Plex is significantly raising the cost of its Plex Pass subscriptions, marking the first major price adjustment in over a decade. The lifetime Plex Pass, previously priced at $119.99, will more than double to $249.99 starting April 29, 2025. Monthly and annual subscriptions will also see hikes, with monthly rates rising from $4.99 to $6.99 and annual subscriptions jumping from $39.99 to $69.99. These changes underscore a broader shift in Plex’s pricing strategy as the company adjusts to rising operational costs.
Remote Streaming Moves Behind Paywall, New Budget Pass Offers Limited Access Option
Alongside the price increases, Plex is introducing a significant change to how users can access their media remotely. Remote streaming from personal Plex Media Servers—previously free—will now require a paid subscription. Users who wish to stream their media away from home, or stream from another user’s server without a Plex Pass, will now need to pay. This marks a substantial shift for longtime users accustomed to free remote access.
Plex Doubles Lifetime Pass Price and Puts Remote Streaming Behind Paywall in Major Strategy ShiftTo mitigate the backlash from these changes, Plex is launching a more affordable subscription option called the Remote Watch Pass. Priced at $1.99 per month or $19.99 annually, this pass enables remote streaming of personal or shared Plex libraries without the full range of Plex Pass benefits. However, features like DVR, downloads, and hardware transcoding remain exclusive to the more expensive Plex Pass tiers. This new offering targets users who only want remote access without the extras.
New App Experience Brings Streaming Limits, Feature Cuts, and a Shift in Strategy
The changes to remote streaming will only apply to Plex’s upcoming “new experience” apps. While the older versions of the Plex app will continue to support free remote streaming for now, Plex may eventually phase out this functionality.
Additionally, remote streaming restrictions will only apply to video content, not music or photos. Plex is also discontinuing the “watch together” feature in its new apps, though it is removing playback restrictions on its mobile apps, making them free to use without a Plex Pass or one-time fee.
Plex justifies these sweeping changes as necessary to offset increasing operational costs and to continue investing in its personal media features. This update represents the most significant transformation of the Plex Pass offering in its 10-year history.
Subscribers still receive a host of valuable features, including DVR support, video downloads, ad skipping, real-time music lyrics, and hardware acceleration. However, these latest updates signal a shift in Plex’s business model, moving toward a more monetized and segmented service structure.
