Netflix is the world’s largest video streaming service and is exceedingly popular worldwide. In addition, it offers a vast catalog of movies and TV shows. Yet, some of us still think it’s a bit on the pricey side since the basic plan will cost you about 107 USD for a whole year. Of course, you can always have a month free of Netflix on a trial basis. But by the end of the month, you’ll probably find you like it enough to keep using it at your own cost. But here’s the thing about Netflix and fees: they differ in every country, and the difference can be significant.
Did you know that already? Are you wondering why Netflix charges different prices in different countries? But more importantly: did you know that you can beat the system by using these differences in price to your favor? Keep reading, and let us tell you all about Netflix, country-specific fees, why it happens, and how it can help you save some money.
A quick guide to getting Netflix discounts
Follow these steps to get a much cheaper Netflix account:
- Subscribe to a top-notch VPN service with servers in the required regions. We recommend ExpressVPN as it is reliable and has servers in Argentina.
- Open the VPN application and connect to an Argentina Server.
- Create a new Netflix account if you do not have one. If you do, cancel your current subscription and wait for your billing period to expire to select a new one.
- Choose a subscription plan of your choice.
- Proceed to payment and enter the details of your card.
- Enter your phone number as required.
- Start streaming your new, cheap Netflix subscription.
Netflix as a localized service: A different content library for a different price in any given country
Netflix is a legal video streaming platform. It is so obvious for many users that they rarely stop thinking about its implications. Any digital service streaming content legally had to acquire the rights to do so by negotiation with the copyright owners.
The negotiations include where a given company can show a specific title. That agreement is usually done on a country-specific basis. So Netflix has paid for the rights to show every show or film on its servers in a well-defined set of countries. And that’s why the Netflix catalog is different in every country. But is this a factor in the price difference across borders? Not really.
The reason we don’t think that content variety is very influential in setting Netflix prices is easy to see through an example: the cost for Netflix in the US and the Netherlands is almost the same. But the US catalog is three times larger than the Dutch one.
While we can’t tell you the precise formula Netflix uses to set a domestic price, it seems to be mainly determined by a country’s overall economic well-being. Internet users in more affluent countries are used to paying higher prices for everything. Therefore, they will likely be willing to pay a higher Netflix fee — especially if they don’t know they have an option. And how do we know that? Again, let’s see some examples: the fees for Switzerland and Sweden are 13.02 and 9.99 USD, respectively.
On the other hand, you can find Brazil and Argentina on the other side of the world (and on the economic spectrum). Their citizens can have Netflix access for 3.94 and 2.58 USD. And then, the geopolitics of the world have an effect as well. For example, as the value of the Turkish Lira plummeted recently, the Netflix cost there has decreased to 2.30 USD.
So as you can see, the differences can indeed be vast. For another example, a Swedish user spends more than 10 USD than an Argentinian user.
And what is the point of knowing all this? Saving a bit of money is the point. Of course, these price differences in Netflix can work against you if you live in the world’s most developed economies. But they can also work in your favor if you want. Let us explain to you how.
Getting a Netflix account in a country other than yours
Netflix doesn’t want your address. Have you noticed that? Getting a Netflix account requires an email account, a password, and a means of payment. That’s it! We like that about Netflix, and so should you. This means you can sign up for Netflix in any country; it doesn’t have to be the one you plan to use.
In other words, you can get your Netflix account in Argentina if you’re a Swedish resident (or Dutch, German, whatever). Then you can use it back home and save 120 USD yearly on your Netflix payments. No, we’re not kidding, and the most exciting thing about this is that you, too, can do this if you want! And no, you don’t need to take a plane to Buenos Aires. It’s far more straightforward (and cheaper) than that.
How to change your virtual location using a VPN
A VPN lets you change your virtual location. Moreover, it’s easy and quick. All you need to do is to get your VPN vendor app for your preferred device and install it. Then you log into the VPN network and choose a server within the network.
Naturally, this server will be in a specific country. After this point, the rest of the internet will not see your IP address. Instead, your VPN will make the rest of the world think that your IP address is what your server assigns to you. So, for instance, if you choose a server in the US, you will get a USA IP, and everybody else will think you’re in the United States. And yes, that includes Netflix.
Fortunately for us, the VPNs suitable for Netflix have servers in many countries worldwide. So once you’re a customer, you can pick a country to “be in” whenever you want.