Nebula, the creator-owned streaming platform, announced its first price increase since launching as a standalone service in 2019.

Starting September 1, new Nebula members will pay $6 per month or $60 annually, up from the current $5 monthly and $50 yearly rates. Existing subscribers will retain their current pricing.

“We’re fortunate not to have venture capitalists or public investors breathing down our necks demanding growth or huge profits, so we can be cautious and transparent in how we do things,” Nebula CEO Dave Wiskus said in a news release. 

“However, inflation alone means that, sooner or later, we’ll need to make small adjustments to keep things stable,” he added. “At the same time, we want to recognize the support and loyalty that our audience has shown us.”

In an interview with Variety, Wiskus said that the decision came from the company seeking to align its pricing with the increased value offered to subscribers.

He cites several factors driving the change:

1. Content expansion: Nebula now hosts over 200 creators and is producing more ambitious original content.
2. Subscriber feedback: The company reports frequent user requests to pay more to support creators.
3. Inflation adjustment: The price increase helps offset rising costs while maintaining service quality.

“Unlike the big streamers, the dynamic for us with the audience is they want to support the creators,” Wiskus revealed. “They’re here for us, not just the stuff being made.”

Nebula’s recent growth includes:

• Launching a movie studio
• Partnering with Spotify and Morning Brew
• Expanding its original programming slate

Notable upcoming releases include season 11 of “Jet Lag: The Game” and “Dracula’s Ex-Girlfriend” from “House of the Dragon” actor Abigail Thorn.

Nebula continues to offer creator-promoted codes, which provide a 40% discount on annual memberships, bringing the new price down to $36 per year for eligible subscribers.

Transparency First

The company aims to telegraph its approach to pricing changes transparently. 

Wiskus stated on Reddit that raising rates for existing subscribers would require significant circumstances, adding, “The plan is to grow so much that the percentage of people on the old pricing just isn’t worth the hassle of annoying them.”

Nebula’s CEO recently expressed concern about major tech companies using content from thousands of YouTube videos to train AI models without creators’ knowledge or consent. 

“It’s theft,” he declared, adding that it’s “disrespectful” to use creators’ work without consent, especially given the potential for generative AI to replace artists.