Netflix UK: 5 hacks to save money on streaming subscription - including cutting costs by £132 per year

Netflix is the go-to source for entertainment in many UK households and attracts more than 15 million subscribers.

Home to an extensive library of films, documentaries, TV series, anime and Netflix originals, the popular streaming service offers a wide variety of content for a monthly fee.

Subscribers can access as much entertainment as they like, advert-free, on smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, laptops or streaming devices for a cost between £5.99 and £13.99 per month, depending on the package.

Customers in the UK have a choice of the following subscription packages:

• £4.99 per month - this is the basic plan but crucually it comes with adverts. It offers a 720p resolution, ‘good’ video quality and allows you to watch on your TV, mobile phone, laptop, computer, or tablet – but no downloads
• £6.99 per month - this is a general basic plan without adverts
• £10.99 per month - this is a standard plan and offers 1080p resolution, ‘better’ video quality and HD. It also subscribers watch Netflix on two devices at a time
• £15.99 per month - this is a premium plan and allows viewers to watch Netflix on four devices at a time in 4k + HDR resolution, where this is available

Can I cut the costs?

If you are keen to make sure you get the most out of your Netflix subscription, there are some simple ways to help make a few savings.

Listed are five easy hacks to cut down on costs and ensure you are getting the best value for money from your subscription.

Stick to the basic plan

If you aren’t particularly fussy about watching everything in HD, opting for the basic Netflix subscription with adverts will save you almost £100 per year.

On the cheapest £4.99 package, you will pay a total of £59.88 annually. The £10.99 HD package, on the other hand, will cost you £131.88 per year, meaning you are paying £72 extra for the higher quality.

Those who opt for the most expensive £15.99 package will be forking out £191.88 annually, which is £132 pricier. So sacrificing the luxury of Ultra HD and watching on multiple devices can make you quite a hefty saving.

Share subscription costs with your household

If you live in a house with people who have their own Netflix subscription, or are mulling whether to sign up, you could split the cost of one membership between you.

If you opt for the £10.99 plan, which allows you to watch on two devices at the same time, you could half the cost and pay just £5.50 each per month. This would make you an annual saving of £65.94 each year for this package.

And if there are three people in your household with a Netflix subscription, you could split the cost of the premium £16.99 plan between you, meaning you will only have to pay around £4 .20 each per month. This would make you an annual saving of £127.92 annually for this package.

Cancel your TV licence

If you watch Netflix exclusively and don’t tune in to any live television programmes, or watch catch up programmes on BBC iPlayer, you may be paying for a TV licence that you don’t need.

If you feel that you are not getting your money’s worth from live programmes, you could scrap your TV licence altogether which could save you up to £159 per year.

MoneySavingExpert has some helpful guidance on how to decide if you really need your TV licence.

Research other streaming services

While Netflix is undoubtedly one of the most popular streaming services, it is not the only one that is available, and you may find that a competitor service is cheaper.

Taking time to do a bit of research into other subscription packages may pay off, as you could find all your favourite films and shows are less costly to watch on another service.

Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Now TV, Apple TV, Hayu, Mubi and Britbox are just some examples of alternative services you can try.

Download content in advance

Downloading films and TV shows in advance will help you avoid using up all your mobile data, particularly if you often use Netflix while out and about.

If you go over your data allowance, you may be given more data automatically and be charged for it.

Instead of using your monthly allowance too quickly, and risk being charged extra, you can download all of the content you want in advance while connected to Wi-Fi via the Netflix app, which allows you to store up to 100 downloads on a device at a time.

However, be aware that you only have a limited amount of time to watch downloads, with some expiring 48 hours after you start watching.