Do you have to accept a price increase?
A subscription is a contract with an agreed price. Many providers reserve the right in their standard terms to change that price later. Such a price change clause is not automatically valid. Under EU Directive 93/13/EEC on unfair terms in consumer contracts, a standard term is unfair if, contrary to good faith, it causes a significant imbalance to the consumer's detriment. Unfair terms do not bind you, and the rest of the contract continues.
The Directive's annex lists examples of terms that may be unfair, including terms that let a provider change the contract or the service unilaterally without a valid reason, or raise the price without giving you a right to cancel if the final price is too high. For contracts of indefinite duration, such as a monthly subscription, the annex exempts terms reserving a right to change conditions, provided the provider gives you reasonable notice and you are free to end the contract.
National courts decide how strictly this applies. In Germany, Amazon raised the Prime price on 15 September 2022, from 7.99 to 8.99 euros a month and from 69 to 89.90 euros a year. Following an action by the consumer centre of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Düsseldorf Regional Court (15 January 2025) and Higher Regional Court (30 October 2025) found the price clause invalid. According to the German consumer centres (as of 2 October 2026), the Federal Court of Justice has confirmed that Amazon cannot rely on the clause for existing Prime subscriptions.
What does a price increase look like in practice?
Fictional example: Liam lives in Cork and pays 13.99 euros a month for a streaming service. One evening an email arrives: from the billing date after next, the plan will cost 15.99 euros, with a button saying ‘Accept new price’. Liam does not tap it. He opens the app himself and finds the same notice, with the date, in his account. That way he rules out a fake message, following the rule of checking in your account rather than via a link.
He then checks his viewing history: two series in three months. He compares the plans in his account, switches to a cheaper plan with adverts and sets a reminder for three months later to decide whether to keep it or cancel. He saves the notice as a PDF.
How can you tell what the notice is asking of you?
Price notices look alike but can mean different things. Tell three cases apart:
- Consent requested: the message asks whether you accept the new price, often with a button. Your decision counts.
- Notice only: ‘From … the new price applies’, with no question to you. Check what the provider is relying on, usually a clause in its terms.
- Change to the service: adverts are introduced, features disappear or ad-free viewing costs extra. EU rules on digital content and services apply here (Directive (EU) 2019/770).
Note down five details from the notice:
- From what date is the new price meant to apply?
- What are the old and new prices, and for which period?
- Are you asked to agree, and by when?
- What does the message say happens if you do not reply?
- How and by when can you cancel?
Tip: Keep the email and a screenshot of the notice in your account. A fixed routine for digital receipts helps you find them again if you later want money back.
Accept, switch plan or cancel: which suits you?
The best choice depends on how often you really use the service: an honest look at the past three months helps more than browsing the catalogue.
| Option | What happens | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Accept | The subscription continues at the new price. | Makes sense if you use the service regularly. Once you agree, the new price is part of your contract. |
| Cheaper plan, e.g. with adverts | You pay less but get adverts or fewer features. | Compare picture quality, number of devices and downloads in your account before switching. |
| Cancel and rejoin later | Access ends, usually at the end of the paid period. | A kind of break if you are watching little. Check whether profiles and history are kept. |
| Object to the increase | You state that you do not agree to the new price. | Useful if the provider only informs you and relies on its terms. Expect that the provider may then end the contract itself. |
To cancel, use the option in your account or on the website. The guide cancelling a subscription online explains the routes in six countries. If your service offers a pause, look in the account settings or its help pages.
What applies in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy and Spain?
| Country | Legal basis | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| All EU countries | Directive 93/13/EEC on unfair terms and Directive (EU) 2019/770 on digital content and services, implemented in national law | A term letting the provider raise the price without a right for you to cancel may be unfair. Unfair terms do not bind you. If a change to the service is to your disadvantage, you may be able to end the contract free of charge within 30 days. |
| Germany | Review of standard terms | Federal Court of Justice: Prime price clause invalid (as of October 2026). |
| Austria | Section 6(1) point 5 Consumer Protection Act (KSchG) | A price clause binds you only if it also provides for reductions, describes and objectively justifies the reasons in the contract and does not depend on the provider's will. |
| Switzerland | Swiss contract law; EU law does not apply automatically | The agreed price applies. An increase needs a clause setting out conditions and scope; according to the Swiss consumer foundation you then have a special right to cancel with at least 14 days' notice. |
| France, Italy, Spain | Directives 93/13/EEC and (EU) 2019/770, implemented in national law | Same EU rules. For a dispute with a provider based in another EU country, the European Consumer Centres can help. |
In Austria, a standard term is also invalid if it is unclear or incomprehensible (section 6(3) KSchG).
