Plex has announced that the price of its Lifetime Plex Pass subscription will increase from $249.99 to $749.99, effective July 1, 2026.
The change follows a previous price increase in early 2025. Monthly and annual subscription prices remain unchanged. Existing Lifetime Pass holders are not affected by the new pricing.
Price Details
The new price of $749.99 represents a 200% increase from the current $249.99. The price history of the Lifetime Plex Pass is as follows:
- 2012 (launch): $74.99
- 2014: $149.99
- Post-2014: Reduced to $119.99
- April 2025: Increased to $249.99
- July 1, 2026: New price of $749.99
Current pricing for other subscription tiers remains unchanged:
- Monthly subscription: $7.00
- Annual subscription: $69.99
Features and Changes
Features gated behind the Plex Pass include:
- Remote streaming
- Intro/credit skipping
- Hardware-accelerated streaming (transcoding)
- Offline media file downloads
- Advanced Plexamp features (offline caching, bit-perfect playback, sonic analysis)
The Plexamp app no longer requires a Plex Pass for basic functionality.
Plex stated it considered eliminating the Lifetime Pass option entirely. The company noted that recurring subscriptions help sustain long-term development.
Context
The Remote Watch Pass, which was introduced in 2025, also received a price increase effective June 1, 2025.
Plex offers free ad-supported TV and on-demand streaming. Lifetime Pass holders bypass advertisements on the platform. Free users can create media collections, stream content locally, and receive remote streams from paying users.
Timeline for Users
- Current price ($249.99): Available until June 30, 2026
- New price ($749.99): Effective July 1, 2026
- Existing Lifetime Pass holders: Unaffected by the price increase
Industry Alternatives
Jellyfin is an open-source media server software with no subscription fees. Applications compatible with Jellyfin include Finamp and Symfonium for music streaming.
User Survey Data
A poll conducted by Android Authority with nearly 5,000 respondents before the price increase was announced found:
- 79.7% reported owning a Lifetime Plex Pass
- 6% reported paying for Plex through a subscription
- 14.4% reported using Plex without paying
A subsequent poll of 1,346 respondents regarding intentions after the price increase found:
- 62% already purchased a Lifetime Pass at a lower price
- 27% plan to transfer to a different platform
- 4% believe the Lifetime Pass is the best option
- 3% plan to return to streaming platforms
- 2% might opt for a monthly subscription
- The remainder reported more complicated responses
Another poll of 1,400 respondents asked the maximum they would pay for a Lifetime Pass:
- 38%: $120
- 33%: less than $100
- 19%: $250
- 8%: nothing
- 1%: $750
- 1%: whatever it costs