Streaming
Plex Pass Price Hikes & Price History (2026)
Updated September 16, 2026 · Researched & fact-checked by Shaheer
The one-time Lifetime Plex Pass now costs $749.99, up from $249.99 since July 1, 2026 — a $500 increase announced on May 19, 2026. That followed an earlier rise on April 29, 2025, when the lifetime pass went from $119.99 to $249.99 and the recurring plans moved to $6.99/month and $69.99/year. Monthly and annual pricing did not change in the 2026 round, and anyone who bought a Lifetime Plex Pass before each cutover keeps their benefits.
At a glance
- Current price
- $749.99 (Lifetime (one-time))
- Last increase
- July 1, 2026 (+200%)
- Total change tracked
- +525%
- Tracked increases
- 4
Key takeaways
- The Lifetime Plex Pass is $749.99 as of July 1, 2026, up from $249.99 — a $500 increase.
- Before that it was $119.99, rising to $249.99 on April 29, 2025. In total the lifetime pass has risen about 525%, from $119.99 to $749.99, in roughly 14 months.
- Monthly ($6.99) and annual ($69.99) Plex Pass pricing has not changed since April 29, 2025.
- Everyone who bought a Lifetime Plex Pass before a cutover keeps every benefit — both increases applied only to new purchases.
- At $749.99 lifetime against $69.99 a year, the lifetime pass now takes about 10.7 years to break even on the annual plan.
Plex Pass price increase history
| Date | Plan | Region | Old → New | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2026 | Lifetime (one-time) | US | $249.99 → $749.99 | +200% | Source |
| April 29, 2025 | Lifetime (one-time) | US | $119.99 → $249.99 | +108.3% | Source |
| April 29, 2025 | Annual | US | $39.99 → $69.99 | +75% | Source |
| April 29, 2025 | Monthly | US | $4.99 → $6.99 | +40.1% | Source |
What Plex Pass costs right now
- Monthly: $6.99 (US)
- Annual: $69.99 (US)
- Lifetime (one-time): $749.99 (US)
Plex Pass price history: from $119.99 to $749.99
Plex held its pricing essentially flat for about a decade, then moved twice in fourteen months. The first round landed on April 29, 2025 (announced March 19): monthly went $4.99 to $6.99, annual went $39.99 to $69.99 — a 75% jump, the steepest of the three — and the one-time Lifetime Plex Pass more than doubled from $119.99 to $249.99. That same round moved remote streaming of your own media behind the paywall, so the increase arrived alongside a reduction in what the free tier did.
The second round hit the lifetime plan alone. Announced May 19, 2026 and effective 12:01 AM UTC on July 1, 2026, the Lifetime Plex Pass tripled from $249.99 to $749.99. Monthly and annual pricing was untouched. Across both rounds the lifetime pass went from $119.99 to $749.99, roughly a 525% increase, while the recurring plans rose about 40% and 75% and have been flat since.
Plex framed the 2026 increase as reflecting the "real, ongoing value" of software it intends to keep building, which is the structural tension in any lifetime product: a single upfront payment has to fund years of future development. The practical effect is that the break-even math inverted. At $249.99 against a $69.99 annual plan, a lifetime pass paid for itself in about 3.6 years. At $749.99 it takes about 10.7 years — long enough that for most people the annual plan is now the cheaper way in.
If you already hold a Lifetime Plex Pass, neither increase touches you; both applied only to new purchases after their cutover dates. If you are deciding now, the choice is $749.99 once or $69.99 a year, and it turns mostly on whether you expect to still be running a Plex server in the 2030s.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Plex lifetime pass cost now?
The Lifetime Plex Pass costs $749.99 as of July 1, 2026. It was $249.99 before that cutover, and $119.99 before April 29, 2025.
What is the full Plex Pass price history?
Before April 29, 2025: $4.99/month, $39.99/year, $119.99 lifetime. From April 29, 2025: $6.99/month, $69.99/year, $249.99 lifetime. From July 1, 2026: lifetime rose to $749.99, while monthly stayed $6.99 and annual stayed $69.99.
Did Plex raise monthly and annual prices in 2026?
No. The July 1, 2026 increase applied only to the one-time Lifetime Plex Pass. Monthly ($6.99) and annual ($69.99) Plex Pass pricing has been unchanged since April 29, 2025.
Do I keep my Plex Pass if I already bought lifetime?
Yes. Every Lifetime Plex Pass holder keeps all benefits. Both the 2025 and 2026 increases applied only to new lifetime purchases made after their respective cutover dates.
Is the Plex lifetime pass still worth it at $749.99?
Against the $69.99 annual plan it breaks even at about 10.7 years, versus roughly 3.6 years when it was $249.99. Unless you are confident you will run Plex well into the 2030s, the annual plan is now the cheaper route.