netflix expressed itself in a note: “We offer a variety of prices and plans that adjust to different needs”, said Netflix. Disney Plus declined to comment on the adjustment.
What to do?
According to experts, dissatisfied subscribers have few options other than canceling their subscription. “As long as the company informs the contract clearly and in advance, there is nothing the consumer can do”, says Mozar Carvalho, founder of Mozar Carvalho Advocacia.
The lawyer indicates that a possible path would be to publish complaints on social networks or portals such as Reclame Aqui. “Repeated dissatisfaction can end up putting pressure on the service provider to adjust,” she says.
But the best attitude is to prevent situations like this when subscribing to the service. Carvalho recommends reading the contract thoroughly. “Consumers often buy irresponsibly because they want to have the product at their disposal right away. He doesn’t even stop to read and take a look,” he says.
Thus, the subscriber ends up being surprised by changes in prices whose possibility had already been informed.
Price evolution in recent years
In 2021, subscribing to the six main streaming services together cost R$137.50.
Netflix (R$ 21.90), Amazon (R$ 9.90), HBO Go (R$ 34.90), AppleTV (R$ 9.90) and Globoplay (R$ 14.90) and DisneyPlus were already in Brazil for some time. Disney+ had just arrived for R$27.90, and in August of that year StarPlus would be launched (R$32.90), also possible to be contracted in a combo with Disney (R$45.90).
Since then, all the services mentioned have been readjusted. Some just changed prices, such as Amazon (R$ 19.90), AppleTV + (R$ 21.90) and Globoplay (27.90/month).
There were also service changes, such as Netflix, which abolished its basic plan and created a new plan to be its cheapest product (R$20.90), which however features ads. The cheapest option without advertisements costs R$44.90.
HBO Go ceased to exist and was replaced first by the HBO Max platform and later by Max, which also offers a cheaper plan with ads (R$29.90). To watch the productions without the commercials, you need to pay R$39.90.
The latest news was the merger of StarPlus and DisneyPlus. For those who contracted the combo, the result was a price drop to R$43.90. Those who only subscribed to DisneyPlus saw the price rise, as they had been paying R$33.90 since April 2023.
Another change implemented was the adoption by Netflix of a policy to end password sharing between users who live in different homes.
With the latest updates, purchasing all streaming services in the cheapest versions, which include advertisements, costs R$ 161.40. To watch without commercials, you need to pay R$ 195.50, an increase of 42% compared to 2021.
How much do streaming plans cost today
Netflix
Standard with ads: R$ 21.90
Ad-free standard: R$44.90
Premium (with 4 simultaneous screens and higher maximum resolution): R$ 59.90
PrimeVideo
Monthly plan: R$ 166.80
Annual plan: R$ 166.80
Max
Basic with monthly ads: R$ 29.90
Basic with annual ads: R$ 226.80
Standard (no ads) monthly: R$ 39.90
Standard (without ads) annual: R$358.80 (in 12 installments of R$29.90)
Platinum (with 4 simultaneous screens and higher maximum resolution) monthly: R$ 55.90
Platinum (with 4 simultaneous screens and higher maximum resolution) annual: R$ 478.80
DisneyPlus
Monthly standard: R$43.90
Annual standard: R$ 368.90
Monthly premium (with 4 simultaneous screens, higher maximum resolution and more ESPN channels): R$ 62.90
Annual premium (with 4 simultaneous screens, higher maximum resolution and more ESPN channels): R$ 527.90
AppleTV+
Monthly plan: R$ 21.90
GloboPlay
Monthly plan: R$ 27.90
Annual plan: R$214.80 (in 12 installments of R$17.90)
Monthly plan plus channels (with 27 live programming channels): R$54.90
Annual plan plus channels (with 27 live programming channels): R$39.90
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