What can you do if you think the increase is invalid?
If you are already paying the new price and never agreed to it, write to the provider with your customer number, dates and amounts. This wording is a starting point, not legal advice for your case:
‘Dear Sir or Madam, you have increased the price of my subscription (customer number …) from … euros to … euros with effect from …. I have not agreed to this increase. Please confirm in writing that my subscription continues at the previous price and refund the amount overpaid since …. Yours faithfully, …’
For the 2022 Prime increase in Germany, the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer centre has brought a collective action before the Hamm Higher Regional Court, seeking refunds of the difference. According to the consumer centres, people affected can still register free of charge and without any risk of legal costs.
If larger amounts are involved or the provider does not reply, seek individual advice from a consumer organisation in your country. If the provider is based in another EU country, Iceland or Norway, the European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) offers advice and assistance free of charge.
What if adverts are added or features removed?
Not every change is a price increase. If a service introduces adverts and charges extra for ad-free viewing, the service itself changes. Since 1 January 2022, EU rules on digital content and services have applied (Directive (EU) 2019/770, implemented in each EU country). A provider may change a digital service supplied over time, beyond what is needed to keep it as agreed, only if the contract allows it and gives a valid reason, the change costs you nothing extra and you are clearly informed. These EU rules do not apply automatically in Switzerland.
If the change has more than a minor negative impact on your access or use, the provider must inform you reasonably in advance on a durable medium, such as an email. You can then end the contract free of charge within 30 days. The period starts when you receive the information, or when the change is made if that is later. The right does not apply if you can keep the unchanged product at no extra cost.
How these rules apply to adverts in streaming is not yet settled. On Prime Video adverts, a German regional court ruled against Amazon at the end of 2025 in a case brought by the Federation of German Consumer Organisations; the judgment is not final. A collective action by the Saxony consumer centre with around 330,000 participants was dismissed at first instance in July 2026; an appeal to the Federal Court of Justice is planned.
Common mistakes
- Tapping ‘Accept’ in the email link instead of opening the notice in your account yourself.
- Leaving the message unread and missing what happens if you do not reply.
- Switching to the ad plan without checking which other features you lose.
- Deleting the notice and old bills: without records, a later refund claim is hard to support.
- Keeping several subscriptions running when you only use one of them regularly.
Your checklist
The checkboxes are for your own reference. No entries are sent to us. To keep a copy, print the page or save it as a PDF using your browser menu.
Common questions
Do I have to accept the Netflix price increase?
It depends on what the service tells you. If it explicitly asks for your consent, the decision is yours: accept, switch to another plan or cancel. Netflix's help pages say it emails you one month before the billing date on which the new price takes effect; you can check the date and price in your account's payment history. Read carefully what the message says will happen if you do not respond.
Can I get money back if I paid too much?
If a price increase was not valid, you may be able to claim back the difference. For the 2022 Prime increase in Germany, a collective action by the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer centre is under way, and people affected can register free of charge. For other services, you write to the provider yourself. How much you can claim depends on how long you paid the higher price.
Does EU law apply in Switzerland?
No, not automatically. Swiss contract law applies. According to the Stiftung für Konsumentenschutz, the agreed price stands unless the contract contains a clear adjustment clause. If an increase is allowed, it must be notified in writing and leave you a special right to cancel with at least 14 days' notice.
Can a service introduce adverts after I have signed up?
In the EU, Directive (EU) 2019/770 sets out when a provider may change a digital service. If your use gets noticeably worse, you can end the contract free of charge within 30 days, unless you can keep the unchanged service without paying more. Whether the introduction of adverts in Prime Video was lawful is disputed in German courts and not yet finally decided (as of October 2026).
Sources and further information
Primary sources from public authorities, consumer organisations and providers. A source may be in another language; follow the guidance that applies to your service and where you live.
- EUR-Lex: Council Directive 93/13/EEC on unfair terms in consumer contractsSource review date:
- Verbraucherzentrale (Germany): Prime price increase not allowed, Federal Court of Justice (in German)Source review date:
- Verbraucherzentrale (Germany): Amazon price adjustment clause invalid, Düsseldorf courts (in German)Source review date:
- RIS Austria: section 6 Consumer Protection Act (KSchG) (in German)Source review date:
- Stiftung für Konsumentenschutz (Switzerland): price increases in subscriptions (in German)Source review date:
- EUR-Lex: Directive (EU) 2019/770 on contracts for the supply of digital content and digital servicesSource review date:
- European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net): advice and assistance for consumers in the EU, Norway and IcelandSource review date:
- Netflix Help Centre: Why your Netflix price changedSource review date:
