Netflix launches cheap Rs 199 plan for Indians but Rs 799 plan still better if you have good friends

Are you a Netflix user? If yes, here comes a good news for you. Netflix has launched a new subscription plan specially designed for the Indian users. This is a plan for Netflix users who stream videos on a mobile phone. The best thing about this plan is its price. This is the cheapest Netflix plan available worldwide and right now it is available only in India. Netflix calls it a Made-for-India plan and it costs Rs 199 per month.

Netflix has announced that India is the first and the only country to get this plan. For now.

So far so good. What is not so good is the fact that the most expensive Netflix plan in India that costs Rs 799 is actually a much better option than the Rs 199 plan. Let us explain.

Before getting into whether you should get the Rs 199 plan or not, let’s quickly talk about what it offers. The new Netflix plan is worth Rs 199 and users opting for it will be able to stream content only on smartphones and tablets. That’s right. With this Rs 199 Netflix plan users will not be able to stream their favourite Netflix shows and movies on TV or on laptops.

The Rs 199 is already available and can be subscribed to. Note: To subscribe to the plan users will need to use their smartphone and make the payment. Like all other Netflix plans this one too is available for free during the trial period or the first month. But the question is — should you go for the plan?

Well, if you watch Netflix on smartphone or tablet this is a decent plan. But it has its limitations and if you can make the Rs 799 plan work in a better way, that will be as cheap as this plan.

First, the Rs 199 has limitations. The Rs 199 Netflix plan is limited to just smartphones and tablets. Second, it doesn’t allow users to cast Netflix to the big screen. Third, the plan doesn’t support HD streaming. Similar to the basic Rs 499 plan, the low-cost Rs 199 mobile-only plan allows streaming just in Standard definition (SD) or 480p. Now that’s something not a lot of people will prefer, especially nowadays when we are getting some gorgeous screens on smartphones. Right?



In contrast, the Rs 799 plan is a fully loaded plan. It offers 4K streaming, it supports all screens whether it is a mobile phone, or a tablet, or a large 65-inch TV. It offers unlimited streaming, it offers downloads (in this case even Rs 199 plan offers downloads). But in addition to all the features it offers, the Rs 799 plan also comes with a unique offering: You can stream Netflix simultaneously on 4 screens.

What does that mean? It means you can stream a Netflix show on your TV while at the same time your friend can stream it on her tablet. You get the idea.



You can share the Rs 799 plan and get all the benefits and features Netflix offers at lower cost. So, if you have good friends, four of you can collectively subscribe to the Netflix Rs 799 plan, pay Rs 199 each, and stream Netflix shows on whatever screen you want.

No, this is not some hack. Or illegal. It is what it is. And already there are a lot of people who share their Netflix account with friends and family members. Netflix knows it very well but while it has officially hasn’t commented on sharing of Netflix account, it has never stopped users from doing that.



So, instead of getting Netflix Rs 199 plan, may be look for some good friends who are willing to share the cost of top Netflix plan with you. Basically, all users need to do is have four “good” friends to share a Rs 799 Netflix premium plan and with that one person will end up paying Rs 199 (approx) but get more value when compared to the mobile-only Rs 199 plan.

And if you neither like the Rs 199 plan nor the Rs 799 subscription, Netflix has a few other plans as well. Netflix now offers four plans in India. The streaming service has divided the plans into: mobile (costs Rs 199/month), basic (costs Rs 499/month), standard (costs Rs 649/month), and premium (costs Rs 799/month).