Streaming software company Plex will raise prices on the premium version of its service in April as the company readies the launch of an overhauled and improved app experience.
In a blog post on Wednesday, Plex said the price of its premium “Plex Pass” subscription will increase to $7 per month or $70 per year for new and existing customers. The current rate is $5 per month or $50 per year.
Plex Pass subscribers who want a “Lifetime” pass — one where all premium features are unlocked, with no recurring bill — will also have to shell out more: The one-off cost of a Lifetime Plex Pass will jump to $250, or more than double the current rate of $120.
Plex said the new pricing will roll out for new and existing monthly and annual subscribers on April 29. Customers can avoid the price increase by purchasing a Lifetime Plex Pass at the rate of $120 between now and late April. Streamers who already have a Lifetime Plex Pass won’t be affected by the change.
Plex justified the price adjustment as necessary to help fund the development of its new app experience, which involves a total overhaul of the development of the Plex service and brings a refreshed user interface and other perks.
In a public statement on Wednesday, executives at Plex said maintaining price stability was important over the past decade, with the company likening its current rates to the retail cost of a Costco hot dog and soda or a can of Arizona iced tea.
“But now, in order for us to keep up with rising costs and remain committed to ensuring both Plex Pass and our support for personal media continue to thrive — it’s time,” executives affirmed.
Plex offers a way for streamers to access their personal media files — videos, music and photos — across connected TV platforms and mobile devices like phones and tablets, just as they would access a cloud-based service like Netflix, Spotify or Google Photos.
The basic functions of Plex, like running a media server and accessing video files on smart TVs, do not require a subscription. But Plex Pass offered enhanced features, like the ability to tap into custom themes, use hardware transcoding for media and set restrictions on sharing content with other Plex users.
At least one feature that was previously offered for free will soon be incorporated into the premium Plex Pass: For years, the company has allowed streamers to access their own files when away from their home networks. The remote playback feature also allowed Plex users to share access to their videos, music and photos with other users.
Starting April 29, remote playback will become a premium feature. Plex Pass subscribers will be able to access their own video files away from home, but streamers who want to access another user’s Plex library will have to pay for the privilege.
That said, streamers won’t necessarily need to pay full price for a Plex Pass if they simply want to access another user’s media server. Instead, Plex is debuting a new subscription offering, called Remote Watch Pass, that unlocks the ability to stream content from a server belonging to a friend or family member. A Remote Watch Pass subscription will run $2 per month or $20 per year — or one-third the cost of a monthly or annual Plex Pass subscription — and debut for purchase on April 29.
While Plex is making substantial changes to its pricing and features, it is also removing at least one fee that has plagued the Plex experience for some time: When the new Plex apps become available later this year, the company will remove an activation fee that charged Plex users for the privilege of streaming their own files to mobile devices. (Plex Pass subscribers were not charged the mobile unlock fee.)
Other parts of the Plex experience will largely remain unchanged: The service continues to offer hundreds of free, ad-supported streaming TV channels that range from news, sports, movies, retro TV, documentaries, indie films and foreign shows, as well as thousands of TV shows and movies that are free to watch on-demand with ads.
The company is currently offering a preview of its new app experience to users of Apple TV devices and some Apple and Android mobile devices, and anticipates a broader rollout of the new apps later this year.
