Why Are People Leaving Netflix?

In the first three months of 2022, 200,000 subscribers left Netflix. For a streaming service that has dominated the entertainment industry for over a decade, this trend has the potential to be a major shift in the future of streaming. To determine why subscribers are leaving and where they are going, the team at GetWindstream surveyed 1,000 respondents about their streaming habits.

In order to understand why people would want to leave the streaming giant, we found out what draws Americans to a service in the first place. When it comes to what people watch most on streaming services, TV series and movies won out by 80%. As for what people look for in a streaming service, the majority of respondents (65%) wanted a good variety of old and new TV shows and new movie releases.

So, Why Are People Leaving Netflix?

Despite Netflix being a cultural mainstay for years, our survey found that certain changes have caused subscribers to consider other streaming platforms. Netflix’s plan to increase its current subscription price most likely had an effect, as did the possibility of commercials being added to the service.

Interesting Findings

• 73% of respondents admitted to subscribing to streaming services just to watch a new season of a TV show, with 18% admitting to doing that most of the time.
• Most people (64%) want to pay $6–$15 per month for streaming services. Only 9% of our respondents were okay paying more than $20.00 a month.
• 20% said that they wouldn’t continue because sharing their accounts was important to them, while 6% said it just wouldn’t be worth it to continue if that was the case.
• After leaving Netflix, 22% signed up for Amazon Prime, and 11% signed up for HBO Max.
• 17% of respondents left Netflix because they felt like other streaming services were better and that they were just compromising in the end.

What About Those Who Continue to Subscribe to Netflix?

Although many people are leaving Netflix, our survey found that the streaming giant remains America’s #1 favorite streaming service. When given the option to select their favorite streaming service, 40% of respondents chose Netflix as their top pick.

For those respondents who are current subscribers of Netflix:

• 68% pay for their own Netflix subscription
• 63% still enjoy Netflix’s offerings.
• 26% would end their subscription if Netflix banned password sharing.
• 7% remain Netflix customers as they are the main provider of a shared Netflix account.

Overall, our survey found that price increases and waning content quality are the main reasons behind Netflix losing its subscribers. But in spite of that trend, our survey found that Netflix is still the most popular streaming service, with a selection of original content that can bring back some of the subscribers it has lost.

GetWindstream, an authorized reseller of Windstream.

media@getwindstream.com