Opinion: It's Time To Cancel Your Netflix Subscription

Last calendar week, before the holiday weekend, Netflix announced that it would exist raising prices once again on all 3 of its plans. The cost increase would range from $1 to $2 per month. With the Premium programme jumping to $20 per calendar month. And that is but to much for what Netflix actually offers on its platform.

I've been thinking about it all weekend, and for the amount of content that Netflix has that I'd actually want to watch, it's not worth $xx or fifty-fifty the $fifteen.50 for the Standard program (without 4K). And then I'll exist canceling my subscription.

When the news broke last calendar week, The Verge had a prissy tabular array showing the prices of the three plans over the past 7 years. Both the Standard and Premium plans have basically doubled in that time.

With the Premium program starting at $11.99 in Apr 2013, all the fashion until October 2017 when it jumped to $13.99. Then it jumped over again in Jan 2019 to $15.99, and then in Oct 2020 to $17.99. Now in Jan 2022, it is jumping again to $nineteen.99. And that's where I'm pulling the plug on Netflix.

Why is Netflix raising prices?

Some might say that Netflix is raising prices because of inflation. Which inflation is the highest information technology's been in forty years, only that is likely not the biggest reason why Netflix is now charging $20 per month. The bigger reason is all the money it is spending on original content.

Netflix is expected to spend about $five.21 billion on original content in 2021. And spend $xiii.6 billion on content overall – that includes licensing content from other studios. And then well-nigh 38% of its spending on content is going to be original content.

So how is Netflix going to pay for that content? Past charging its customers more than. Call back, unlike other streaming services, Netflix does not accept ads on its platform. That'due south probable what has helped Netflix become so ascendant in the past decade. Consumers don't like paying for a streaming service, then having to sit through ads, even though we practise information technology on services like Hulu, discovery+, Paramount+ and others.

But that is also going to be Netflix'south downfall. If Netflix were to innovate ads, they would probable lose a lot of customers, but also proceeds more revenue to assistance get-go the content costs that Netflix is enduring.

Still, if Netflix were to retool its Basic plan and brand it an ad-supported plan, information technology could practice well for the company. Not merely would they be getting $10/month from its customers, but as well get advertisement revenue.

Netflix needs to kill the Basic plan

Netflix'south Basic plan needs to go. Certain, information technology's a mode to get users into Netflix for a much cheaper price – now half the price of the Premium plan. But information technology's non a good program. The Basic Programme allows for one simultaneous screen, which isn't a big bargain, simply y'all don't become Hd or 4K. No 4K isn't a big bargain, just no Hard disk drive streaming is. This is 2022, how can Netflix offer a plan without Hd streaming? It'due south stupid.

My idea that I'd propose to Netflix, is to turn the Basic programme into an ad-supported programme. Keep it the same price, or even a bit less, add in Hd streaming and throw in some ads. Don't put ads inside the episodes, but earlier and later episodes. Similar another services do – HBO MAX does this on its advertizement-supported plan.

Netflix could even offering the Standard and Premium plans, and and then advertizement-supported plans of each, for say $5-$seven less per month. It'll accept some getting used to, just consumers would rather pay $7 per month and come across ads, than $fifteen.fifty per month and non see them.

Netflix keeps spending money on trash content

Netflix is the one that pioneered the "original content" about a decade ago at this signal. For Netflix, it was a way to stand out, since information technology did not own any of the content on its platform. Information technology was all licensed from other companies like Paramount, Sony, Universal and others. And then information technology started commissioning original content, like Orangish is the New Black.

That ballooned its spending, to where information technology is in 2021. Every bit these shows and movies are not cheap to become. And the sad affair here is that, most of it is not good content. Of course, the flip side of that is, information technology's tough to make show afterward show, later on show that is well-received past anybody that subscribes to Netflix. Remember, Netflix has 214 million subscribers. That'south nigh two-thirds of the US population, but worldwide.

Damnnn @netflix if y'all stop putting out so many 💩 shows yous wouldn't take to heighten the toll every quarter pic.twitter.com/8BfvSSRgwf

— THuggins (@Daddy_Sauce) January 14, 2022

Netflix also likes to cancel shows that everyone loves, and order new seasons of shows that people don't. Netflix has had some pretty big shows do well for them, like Squid Games and Tiger King. But almost 90% of their content is just not adept.

It's time to abolish Netflix

At $20 per calendar month, Netflix is not worth information technology. And it's time to cancel the service. Information technology's the easiest way to tell Netflix that you've had enough of these price increases. If enough people abolish their service, then Netflix volition take the hint that these toll increases were non the right way to practice it. Sometimes you need to vote with your wallet, and this is i of those times.

At that place are many on Twitter saying that they are prepare to abolish Netflix, and I think information technology'due south the right move.

They don't take enough good movies or shows to be doing all this https://t.co/jrNLuwmCgL

— cryptic incognito (@CrypticNoHoes) January fourteen, 2022

And so who is cancelling their Netflix? $20 a month is getting to bullshit territory for me. A few hours of amusement a month isn't worth that with the electric current testify lineup.

— Ryne Hager (@RyneHager) January fourteen, 2022

Netflix keeps raising their prices only the content isn't getting any meliorate moving picture.twitter.com/wt7NrRXTMZ

— 𝒞. (@iamcedrica) Jan 14, 2022

Practiced god, Netflix is raising prices over again to $15.fifty

Idk if I can justify being subscribed anymore

— Onͨiͧoͭnͥyͤ PP (@LolicOnion) January 14, 2022

There may non be enough people that abolish, to get Netflix to change up its plans or stop raising prices. Merely it'll be a outset.