Streaming platform Mubi clarifies situation after viral tweet alleges huge price increase
A Canadian subscriber of Mubi was surprised when the movie streaming platform notified him that it would be introducing a major price hike, but things aren’t what they seem.
In an X post on Monday that now has over one million views, user @RhodeToLove shared a screenshot showing his monthly subscription going from $9.99 to $16.99 ā a $7 increaseāwith a kick-in date of June 7.
are you crazy pic.twitter.com/6SKdwKzmeI
ā Wendell (@RhodeToLove) June 3, 2024
The post has received over 19,000 likes and 700 reposts, but an email from a Mubi spokesperson says it doesn’t represent a recent increase in prices for all subscribers.
For those who don’t know, Mubi is a streaming platform for cinephiles. Its catalogue includes a highly curated selection of films from award-winning directors and emerging filmmakers.
In an email to Daily Hive, the streamer clarified that the screenshot shared on X is from a user who “was one of a handful of members subscribed through Apple on a legacy price plan” while its regular subscription price had increased from $14.99 to $16.99 in December 2023.
“This was simply a correction being made to bring the user in line with what our current pricing has been for quite some time,” explained the spokesperson.
Streaming enthusiasts shared their frustrations on social media, not knowing that the price hike doesn’t apply to those who aren’t on a legacy plan.
“They donāt have the library to be talking like this š,” replied one person to @RhodeToLove’s post.
They donāt have the library to be talking like this š
ā based gizmo š³ļøāā§ļø šµšø (@neverthetories) June 3, 2024
“That is quite the jump,” added another.
That is quite the jump
ā Christopher Broker (@Christo69970051) June 3, 2024
One cinephile disagreed, saying the price is “still kind of a steal” when considering the quality of films available on the streaming platform.
However, @RhodeToLove replied that the jump is “way too steep” and that he can find more through curated platforms like Criterion and free services like Kanopy and Hoopla, which can be accessed with a library card.
Itās way too steep of a jump for me. I havenāt found their library to be super engaging lately either – Iām watching a lot of contemporary world cinema (their main appeal to me) more through Criterion Channel and library-supported services like Kanopy and Hoopla
ā Wendell (@RhodeToLove) June 3, 2024
Mubi isn’t the only streamer that has raised prices recently. Last month, Netflix began phasing out its cheapest ad-free plan, causing an uproar among Canadian subscribers.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article stated the wrong price increase from Mubi.
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