almost half of readers cancel Netflix when sharing accounts surcharge
Just under half of the readers will cancel their Netflix subscription if there is an extra charge for sharing an account outside the household. This is what our poll shows. Netflix plans to implement this in 2023: if you share your account with someone outside your household, you will have to pay a few euros extra per month. Something that does not occur with other streaming services. Many readers don’t like that: 49 percent would cancel their entire subscription because of it.
Surcharge on Netflix
Netflix lost a million subscribers in the first half of 2022, which is why the company is in good shape. The fact that more and more other streaming services are also appearing makes it all the more exciting for the streaming service. On the other hand, that same Netflix had 2.4 million new subscribers in the third quarter of 2022 (thanks in part to Jeffrey Dahmer and Stranger Things). However, it still wants to implement this new policy, in addition to coming with a cheaper subscription with ads to attract even more subscribers.
Many of our readers don’t like those plans at all. 49 percent would cancel their entire subscription, while 14 percent said they would only stop sharing credentials with others. 11 percent don’t know yet. There are also people who are willing to pay the allowance: 9 percent say they intend to. 9 percent don’t share their Netflix account at all right now. 8 percent do not have Netflix.
yes vs no
Netflix’s new policy has been a hot topic lately, something that we also notice in the comments below the poll. People are generally outspoken ‘definitely don’t pay’ or ‘fine for those few euros’. warrior, for example, belongs to the second camp: “Well. My daughter is studying elsewhere and hasn’t lived at home for three or four years. She is not yet financially independent from us. So she shares our family account. As long as this is the case, I will possibly pay extra, unless a judge forbids this because it is illegal.”
Then there is of course another thing: are you going to pay that as an account holder yourself, such a surcharge, or will you let the ‘leecher’ who uses your account do it? bgoedhart: “It depends. If people want to pay, I would pay the extra fee. Otherwise no.” Finally, you always have rebels. RebelwithoutaClue: “My option is not among them. I do share and I will continue to do so at no additional cost. Those friends just make a VPN connection to my network and Netflix sees my IP address neatly with them.”
Many possibilities
There are many roads leading to Rome (not the HBO Max series in this context) and it is interesting to see that there are so many different opinions and plans. Some people see account sharing as a right they have, because that’s always been the case with Netflix, others are happy that it was possible for years and think it’s fair to pay a few extra euros for it now. And yes, the issue that Bgoedhart brings to the table is also interesting: to what extent do you allow those lucky ones who are allowed to hitch a ride on your account to pay?
Enough questions. The biggest question, however, is when Netflix will introduce that new policy: is that already on January 1? We’ll see… See you next week, then there’s another poll!
