RTL Group’s streaming ambitions are sharpening, but at a cost to consumers. The German media giant, RTL, is projecting a significant increase in paying subscribers for its streaming platform, RTL+, aiming for approximately eight million by the end of 2026. This ambitious target exceeds previous group-wide projections of nine million, signaling a greater reliance on the streaming service’s performance. Currently, RTL+ boasts around 6.6 million subscribers.
However, the pursuit of subscriber growth is being tempered by a planned price hike and a restructured tariff system, set to take effect mid-January. The existing premium tier will see a €1 increase to €9.99 per month, while a new “Premium Werbefrei” (Ad-Free Premium) option will be introduced at €12.99 monthly, further enriching the offer with features such as live television, sports events, podcasts and download capabilities. The tariff encompassing all music content is slated for a €2 rise to €14.99. The entry-level tier, offering only a single stream, will remain at €5.99.
The move underscores a broader trend within the streaming landscape: the search for profitability, even if it means a shift in consumer perception. RTL’s streaming chief, Henning Nieslony, defended the price adjustments, framing them as competitive and reflective of the platform’s expanded offerings. He pointed to the continued affordability of the basic plan as an attempt to maintain market competitiveness.
Critics, however, question whether these price increases represent a strategy to attract and retain subscribers, or a reactive measure to compensate for potentially unsustainable growth. While RTL champions the expanded content library and enhanced features as justification for the higher costs, the move risks alienating price-sensitive consumers and potentially driving them towards competing streaming services, particularly those offering lower-cost alternatives. Furthermore, the introduction of tiered pricing further segmenting the user base and potentially creating disparities in content access is likely to draw scrutiny regarding equity and accessibility within the digital media ecosystem. The long-term impact of this strategy will hinge on whether RTL+ can deliver sufficient value to justify the change in consumers’ pockets.
